LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 14, 2026) — A decades-old mystery about supermassive black holes may finally have an answer.
University of Kentucky astronomer Gary Ferland, Ph.D., is part of an international team that uncovered new evidence explaining how supermassive black holes continue to grow despite releasing enormous amounts of energy.
Using observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, Ferland and his team, led by the Université de Montréal, have captured one of the clearest views of a self-
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 14, 2026) — On Feb. 17, 2025, after a weekend of heavy rainfall, a hillside in Fleming-Neon, Kentucky, suddenly gave way. A wall of earth and debris tore downhill, straight toward a cluster of houses. Those houses were occupied, families inside. Tons of material thundered down — and thankfully stopped before completely burying the homes.
This was not an isolated incident. Landslides cause an estimated $10 million to $20 million in damage across the Commonwealth annually, impacting everything from private residences to critical infrastructure and roads. That problem is particularly concentrated in Eastern Kentucky, where a maze of hills, hollers, creeks and human
By Erin Wickey
Nathaniel StapletonLEXINGTON, Ky. (July 7, 2026) — Nathaniel Stapleton, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mathematics in the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts and Sciences, has been honored as a 2026-27 University Research Professor.
Stapleton’s research explores some of the most challenging and conceptually rich questions in modern mathematics. Working in a field known as chromatic homotopy theory, he investigates deep structural patterns that shape how mathematicians understand space, symmetry and change. His work connects multiple areas of study, including algebra, geometry and even theoretical physics, revealing unexpected links across disciplines.
At the center of his research are tools called Morava E-theories,
By Francis Von Mann
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 22, 2026) — University of Kentucky faculty members Julie Pendergast, Ph.D., and Michael Tackenberg, Ph.D., will join an international panel of researchers for an "Ask Me Anything" forum hosted on Reddit for World Circadian Day on June 24.
Julie Pendergast, Ph.D., and Michael Tackenberg, Ph.D.World Circadian Day aims to raise public awareness about circadian health — the internal biological clocks that regulate sleep, metabolism and other essential functions. Common questions from the public tend to center on how to sleep better, the health effects of meal timing and the risks associated with shift work. The event is sponsored by the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms and partner organizations.
“Living in sync with our circadian
PASADENA, Calif. (June 17, 2026) — A University of Kentucky researcher is helping uncover how stars are born and evolve deep inside galaxies by revealing dozens of previously hidden star clusters buried in cosmic dust.
Using a combination of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and radio observatories including the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, the study provides new insight into how galaxies build their stellar populations over time.
The findings from “Hidden Gems in
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 18, 2026) — One of the most painful chapters of Kentucky’s story — the history of racialized slavery — will be memorialized June 19 during the national observance Juneteenth and the centuries-long struggle that led to its abolition.
Researchers who want to explore Kentucky’s history of racialized slavery should begin with Researching African American Slavery in Kentucky, a research guide curated by Reinette Jones, librarian with UK’s Special Collections Research Center.
The guide provides pointers on the types of information most readily available. It also offers guidance on
By Motunrayo Oladele
Hashini Navarathne, left, Lateefat Jimoh, Anne-Frances Miller and Motunrayo Oladele from the UK Department of Chemistry at Lexington Christian Academy.LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 18, 2026) — Diffraction glasses, dry ice and red cabbage brought chemistry to life for eighth-grade students at Lexington Christian Academy during a University of Kentucky outreach visit.
On May 4, Anne-Frances Miller, Ph.D., Gill Eminent Professor of Chemistry, and doctoral candidates Motunrayo Oladele, Lateefat Jimoh and Hashini Navarathne from the UK Department of Chemistry visited the school to lead demonstrations on atomic emission spectra, states of matter and acid-base chemistry. The activities connected classroom science to environmephoto of three students and a professorntal issues and everyday experiences.
Miller opened the session with an introduction
By Ryan Girves
Edgar Garcia‑Velozo brings global migration into focus through student-driven learning and creative, project-based teaching. Mark Cornelison | UK PhotoLEXINGTON, Ky. (June 17, 2026) — Edgar Garcia-Velozo, a University of Kentucky Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Sciences, is among 10 educators honored with UK’s 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards.
