News

Are Children Interested in Politics? UK Researcher Provides Insight in New Study

9/12/2019

By Lindsey Piercy

Christia Spears Brown's professional roles as a researcher, teacher and advocate for public policy issues are integrated around her interests in issues of diversity and equality. Pete Comparoni | UK Photo.

When it comes to talking politics with your children, you may think they would rather be playing video games or texting their friends — but that's not exactly true.

With the 2020 U.S. presidential election fast approaching, should the youngest members of society be engaged in the political discussion? If so, how can parents and schools help navigate that conversation.

Findings of a new collaborative study — conducted by researchers at the University of Kentucky, University of Kansas, University of Texas at Austin, Whitman College and

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A&S Researcher: How Families With Same-Sex Parents Resolve Conflict Has Impact

7/30/2019

By Lindsey Piercy

For more than a decade, Rachel Farr has studied various aspects of family life. More specifically, she's zeroed in on a highly debated topic — adoption among same-sex couples.

As more and more gay and lesbian adults adopt children, their parenting skills are being called into question. As an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky, Farr has spent her academic career evaluating and answering these questions with research.

"LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) parenting and adoption are both topics that I care deeply about from personal and professional vantage points," she said. "I think it is vitally important that research efforts reflect

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Professor Jonathan Golding, No Ordinary Career Counselor

7/22/2019
Dr. Golding with Student

 

By Julie Wrinn

Jonathan Golding joined the UK Psychology Department in 1988 and has been an active researcher ever since, achieving full professorship for his investigations into legal decision-making and various aspects of memory, specifically in juror decision-making in victimization cases. A legendary teacher, he has received numerous teaching accolades, most notably Kentucky Professor of the Year (2011) and the Alumni Association's Great Teacher Award (2014).

Where Golding has arguably had the biggest impact at UK, however, is in career counseling, especially for undergraduate psychology majors. After decades of devoting himself to mentoring undergraduates and guiding their career explorations, he began realizing that the possibilities for psychology majors had grown so tremendously that it was impossible to cover the material in a single advising

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A&S Psychology Graduate Awarded Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship

7/22/2019

By Alyssa Perez

Recent University of Kentucky graduate Christian Soares has been awarded a fellowship worth $8,500 by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi — the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Soares is one of 58 recipients nationwide to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship.

Soares received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky. As a Phi Kappa Phi Fellow, Soares will pursue a dual Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health at Duke University.

Since its creation in 1932, the fellowship program has become one of the society's most visible and financially well-supported endeavors, allocating $615,000 annually to outstanding students for first-year graduate or professional study. This year’s program awarded 50 fellowships

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Psychology Professor Christia Spears Brown Named the Lester and Helen Milich Professor for Children at Risk

6/24/2019

The Lester and Helen Milich Professorship for Children at Risk in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky was established in 2019 by Professor Emeritus Richard Milich in memory of his parents. The Milich Professorship supports the enhancement of clinical child psychology education through the examination of existing research, as well as with the generation of new ideas, concepts and research findings.

Christia Spears Brown, professor and associate chair in the Department of Psychology, has been named the first Milich Professor. As well as an author, researcher and professor of Developmental Psychology, Spears Brown is also the Director of the Center for Equality and Social Justice in the UK College of Arts & Sciences.

The professorship is awarded to a faculty member who:

Holds the rank of associate or full professor; Has research
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A&S Psychology Researcher Unravels Serial Killer Ted Bundy's Mental Health

6/4/2019

By Lindsey PIercy

The crimes he committed while lurking in the shadows would eventually put Ted Bundy in the spotlight — and keep him there for more than three decades.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the notorious killer's execution, but America's fascination with Bundy lives on. Most recently, Netflix brought him back into the public eye in a new movie, "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile," starring Zac Efron.

Bundy's ability to live a double life continues to be puzzling. How did he attend college, build a political career and have a long-term relationship all while assaulting and murdering at least 30 women between 1973 and 1978?

Psychology experts have been studying the infamous serial killer for several years.Those experts include Thomas Widiger.

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UK's Spring 2019 Dean's List Announced

5/31/2019

By Lori Adams

The University of Kentucky has released its Dean's List for the spring 2019 semester. A total of 6,562 students were recognized for their outstanding academic performance. 

