There is growing evidence that the broadband radio spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of star-forming galaxies (SFGs) contain a wealth of complex physics. In this paper we aim to determine the physical emission and loss processes causing radio SED curvature and steepening to see what observed global astrophysical properties, if any, are correlated with radio SED complexity. To do this, we have acquired radio continuum data between 70 MHz and 17 GHz for a sample of 19 southern local ($z \lt 0.04$) SFGs. Of this sample 11 are selected to contain low-frequency ($ \lt $300 MHz) turnovers (LFTOs) in their SEDs and eight are control galaxies with similar global properties. We model the radio SEDs for our sample using a Bayesian framework whereby radio emission (synchrotron and free-free) and absorption or loss processes are included modularly. We find that without the inclusion of higher frequency data ($ \gt $17 GHz) single synchrotron power-law based models are always preferred for our sample; however, additional processes including free-free absorption (FFA) and synchrotron losses are often required to accurately model radio SED complexity in SFGs. The fitted synchrotron spectral indices range from $-0.45$ to $-1.07$ and are strongly anticorrelated with stellar mass suggesting that synchrotron losses are the dominant mechanism acting to steepen the spectral index in larger/more massive nearby SFGs. We find that LFTOs in the radio SED are independent from the inclination of SFGs; however, higher inclination galaxies tend to have steeper fitted spectral indices indicating losses to diffusion of cosmic ray electrons into the galactic halo. Four of five of the merging systems in our SFG sample have elevated specific star formation rates and flatter fitted spectral indices with unconstrained LFTOs. Lastly, we find no significant separation in global properties between SFGs with or without modelled LFTOs. Overall these results suggest that LFTOs are likely caused by a combination of FFA and ionisation losses in individual recent starburst regions with specific orientations and interstellar medium properties that, when averaged over the entire galaxy, do not correlate with global astrophysical properties.

The Students Participating as Ambassadors for Research in Kentucky (SPARK) program provides novel health equity research training and targeted mentorship for undergraduates, particularly those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral research and workforce. SPARK aims to address inadequate diversity in the medical and scientific research fields by providing comprehensive research mentorship and skill-building. Unlike most existing research training programs that are brief, focus on laboratory research, or are limited to graduate students and junior faculty, SPARK delivers a 16-month intensive behavioral and population health science training, equipping students with needed tools to conceptualize, plan, execute, and analyze their own health equity research study. Trainees complete didactic coursework on health equity, study design and proposal development, data analysis, and ethics. Students receive a stipend and research expenses, and multiple mentors guide them in creating original research projects for which they serve as Principal Investigator. Students disseminate their findings annually at an academic research conference as a capstone. Evaluation data from the first three cohorts suggest SPARK has been pivotal in preparing students for graduate studies and research careers in health equity and behavioral and population health sciences, providing strong support for further investments in similar undergraduate research training models.