The SPARK program, a collaboration between the Center on Health Equity Transformation (CHET) and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), offers research training for a diverse cohort of undergraduate students from the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. Students, known as "SPARKlers," receive mentorship, training, and funding to conduct research on health disparities in local communities. Through BSC 390: Health Equity Research Foundations, SPARKlers learn research fundamentals, develop protocols, and submit IRB applications. During the summer, they carry out their approved research projects with the guidance of UK Research Faculty Mentors, culminating in data analysis and preparation for presentations and publications.
The SPARK program, a collaboration between the Center on Health Equity Transformation (CHET) and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), offers research training for a diverse cohort of undergraduate students from the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. Students, known as "SPARKlers," receive mentorship, training, and funding to conduct research on health disparities in local communities. Through BSC 390: Health Equity Research Foundations, SPARKlers learn research fundamentals, develop protocols, and submit IRB applications. During the summer, they carry out their approved research projects with the guidance of UK Research Faculty Mentors, culminating in data analysis and preparation for presentations and publications.