The University of Kentucky Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) in partnership with the Center of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) is excited to announce the 2024 Community Engagement Award in Environmental Health Award in Environmental Health Sciences. The UK-CARES/CERH Community Engagement Award recognizes individuals or community-academic teams who demonstrate outstanding achievement in and commitment to community-engaged research or project evaluation to improve environmental health in Appalachia. 

Nominations will be reviewed by an external (non UK-CARES/CERH faculty and staff) panel. The nominees’ name will be removed before nomination forms are sent to the review panel. The nominees’ chance of being selected for the award is based solely on the details provided in the nomination form. Please provide thorough information about the nominee’s work to ensure their best chance of winning the award. Self-nominations are also accepted. Priority will be given to individuals and/or teams working in the Big Sandy, Kentucky River, or Cumberland Valley regions of Kentucky.

The individual or community-academic team whom you nominate must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Community-engaged environmental health scientist

• Community member engaged in issues to keep the air or water healthy, or to address extreme weather or other natural disasters

• Involved in community-academic environmental health-related partnerships

• Demonstrate outstanding community-engaged environmental health science

Nominations are due on or before February 28, 2024.

All finalists will be notified no later than March 15, 2024. The winner will be announced, and all finalists will be recognized at UK-CERH's Appalachian Research Day in Paintsville, KY on April 11, 2024.