To make a Dean’s List in one of the UK colleges, a student must earn a grade-point average of 3.6 or higher and must have earned 12 credits or more in that semester, excluding credits earned in pass-fail classes. Some UK colleges require a 3.5 GPA to make the Dean’s List.

The full Dean's List can be accessed by visiting: www.uky.edu/PR/News/DeansList/.

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A&S Students Among 11 Selected for Fulbright Honors at UK

5/30/2019

By Whitney Hale

The University of Kentucky Office of Nationally Competitive Awards has announced that seven recent UK graduates and four doctoral students have been offered Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships. The UK recipients are among approximately 2,000 U.S. students who will travel abroad for the 2019-20 academic year.

Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program operates in more than 140 countries.

This year's UK students offered Fulbright grants, from a university record 37 applications, are:

Elizabeth Avery, an Earth and environmental sciences doctoral student, to do
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Psychology Professor Suzanne Segerstrom Receives Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award

5/10/2019

By Ryan Girves


Suzanne Segerstrom (left) and Marilyn Campbell (right) both received the Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award.

The University of Kentucky recently honored Marilyn Campbell and Suzanne Segerstrom for their dedication to mentoring with the Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award during the 13th annual Showcase of Undergraduate Scholars.

The most successful people in the world all seem to have one thing in common — a mentor, whether it be a coach pushing them to succeed, a boss taking them under their wing or a professor guiding them in the right direction. Judging by the success of those mentored and research conducted on the impacts of mentoring, one conclusion is certain, mentoring matters. 

The student-nominated award recognizes UK faculty members who have demonstrated an

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Gaines Center Names 12 New Scholars for 2019

4/25/2019

By Rebecca Longo

Top, l to r: Eli O’Neal, Chase Carleton, Melynda Price (director). Middle: Claire Hilbrecht, Josh Ehl, Carson Hardee. Front: Aileen Tierney, Hannah Thomas, Bria Northington, Daniela Gamez. Not pictured: Will Kueshner, Nicole Blackstone, Megan Yadav.

The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities has selected 12 undergraduate students as new scholars for the Gaines Fellowship Program.

The Gaines Fellowship is presented 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. Founded in 1984 by a generous gift

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Segerstrom to Deliver 2018-19 Distinguished Professor Lecture

4/24/2019

By Jenny Wells

Suzanne C. Segerstrom, a professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Psychology, is serving as the 2018-19 UK College of Arts and Sciences' Distinguished Professor and will present the annual Distinguished Professor Lecture this week.

Her talk, "Well-being, Immunological Aging, and the Brain," will explore how psychological well-being influences the immune system. The lecture will begin 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in the UK Athletics Auditorium in the William T. Young Library.

In 2017, Segerstrom and her team of researchers received a $3.3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to continue the “Thought, Stress, and Immunity” study, which has been investigating the interactions between psychological and immunological

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Psychology/Neuroscience Professors Receive $1.7 million Grant to Train the Next Generation

4/22/2019

Psychology/Neuroscience Professors Mark Fillmore and Mark Prendergast received a 5-year,  $1.7 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to train the next generation of scientists who study alcohol. These funds will support 5 outstanding graduate students conducting basic or applied alcohol research from across UK's campus. Each student will be supported for a period of 2 years. This funding, from an arm of the National Institutes of Health, is tax payer funded. At UK, we have the ability to study alcohol use, its risk factors and consequences at many levels of analysis and to integrate those findings in a collaborative manner to address our shared goals of better understanding risk factors for alcohol abuse, consequences of alcohol abuse and potential treatments of alcohol abuse.


 

https://www.

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2019 Kirwan Prize, Sturgill Award Presented to Outstanding Faculty

4/19/2019

By Lindsey Piercy

(Left to right) Suzanne Segerstrom and Brett Spear

Two University of Kentucky faculty members were honored for their outstanding contributions to research, mentoring and scholarship at the 2019 University of Kentucky Awards ceremony held April 18.

Suzanne Segerstrom, professor in the Department of Psychology, was presented the 2019 Albert D. and Elizabeth H. Kirwan Memorial Prize, given each year to a faculty member in recognition of outstanding contributions to original research or scholarship, with an emphasis on work produced four years prior to the award.

Brett Spear, professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular

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Q&A with Lauren Miller, Class of 2006

4/17/2019

 

Lauren Miller, Class of 2006

Major: Psychology

Senior Leadership Recruiter at Tesla *

 

     

 

What was your childhood like?

