by Jenny Wells, Carl Nathe

(April 23, 2014) — As a University of Kentucky Commencement tradition, two students have been selected to serve as speakers for the two undergraduate ceremonies Saturday, May 10.

Emily Willett will speak at the 1 p.m. ceremony and Pooja Reddy will speak at the 6 p.m. ceremony. Willett and Reddy were selected among several candidates by UK President Eli Capilouto to represent the May 2014 undergraduate class.

Willett, from Ormond Beach, Fla., is graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in management from the Gatton College of Business and Economics.  She is a third-generation

by Keith Hautala

(April 21, 2014) — The University of Kentucky's Center for Research on Violence Against Women is under new leadership, and its new director says the center will focus its efforts to promote violence prevention research.

Diane R. Follingstad, the center's Women’s Circle Endowed Chair and a professor in the UK Department of Psychiatry with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychology, took on the role of executive director April 1, pending confirmation of her appointment by the university's Board of Trustees. A clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in partner abuse and battered women’s legal cases, Follingstad has been with the center since 2008.

The former director of the center, Carol Jordan, is leaving to head the Institute for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

by Thomas Janoski

(April 9, 2014) — In an effort to train University of Kentucky graduate students and help researchers, the Quantitative Initiative for Policy and Social Research (QIPSR) is bringing four of the most sophisticated methodologists in America for a mini-conference April 10-11 and a workshop May 15-18 on structural equation models (SEM). This method goes far beyond the typical single equation explanation of social science voting, health, participation, protesting or learning. It encompasses the combination of up to hundreds of variables into a complex system of meaningful behavior.

by Keith Hautala

(April 8, 2014) — When people think of psychologists, many envision a clinical setting, where the focus is on helping individuals with personal problems and relationships. But what about our problems and relationships with technology? For that, you need an engineering psychologist.

"That’s something that puzzles a lot of people: How do you put psychology together with engineering?" says Melody Carswell, a University of Kentucky professor of psychology and associate director of the UK Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments (Vis Center). "I think probably the most obvious way is

by Whitney Harder, Whitney Hale

(March 27, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities has chosen 12 outstanding undergraduates as new scholars for the university's Gaines Fellowship Program for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years. Gaines Fellowships are given in recognition of outstanding academic performance, demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, an interest in public issues and a desire to enhance understanding of the human condition through the humanities.

Gaines Fellowships are awarded for the tenure of a student's junior and senior years, or for the last two years of a five-year program; students in all disciplines and with any intended profession

by Gail Hairston

(March 11, 2014) — It’s tournament time in the world of collegiate basketball. For the athletes, coaches and fans of the sport, that means once again pulling on that unwashed-for-four-months T-shirt or making sure that lucky coin nestles in the front left pocket of your jeans or settling into that ancient easy chair gripping a certain brand of beer purchased only in March.

Sports superstitions and rituals are nothing new. Suspending belief for the moment, you might envision an ancient ancestor throwing a shiny rock into a rabbit hole and dinner popped out. The connection was made: Shiny rock equals rabbit stew. Now, the shiny rock may miss the next few targets, but inevitably the rock again brings meat to the campfire. By now, our ancient ancestor is convinced he possesses an exceptionally lucky rock, perhaps even a supernatural rock

by Mallory Powell

(March 6, 2014) -- Nearly 700 researchers, students, policymakers and community members will gather at the Lexington Convention Center March 27 to share research, mentor junior faculty, and enhance collaborations in clinical and translational science, with special focus on addressing health disparities in Appalachia. The 9th Annual Spring Conference and 4th Annual Appalachian Translational Research Network (ATRN) Summit will be hosted by the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS).

"This year’s theme will be health disparities, which fits well with CCTS efforts to boost research

Video by UK Public Relations and Marketing. To view captions for this video, push play and click on the CC icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

by Jenny Wells, Whitney Harder

(Feb. 27, 2014) — Twenty-four undergraduate researchers from the University of Kentucky, along with more than 200 other student representatives from across the state, are taking over the state capitol in Frankfort today to showcase their research to the state legislature.

Posters-at-the-Capitol is a one-day annual event held to educate the Kentucky state legislators of the importance of undergraduate research and scholarly work. The governor, members of the General Assembly and representatives from

Video by Vis Center media team.

by Kieth Hautala

(Feb. 27, 2014) — Designing energy efficient buildings that are both functional and attractive raises a question: How do people adjust to a building that is adapting to them?

Melody Carswell, an expert in engineering psychology and associate professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Psychology, investigated with her students how occupants, including themselves, were responding to the new, adaptable Davis Marksbury research building on the UK campus.

by Gail Hairston

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 26, 2014) — An innovative grant from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is funding a University of Kentucky program that will not only advance research of alcohol abuse, but also train tomorrow's problem solvers.

Professor Mark Prendergast of the Department of Psychology and Associate Professor Kim Nixon of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences turned their devotion to research and their commitment to

By Afton Fairchild Spencer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 14, 2014) — Six University of Kentucky educators were recently named recipients of the UK Alumni Association 2014 Great Teacher Award.

