Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year 2009
College of Agriculture

Megan Bunch began her appointment in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences as a Clinical Lecturer in January of 2006.  Although she does not have a research assignment (95% Teaching and 5% Service), she has the basic philosophy that she needs to be involved in research activities with undergraduate students.  During 2006-2007, she directed one undergraduate student in a research project that dealt with a specific medical issue related to care dependency in the intensive care unit.  The project was carried out at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah.  The student was responsible for collecting data during spring semester of 2007.  Her approach was to promote interest and excitement for the student, Justin Johnson, about research in a hospital setting.  Together they analyzed and interpreted data and then developed a poster that was presented at the Student Showcase in 2007.  Justin Johnson is currently a nutrition support registered dietitian at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah. 

During spring semester 2008, Megan directed a second undergraduate student, Emily Ogden, in a research project that studied the relationship between early enteral nutrition in mechanically ventilated patients.  The student was required to collect data on 108 patients.  Together they analyzed the data and presented the results in poster form at the Annual Utah Dietetic Association Meeting.  She has continued adding to the data set with two new undergraduate students working on the project during the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 semesters.  Megan is hoping to show that early initiation of enteral nutrition in mechanical ventilated patients reduces mortality, reduces hospital length of stay, and decreases overall hospital care cost. 

Megan will continue an active role in introducing undergraduate senior level dietetic students to practical research problems in the hospital setting, allowing her to stay current in focused areas of research and provide students with a greater appreciation of what is involved in research.