I grew up in the Louisville area and went to Sacred Heart Academy. Go Valkyries!

I loved to play volleyball, tennis and swim. I’ve always loved interior design and art projects.

Growing up, we took a lot of trips in the conversion van, so I’ve actually been to 45 states! Today, my partner Anand and I try to travel as much as we can, but we usually choose a plane over the van :).

I was the kid wearing tie dye and reminding everyone to recycle, which is probably why I ended up at Tesla!

How did you wind up at UK? Why did you select Psychology as your major?

My dad went to UK and it was

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Q&A with Will Seidelman, Class of 2009

4/17/2019

Catherine Seidelman (class of 2010), Will Seidelman (class of 2009), and Dexter

Will Seidelman, Class of 2009

Major: Psychology
Minor: Philosophy

Manager, User Research AmazonTransportation and Recipient Experience at Amazon *

 


I currently work for Amazon, but the opinions below are my own and do not necessarily represent Amazon’s position.   What was your childhood like?

We moved several times before ending up in the bluegrass state. I was interested in technology early in life and my parents fostered that desire. In high school, I played a KY state tournament basketball game in Rupp Arena, I do not think Coach Cal would have been particularly impressed with my performance that day.

How
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Autism Awareness Month: UK Alum and Neuroscience Professor Featured on SFN.ORG

4/3/2019

The autism-related research of UK alum and neuroscientist Dr. Blair Braden was featured recently on social media outlets of the Society for Neuroscience. Blair worked in the lab of Dr. Mark Prendergast many years ago, and attended graduate school at Arizona State University, where she is now a professor.

"Telomere twist: Blair Braden, assistant professor at Arizona State University, and colleagues reported work showing that children with autism have shorter telomeres than their typical peers. The effect is particularly strong in girls with autism. The findings add an interesting twist to the literature on sex differences in autism. More importantly, if shortened telomeres are a risk factor

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Building Belonging at UK: Quiyana Murphy

2/27/2019

 

When Quiyana Murphy arrived on UK's campus as a freshman she found a home at the CARES Center. Watch why she is now the one helping others to feel at home by tutoring fellow Wildcats. Murphy graduated from UK with degrees in math and psychology, and is currently a post-bac student in the Department of Mathematics.
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Do Sadists Feel Sad After Inflicting Pain? UK Psychology Grad Reveals Intriguing Results

2/25/2019

By Lindsey Piercy

There's something immensely intriguing about true crime stories. You've probably fallen victim to binge watching various docuseries that feature fascinating tales of tragedies. Your latest obsession may have you wondering — why would someone torment people, especially those they don't even know?

By definition, a sadist is, "A person who derives pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation on others." Instinctively, when one thinks of sadists, they think of serial killers. However, we all know sadists. According to David Chester, they are everywhere to varying degrees. In fact, sadists are commonly considered bullies.

"Sadistic tendencies are impulses that people have to experience pleasure from inflicting harm on others," he said. "These impulses exist in many people, not just violent criminals."

A new 

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Undergraduate Researchers Present Their Work at the State Capitol

2/21/2019

By Ryan Girves

Eighteen University of Kentucky students are making their way to the State Capitol Building in Frankfort, Kentucky, to present their research at the 2019 Posters-at-the-Capitol event. This one-day annual event is held to show Kentucky legislators the importance of undergraduate research and scholarly work in Kentucky. The governor proclaims this day to be Undergraduate Research Day across the Commonwealth.

"Posters-at-the-Capitol is a platform whereby undergraduates from across the Commonwealth’s eight public institutions proudly showcase their undergraduate research projects," said Evie Russell, assistant director at the Office of Undergraduate Research. "Each year, University of Kentucky students look forward to communicating their research achievements to Kentucky Legislators and their peers."

The work presented by students

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UK Scholar's Fight Toward Justice for All

2/20/2019

By Lindsey Piercy

Christia Spears Brown's professional roles as a researcher, teacher and advocate for public policy issues are integrated around her interests in issues of diversity and equality. Pete Comparoni | UK Photo.

Martin Luther King Jr. once famously said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Nearly 60 years later, his words are still a source of inspiration for those who seek justice — including Christia Spears Brown. As a professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky, she strives to help society understand we are all connected, and spreading that message starts with educating the younger generation.

"I'm passionate about ensuring that all children, regardless of the social

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