The recipients are:

Award

by Allison Elliott-Shannon



(Feb. 13, 2014) — Open access to information is the goal of higher education, and several members of the University of Kentucky Department of Psychology faculty are participants in an innovative project designed to bring free, up-to-date texts to students. Headed by University of Illinois professors Ed and Carol Diener, the website Nobaproject.com gives instructors and their students access to customized psychology content written by top experts in the field.

120 authors, including seven members of the UK faculty, put together more than 80 chapters in 11 psychology topic areas. All content is completely free, and allows instructors to customize texts by

by Jake Most

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 24, 2013) — Seven Kentucky Wildcats – Khristina Blajkevitch, Caitlin Ciokajlo, Ashley Frazier, Jonathan Keltner, Shelby Kennard, Megan Moir and Chelsea Oswald – have been recognized with the 1A Faculty Athletics Representatives organization’s Academic Excellence Awards.

Individuals had to maintain a minimum 3.8 cumulative GPA and have competed for at least two years of intercollegiate athletics in a sport sponsored by a Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division 1A) conference to qualify for the awards.

Joe Fink, UK’s Faculty Athletics Representative and Professor of Pharmacy, noted that this national recognition is significant for several reasons.

“In addition to recognizing academic excellence as indicated by achieving an outstanding GPA, the award emphasizes the skill these outstanding

by Keith Hautala 

(Nov. 25, 2013) — Ashley Candelaria Alumbaugh, a fifth-year predoctoral intern in the University of Kentucky school psychology program and a longtime research assistant at the UK Human Development Institute, received some special recognition at a national conference last week. 

Alumbaugh received the prestigious 2013 Anne Rudigier Award from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities at the group's annual conference in Washington, D.C., held Nov. 17-20. The award recognizes an outstanding student who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families. 

Alumbaugh graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor's degree in

by Keith Hautala & Andrea Richard

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 21, 2013) — Farah Sheikh, a first-year psychology major at the University of Kentucky, skated her way to win the senior ladies title at the annual U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate Championships earlier this fall in Green Bay, Wis.

Sheikh (pronounced "shake"), who has been skating since she was 3 years old, said winning the senior ladies title was “the icing on the cake.” A two-time Michigan state champion, and a senior ladies sectional competitor, Sheikh said her win in Wisconsin comes with a title that means something.

“You can say you’re a great skater, but unless you have a title, people don’t really understand,” Sheikh said.

Following in her two older sisters' footsteps, Sheikh found she had a knack for skating at an early age. When she was 8 years old, Sheikh was already

by Andrea Richard

(Nov. 12, 2013) —  Designed to offer students an opportunity to live and learn together in an integrated academic residential environment, living learning programs, or LLPs are a “dynamic residential experience [that] offer specialized programming, interactions with UK faculty and staff; and a supportive community that focuses on student success,” according to the university’s Undergraduate Housing & Residence Life website. There are currently 14 LLPs at UK, and a part of what makes them successful is the role of the peer mentor.

Hired in the spring, peer mentors train in both the spring and fall semesters and continue throughout the school year. They are dedicated to ensuring student success at the university and helping students adjust to life on the

video courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2013) — In addition to research presentations, the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will offer numerous volunteer opportunities for the entire campus community when the University of Kentucky hosts the conference April 3-5, 2014. From helping direct traffic, to managing technology, to just helping students find where they need to go, there will be a variety of positions available to students, faculty and staff.

Students will have even more flexibility to get involved, as the University Senate has given permission for faculty to redirect their classes April 3 and 4 so students can attend conference events and presentations. 

"

by Nathan Owen

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 6, 2013) — The University of Kentucky’s Appalachian Center, in collaboration with the Appalachian Media Institute, will provide a glimpse into Appalachia through a showcase of young filmmakers’ documentaries.

The event takes place at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, in Room 106 of the Whitehall Classroom Building. Representatives from AMI’s Summer Documentary Institute will screen three self-produced documentaries, each around 10 minutes long.

by Gail Hairston

(Oct. 31, 2013) — The 46 winners of the fourth annual Outstanding Staff Awards; their friends and colleagues; and several campus leaders, including University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto, gathered at Spindletop Hall yesterday for a recognition luncheon.

Although the weather was a bit dreary, the mood was festive, enhanced by the performances of School of Music graduate quartet fellows, Maureen Kelly and William Ronning; and Iris Fordjour-Hankins, Alltech Vocal Scholar and doctoral candidate in Opera Theater, accompanied by UK School of Music faculty member, Tedrin Blair Lindsay.

“It’s a special pleasure to recognize our outstanding staff in this way – the many who work hard each day to represent the University of Kentucky, advance their college or unit, and support our impactful mission,” said President Capilouto. “I’m

by Mallory Powell

(Oct. 16, 2013) – The University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science will host the 2nd Annual UK Clinical Research Education Day on Friday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the UK Chandler Hospital, Pavilion H North Lobby (outside of the administration offices). The free, public event will feature a variety of informational tables for patients, students, faculty, staff and visitors to learn about clinical research activities and opportunities at UK.

Several departments and centers will showcase their clinical research activities, including the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS); the departments of psychology, behavioral science, pediatrics, and neurology; Markey Cancer Center; Sanders-Brown Center on Aging; the College of Nursing; and