By Trey Conatser and Jill Abney

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 27, 2022) — The Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching  launched the Teaching Innovation Institute in 2020 as an incubator for cutting-edge instructional techniques. Two faculty cohorts have completed the program with a third on the way for the next academic year. The three cohorts have involved 61 faculty from 14 colleges and 46 departments or schools.

Members of the 2022 cohort of the Teaching Innovation Institute are: 

By Elizabeth Chapin

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 24, 2022) — The first cohort of interns in a new Kentucky Geological Survey program are spending their summers contributing to statewide research projects focused on geologic resources, environmental issues and natural hazards affecting Kentucky.

The new Paul Edwin Potter Internship Program is giving University of Kentucky students interested in geoscience research the opportunity to engage in a hands-on research project for 10 weeks throughout the summer. Although the program was limited to UK students during its first year, it will be expanded in future years to include students from other universities.

Supported by a gift from the late Paul Edwin Potter, a

By Jesi Jones-Bowman

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 23, 2022) — The Office of Undergraduate Research has selected 16 undergraduates for the 2022 Commonwealth Undergraduate Research Experience Fellowship program.

The new CURE Fellowships, sponsored by UK Office of Undergraduate Research and the Office of the Vice President for Research, empowers undergraduates to become leaders for their communities by providing opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills through research within UK’s seven research priority areas: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes & obesity, diversity and inclusion, energy, neuroscience and substance use disorder.

“Conducting summer research will provide me with valuable experience that

By Elizabeth Chapin

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 9, 2022) — Poor sleep is linked to a wide range of medical issues, including hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity and cancer. With more than a third of U.S. adults reporting insufficient sleep, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe sleep deprivation as a public health epidemic.

The public health burden of sleep deprivation is especially high in Kentucky: Residents are some of the nation’s most sleep-deprived, particularly in rural Appalachia. In that area,  25-58% of adults report insufficient sleep, defined as less than six hours a day.

Two College of Arts and Sciences professors at the University of Kentucky have received a $3.7 million grant from the National

By Elizabeth Chapin

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 8, 2022) — David Weisrock, professor and chair of the Biology Department in the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences, has received one of the the 2022 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. The award recognizes exceptional leadership and support of student researchers.

Presented each year by the Office of Undergraduate Research, this student-nominated award recognizes UK faculty members who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate researchers, provide exceptional undergraduate research experiences, as well as support and promote the undergraduate research initiatives on campus. This year, students nominated a record 41 faculty mentors

By Elizabeth Chapin

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 8, 2022) — Julia Bursten, associate professor in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Philosophy, works together with scientists to help improve scientific methods for their experiments.

As a philosopher of science, Bursten studies epistemology, or the logical and conceptual foundations of scientific knowledge. Her highly interdisciplinary work merging philosophy and scientific research has been supported by both the National Endowment for the Humanities  and the National Science Foundation.

Bursten’s work supported by the NEH is focused on the philosophy of nanoscience, the study of structures and materials on an ultra-small scale.

by Amanda Nelson

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Researchers at the University of Kentucky have released a 10-minute film titled “Becoming Myself: Positive Trans & Nonbinary Identities.” It features narratives from the lives of seven transgender and nonbinary identified young adults, reflecting on their experiences navigating gender identity.  

The film’s executive producers, based in the colleges of Arts & Sciences and Education, are Zak Clements, Ph.D. candidate in counseling psychology; Ellen Riggle, professor and chair in the 

By Meredith Weber

Wildcat Network, a new networking platform, has launched and you’re invited to join.

The free online community is exclusive to University of Kentucky alumni, students, parents and campus partners. It provides a directory and mentorship platform and is designed to empower connections across the globe through personal and professional networks.

Wildcat Network serves as a platform for: 

Mentoring connections can be made between alumni or between alumni and students. Employment opportunities are pulled from 

By Richard LeComte 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Essays by two recent University of Kentucky graduates have won the 2022 Ireland Prize in History. One essay, by Pedro Fernandes Esteves Fonseca, deals with the fraught efforts of the Inquisition in colonial Brazil, while the other, by Elena Liu, examines the Spanish Flu pandemic in Mexico. 

The award, from the Department of History in the College of Arts & Sciences, carries a $10,000 prize, which was split between this year’s winners. The prize honors Robert M. Ireland, a retired history faculty member who taught at UK for 41 years. The award encourages and rewards outstanding historical research and

By Richard LeComte

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Twists and turns in business have led Dan DeHart from bourbon country -- and a degree from the University of Kentucky – to starting Gander Panama Rum. He earned a B.S. in mathematics from UK in 1988 and served as a director of Capital One and vice president of First Data Corp. But in 2013, he started DeHart Spirits, which produces the premium Gander Panama Rum, which is aged in bourbon barrels and is distributed through fine alcohol stores. The Panama operation includes its own sugar-cane fields and processing facilities, which makes it less vulnerable to trade disruptions brought on by the COVID pandemic. Now he’s ready to discuss how what he learned in UK’s College of Arts & Sciences has led him to making premium rum.

Q: How did your math major help you in your business career?

A: It was a combination of

By Elizabeth Chapin

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 6, 2022) — Each year, the University of Kentucky’s Office of Undergraduate Research selects a cohort of Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, a diverse group of outstanding students who serve as advocates for undergraduate research and creative scholarship at UK.

