The University of Kentucky鈥檚 Achieving Success in Community-Engaged research to elimiNate Disparities (好色先生 ASCEND) is pleased to announce the selection of its second and third cohorts of ASCEND Scholars.
Supported by a $3 million grant from the of the through the , 好色先生 ASCEND focuses on equipping research-intensive early-career faculty with the skills and resources to tackle health disparities through community-engaged research.
Led by a team of distinguished principal investigators 鈥 Nancy Schoenberg, PhD, Darwin Conwell, MD, and Lovoria Williams, PhD 鈥 好色先生 ASCEND leverages the university鈥檚 and to foster transdisciplinary research aimed at addressing health disparities in Kentucky and beyond.
鈥淲e developed this program based on the successes our faculty experienced as participants in the Research Scholars Program, a one-year long program that includes five levels of mentorship, professional development and networking,鈥 Schoenberg said. 鈥淭he ASCEND Scholars Program is a crucial addition to our faculty development programming, as it focuses on the critical need to build expertise in community-engaged research approaches. Community-engaged research is essential to move the needle on the serious health burdens we face.鈥
The two-year professional development program offers comprehensive training in community-engaged research. During the first year, scholars participate in the RSP while gaining access to workshops, conferences and coursework focused on community engagement. The second year provides funding for a $50,000 mentored and community-guided pilot project designed to translate research into actionable outcomes.
Support for scholars includes scientific mentorship, coaching and programming designed to advance their research careers while promoting meaningful collaboration with community forums.
A highly competitive application and selection process was followed to identify the second and third cohorts of scholars. Individuals were chosen as ASCEND scholars based on their potential to become highly successful community-engaged researchers and the merit of their proposed pilot projects. This process was led by the co-directors of the Investigator Development Core, Kevin Pearson, PhD, and Carolyn Lauckner, PhD.
鈥淲e had a large number of highly qualified faculty applicants from multiple colleges, and this highlights 好色先生鈥檚 strengths and continued recruitment of junior faculty but also the need for a program like ASCEND,鈥 Pearson said.
好色先生 ASCEND recognizes its three cohorts of scholars.
Inaugural cohort
- Cheavar Blair, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine
- Aubrey Jones, PhD, assistant professor,
- Erika Littlejohn, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine
- Hend Mansoor, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science,
Second cohort 鈥 beginning Feb. 1, 2025:
- Radmila Choate, PhD, assistant research professor, , College of Public Health
- Darlingtina Esiaka, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine
- Abigail Latimer, PhD, assistant professor, College of Social Work
- Meagan Scott, PhD, assistant professor, , College of Education
Third cohort 鈥 beginning Feb. 1, 2026:
- Lynden Bond, PhD, assistant professor, College of Social Work
- Delvon Mattingly, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine
- Ketrell McWhorter, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Neurology, College of Medicine
By integrating research excellence with community-driven approaches, 好色先生 ASCEND underscores the University of Kentucky鈥檚 commitment to eliminating health disparities in underserved populations in Kentucky, the nation and the world.
