By Kody Kiser

Storytelling is an art as old as human civilization. It can cross or establish boundaries, unite or divide cultures, and give context and meaning to our shared existence. Throughout its history, the University of Kentucky has fostered a rich culture of storytelling. Long considered a cradle of Kentucky authors, the university is making headway in supporting the work of authors more representative of the national scene.

On this episode of "Behind the Blue," we welcome one of those authors, UK Assistant Professor of English Hannah Pittard. Pittard has published three novels: 2011’s "The Fates Will Find Their Way," which received a favorable review by The New York Times Book Review. Her second novel, "Reunion" (in 2014), was an editor’s choice by the Chicago Tribune. In 2016, she released "Listen To Me," and is now completing work on

By Jenny Wells

Michael Kovash, a professor of physics and astronomy in the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences, has received a $341,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Physics to study internal structures of high energy gamma rays and protons and neutrons. 

Both protons and neutrons possess internal structures which determine the form and strength of their interactions with each other, and with external probes such as the electromagnetic field. By measuring the characteristics of the interaction between high energy gamma rays and protons and neutrons, scientists can infer detailed information about these internal structures. Kovash and his team will use the energetic gamma ray beams at the High Intensity Gamma-Ray Source at Duke University to study both proton and

By Whitney Hale

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) selected University of Kentucky senior Corrine Faye Elliott, of Lexington, as one of this year's 40 recipients of the prestigious $10,000 scholarship. The ASF Scholarship is presented annually to outstanding college students majoring in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).

For more than 30 years, the ASF has identified and supported the best and brightest undergraduate students pursuing educations in STEM fields across the nation. The Astronaut Scholarship is known for being among the most significant merit-based scholarships awarded to undergraduate STEM students. Candidates must be nominated by faculty of the participating universities based on their display of initiative, creativity and excellence in their chosen field.

ASF

By Vice President for Research Lisa Casis

On December 7, 2016, a group of UK Deans, Associate Deans for Research and faculty accompanied the President and Vice President for Research to visit with Congressional members and their staff during our annual D.C. fly-in and reception focused on UK research. This event, hosted by the Office of the Vice President for Research in collaboration with Federal Relations, enabled researchers to discuss with our delegation the importance of research and creative work across the full range of disciplines at UK. An important aspect of these discussions was the impact of UK research on our economy and on the health of those living in the Commonwealth. 

 

Notably, our visit coincided with the overwhelming support of Congress for the 21st Century Cures Act through a 392-26 vote in the U.S. House and 94-5

By Gail Hairston

Two University of Kentucky graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Anthropology have been awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, and an anthropology alumna will be conducting her research at University of Cambridge.

Daniel Joseph, a fourth year doctoral student from Les Cayes, Haiti, was awarded an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (DDIG) to conduct research on people of Haitian descent, many of whom had lived their whole lives in Dominican Republic until their deportation in recent years. Joseph is conducting cultural anthropological research in the refugee camps in Haiti, near the border of Dominican Republic. He hopes to understand how identity plays into these historical relations of race, colonialism and entwined economies. For more information about Haiti and Dominican Republic, visit 

Register to win a free passport! 

Event Timing: UK Education Abroad Spring Fair - Wednesday, February 8th, 3-7pm

Event Address: W.T. Library - The Hub

Contact us at educationabroad@uky.edu

Register here by Dec. 16: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8HBN_uedKYw49TawZfX-6x4BlSpV…

In the paper “Unboiling an Egg: An Introduction to Circular Dichroism and Protein Refolding” published in the Journal of Chemical Education, Prof. Anne-Frances Miller describes an experiment that protein unfolding and refolding accessible to students by working with hard boiled eggs. This experiment, which is adaptable to students as early as young as the high school level, provides an introduction to the use of a technique called circular dichroism, a hallmark technique for analyzing biological structures. In this experiment, students employ a denaturant solution to dissolve a hard-boiled egg back into solution, wherein the protein’s original structural signature (before boiling) are recovered, as evidenced by circular dichroism results. This experiment provides an accessible introduction to the use

By Vice President for Research Lisa Cassis

This podcast features Claire Renzetti, the Judi Conway Patton Endowed Chair in the University of Kentucky Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and professor and chair of sociology in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

Renzetti’s research focuses on violence against women, particularly violent victimization experiences of socially and economically marginalized groups of women, including women living in poverty and women in same-sex intimate partnerships. Her current research focuses on human trafficking, and services for trafficking victims. She also examines the effects of religiosity and religious self-regulation on intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization. Additionally, she is evaluating the potential benefits of a therapeutic horticulture program for residents of

By Jenny Wells and Alicia Gregory

University of Kentucky REVEAL Research Mediarecently caught up with Susan Odom, an assistant professor of chemistry in the UK College of Arts and Sciences, to learn more about her pioneering work in electrochemical energy storage.

Odom, who joined UK in 2011, creates new organic compounds for applications in electrochemical energy storage systems. Applications include lithium-ion batteries, which are utilized in portable consumer electronic devices. Her additives have been demonstrated to protect these batteries from overcharging conditions longer than any other electrolyte additive reported to date.