This year, the office launched the Excellent Undergraduate Research Ambassador award to honor outtanding ambassadors for their dedication to and promotion of undergraduate research and creative opportunities.

The six winners were announced at the 16th annual Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars. They are: 

By Lindsey Piercy

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 31, 2022) — A new initiative led by Jewish Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky will provide educators from across the Commonwealth with the professional development and teaching tools necessary to enhance K-12 Holocaust education.

Funded by a grant from the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, the UK-JHFE Holocaust Education Initiative will create opportunities for interdisciplinary content sharing, pedagogical training and collaborative planning.

The program aims to empower Kentucky teachers to meet the challenges of state-mandated legislation. In 2018, the

UKNow is highlighting the University of Kentucky’s 2022-23 University Research Professors. Established by the Board of Trustees in 1976, the professorship program recognizes excellence across the full spectrum of research, scholarship and creative endeavors at UK. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 27, 2022) — Carrie Oser, the DiSilvestro Endowed Professor in the Department of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky, has been named one of 14 University Research Professors. 

The 2022-2023 University Research Professorship Awards honor faculty members who have demonstrated excellence that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in the Commonwealth, across the region and around the world. 

By Daniel T. Flener

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 25, 2022) — The International Center at the University of Kentucky has announced the 2022 UK Global Impact Award winners. Among them is Ann Kingsolver, professor of anthropology and director of the Appalachian Studies Program. 

The awards honor faculty, staff, alumni and community members who have contributed to the university’s global engagement through education, research and service as well those who have fostered a culturally diverse, welcoming environment.

“This past year has reinforced for us just how interconnected our world really is, and how critically important international collaboration is in research and higher education,” said Sue Roberts, associate provost for internationalization. “These individuals are making a wonderful and positive difference

By Shanna Wilbur

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 24, 2022) — University of Kentucky Libraries has awarded the 2022 UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement to UK American history professor Tracy Campbell.

Created in 1990, the medallion honors a Kentucky resident whose accomplishments represent the pinnacle of education and creative thought in the fields of science, literature, art and philanthropy. Medallion recipients are determined by the UK Libraries National Advisory Board after receiving nominations from the public. Past recipients include John Anthony, Wendell Berry, James Still, Bobbie Ann Mason, Thomas D. Clark, Laman A. Gray Jr., Guy Davenport, George C. Herring, Adalin Wichman, John Egerton, Karl Raitz, George

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 4, 2022) — This spring, the University of Kentucky is celebrating more than 5,300 degrees conferred by the Board of Trustees, with around 3,900 expected to cross the stage of Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center during the UK Commencement Ceremonies.

On this episode of "Behind the Blue," we spotlight three of those graduates to talk about their time at UK, the memories they’ll take with them and how they’re prepared to move ahead and make the most of what they’ve learned.

Growing up, Emily Lucke’s father spent time in Iraq as a member of the U.S. military, and sent home newspapers and other material written in Arabic that fascinated the Clarksville, Tennessee native. Upon arrival at UK, Lucke was able to turn that fascination into a career path, majoring in both political science and international studies, and becoming a member of the

By Danielle Donham

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20, 2022) — The University of Kentucky Office of Nationally Competitive Awards has announced that UK student Victor Montgomery has received a 2022 David L. Boren Fellowship to study Russian language. Montgomery is pursuing a master’s degree from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. 

The Boren Awards fund up to $25,000 for undergraduate and graduate students to support language study, research and study abroad in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Montgomery’s award will fund Russian language study with local tutors and research in Tallinn, Estonia, alongside information security classes at the Tallinn Institute of Technology.

By Sarah Geegan

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 19, 2022) — Ana M. Franco-Watkins has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the oldest and largest college at the University of Kentucky.

Upon approval from the Board of Trustees, Franco-Watkins will join UK on July 1, 2022. Franco-Watkins currently serves as interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University.

“Ana Franco-Watkins has an impressive background as an educator, researcher and leader,” said Provost Robert S. DiPaola. “Her vision for the College of Arts and Sciences aligns with the aspirational goals of our strategic plan and our mission to advance Kentucky. We are pleased to welcome her to the UK family.”

Franco-Watkins has served as interim dean of the College of Liberal

By Lindsey Piercy

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 13, 2022) — Three graduate students at the University of Kentucky have been selected for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program.

Austin Nelsen, Manh Tien Nguyen and Henry Pruett are among 80 graduate students nationwide to receive supplemental funds to conduct part of their thesis research at a host DOE laboratory in collaboration with a DOE scientist. 

“For decades, the DOE has cultivated the expertise to meet the nation’s greatest scientific challenges," said Geraldine Richmond, under secretary of science and innovation at the DOE. "Now more than ever, we need to invest in a diverse, talented pipeline of scientists, engineers and

By C. Lynn Hiler

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 6, 2022) — The University of Kentucky chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) recently inducted 49 new members. This year’s induction ceremony was held Wednesday, April 13, at the Singletary Center for the Arts.

“We are extremely proud of the students admitted to Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Kentucky,” said Anna Bosch, chapter president and professor of linguistics. “This honor recognized their hard work and their commitment to a broad liberal arts education in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.”

Celebrating excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and the most prestigious honor society. It contributes to opportunities for life-long learning and rounded lives outside of career, which follows the society’s