Shyanika Rose, PhD, MA, acting director for the Center for Health, Engagement and Transformation (CHET), was honored with the Research Mentor Award in Clinical and Translational Science at the 21st annual Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Spring Conference on March 31, 2026.
This award honors outstanding mentors who make impactful contributions to their mentees’ success in clinical and translational science. Dr. Rose was nominated by her own mentees for her life-changing impact on their research careers.
One of Dr. Rose's mentees had this to say about her teaching:
"Witnessing Dr. Rose’s critical thinking and problem-solving inspires me to be a more effective, thoughtful researcher. The data that emerges from REACT will offer substantial contributions to the field of tobacco control—and have broader implications for public health... However, overseeing REACT is no easy feat; Dr. Rose’s leadership, intelligence, and wisdom are critical to the implementation of such an immense study…I have felt consistently supported in my role and encouraged to grow. Specifically, Dr. Rose has repeatedly offered guidance and encouragement for me to pursue my own projects. I have had mentors struggle to strike a balance between direct, honest critiques and warm, approachable communication; not Dr. Rose. She is both a critical thinker and an understanding supporter. All the projects I have worked on under Dr. Rose have been a positive experience that helped me to deepen my knowledge about health equity and research generally. Overall, Dr. Rose has been a wonderful teacher, mentor, and supervisor."
Dr. Rose is the acting director of CHET and an associate professor in the UK College of Medicine Department of Behavioral Science. She also serves as an MPI on the Appalachian Tobacco Regulatory Science Team (AppalTRUST), a Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) whose mission is to investigate Federal Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products (FDA CTP) regulatory priorities in rural Appalachia. Her research aims to identify mechanisms by which policy initiatives can influence tobacco initiation and cessation, and how policy can contribute to the reduction (or unintended widening) of racial/ethnic and socio-economic health disparities particularly in youth and young adult populations.
Congratulations to Dr. Rose on a well-deserved honor!