Odom’s group

By Jordyn Comitor

The University of Kentucky Debate Team had a strong first semester of their 2016-2017 season, led by the exceptionally strong freshmen team of Dan Bannister and Anthony Trufanov.

Their season started at the Georgia State University tournament where, for the fourth year in a row, the team made it to the Sweet 16 round of competition: a recurring achievement for the team this semester. Out of the 105 teams there, the team of Theo Noparstak and Holmes Hampton finished as the 17th overall seed and the team of Bannister and Trufanov finished as the 12th overall seed.

Bannister, a political science major from Saint Paul, Minnesota, was the 19th overall speaker in the Georgia State competition and the only freshman to make it into the top 20

By Jenny Wells

Two faculty members from the University of Kentucky have received three of four funded awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop responses to the opioid injection epidemic that can be implemented by public health systems in rural communities.

Carrie Oser, an associate professor of sociology in the UK College of Arts & Sciences, was awarded a one-year, $150,000 grant for her project "Improving Outcomes after Prison for Appalachian PWIO (People who Inject Opioids): The Role of XR-NTX & Networks." This research aims to understand the factors and barriers related to an effective continuum of care for people who inject opioids, with a specific focus on social networks, as they leave prison and return to their normal lives. The

One of the benefits of a large research university is the opportunity it provides undergraduates to study a wide variety of disciplines while working with nationally recognized scholars. In order to promote these types of educational experiences for students, the Office of Undergraduate Research offers Research and Creativity Grants during the summer term.

“Receiving this grant has changed my life in more ways than one,” said Michael Steenken, anthropology senior and 2016 Summer Research Grant recipient. “I have been given the opportunity to explore my curiosities and passions with the guided help of various professionals. I have had the ability to fall even more in love with the area of study that has always fascinated me. I have been able to gain a basic foundation in how to conduct academic research.”

Under faculty advisor David Pollack, Steenken’s research

By Amanda Fuller

The Kentucky Academy of Science (KAS) held its 2016 Annual Meeting Nov. 4‐5, at the University of Louisville. More than 700 scientists and students attended the meeting, and hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students from Kentucky and regional colleges and universities participated in the research competitions.

Winners of the student competitions from the University of Kentucky included:

By Kevin Kiernan

By Mack McCormick and Whitney Hale

University Press of Kentucky (UPK) authors Gerald L. Smith, Karen Cotton McDaniel, and John A. Hardin have been named the recipients of a 2016 Kentucky History Award given by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) for their book, The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia.

The Kentucky History Awards recognize outstanding achievements by historians, public history professionals, volunteers, business and civic leaders, communities, and historical organizations throughout the Commonwealth. The awards were presented Nov. 11, at the KHS Annual Meeting and Kentucky History

By Jenny Wells

David Jensen, an assistant professor of mathematics in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, received funding this fall from the National Science Foundation for his research in algebraic geometry, a central topic in mathematics with applications to many other disciplines.

Jensen will use the three-year, $136,000 grant to study the geometric properties of curves that are described by polynomial equations. Many natural phenomena of interest in physics, biology and computer science can be modeled by polynomials, making algebraic geometry a useful tool for the scientific community at large. While some curves may have exotic or

The Small-Molecule X-Ray Crystallography Facility in the Department of Chemistry has been awarded a prestigious and highly competitive grant from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF).  The award of $383,133 (70% NSF, 30% UK matching funds) will fund the acquisition of a state-of-the-art microfocus X-ray diffractometer.

X-ray crystallography has long been considered the 'gold-standard' for providing detailed atomic-level structural information for molecules in chemical, pharmaceutical, and materials research. The award proposal by X-Ray Facility director Sean Parkin, Department of Chemistry professors Susan Odom, Phoebe Glazer, and John Anthony, and College of Pharmacy professor Oleg Tsodikov will modernize and dramatically enhance structural chemistry research instrumentation at UK.

The Light Microscopy Core, a newly named research core facility under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President for Research, has invested $1.3 million in two new microscopes to support an array of research across the University of Kentucky. Dr. Chris Richards, director of the Light Microscopy Core and assistant professor of chemistry, said these instruments and the hiring of manager Thomas Wilkop will enable UK researchers to utilize the most advanced imaging available. “If we want to understand biological systems, ranging from neuroscience to physiology, or apply imaging techniques for cutting-edge materials science, we really need to have the type of equipment that makes us competitive with other

Assistant Professor Kenneth Graham received a $110,000 grant from ACS PRF to develop a better understanding of polymer blend thermoelectrics. Thermoelectrics can convert heat energy to useful electrical energy based on the Seebeck effect, or they can utilize electrical energy to produce heating or cooling. Polymer based thermoelectric materials have the potential to be low-cost, are lightweight, and mechanically flexible, which opens up a number of applications if the thermoelectric performance of these materials can be further improved. For example, these materials could be utilized to make the band of a Fitbit, or other wearable electronic device, and provide power for the device based solely on your body heat, or they could be utilized to recover waste heat from higher temperature sources, such as the coolant systems of

By Whitney Hale

University of Kentucky senior Rachel Dixon, of Lexington, was recently named a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. Dixon, an English and writing, rhetoric and digital studies major, will interview for the prestigious scholarship that funds graduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead.

A UK Honors College member and former ambassador, Dixon is a