These awards identify and recognize UK faculty and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate special
More than 2,000 students have been named to the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Science's Dean's List for spring 2026. To earn Dean's List honors, students must earn:
A semester GPA of 3.6 or greater. A least 12 earned credit hours in graded coursework. Earned credit hours taken as Pass/Fail are excluded.A list of Dean's List students may be found here.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 10, 2026) — Alex Farone, Ph.D., a former University of Kentucky graduate teaching assistant, is among 10 educators honored with UK’s 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards.
These awards identify and recognize UK faculty and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement. Recipients were selected via nomination and reviewed by a selection committee based in the UK Provost’s Office for Faculty Advancement and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.
Farone earned his Ph.D. in political science from UK this
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 3, 2026) — Faith Hensley, Ph.D., a former University of Kentucky graduate teaching assistant, is among 10 educators honored with UK’s 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards.
These awards identify and recognize UK faculty and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement. Recipients were selected via nomination and reviewed by a selection committee based in the UK Provost’s Office for Faculty Advancement and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.
Hensley earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from UK this May, where she served as a graduate teaching assistant in the
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 2, 2026) — University of Kentucky physicists are among an international team recognized with one of the world’s most prestigious scientific honors: the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Often referred to as the “Oscars of Science,” the award recognizes the global collaboration behind the muon g-2 experiment, a decades-long effort to better understand the fundamental properties of matter.
UK Department of Physics and Astronomy faculty members Renee Fatemi, Ph.D.; Tim Gorringe, Ph.D.; and Brad Plaster, Ph.D.; along with five UK
by Francis Von Mann
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20, 2026) – Camilo Rey Sabogal, a University of Kentucky Ph.D. alumnus in geography, has been appointed deputy minister of finance and public credit of Colombia.
Rey Sabogal was sworn in April 20 before Finance Minister Germán Ávila after being appointed on April 17, 2026. He joins Colombia's national economic team during the final months of President Gustavo Petro's administration, where he will support the country's finance and fiscal policy work.
Rey Sabogal earned his Ph.D. in geography in 2021 from the UK College of Arts and Sciences Department of Geography. His doctoral research examined the political economy of heritage space in Cartagena's historic center, with broader scholarly interests in inequality, uneven development and urban
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 14, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research has announced the 11 students selected for the 2026 Commonwealth Undergraduate Research Experience Fellowship program.
Sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Office of the Vice President for Research, the CURE Fellowship provides students with the opportunity to engage in faculty-mentored research within four of UK’s eight Research Priority Areas (: cancer, cardiovascular health, neuroscience and
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 7, 2026) — The Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment at the University of Kentucky selected 12 students for the first cohort of Tracy Farmer Scholars conducting research in environment and sustainability.
Among them are:
Anish Penmecha, undergraduate, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis Honors College (mentor: Yosra Helmy). Cat Lamb, graduate student, Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences (mentor: Keiko Tanaka). Jessica Nwafor, graduate student, Department ofLEXINGTON, Ky. (May 7, 2026) — The University of Kentucky’s Nu Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa inducted 36 members and recognized student leaders and faculty advisers during its spring 2026 initiation ceremony last month.
Founded in 1914 at Washington and Lee University, Omicron Delta Kappa is a national leadership honor society that recognizes excellence across five pillars of campus life: scholarship, athletics, service, communications and the arts. Established at UK in 1925, the Nu Circle has a long tradition of honoring and developing student leaders.
Maurice A. Clay AwardsNamed for longtime UK educator Maurice A. Clay, this award honors an outstanding graduating senior in each academic college for exceptional leadership, service and academic
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 6, 2026) — The University of Kentucky’s Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence recognized graduating students, introduced its 2026 student fellows — the program’s 20th class — and announced its 2026-29 endowed professors during an event April 16.
Dedicated to advancing the University of Kentucky’s commitment to student, teaching and program excellence, the center works toward that mission through several programs. The Chellgren Student Fellows Program is open to all majors and begins during a student’s second year at UK. During this time, students receive support in understanding the research process within their discipline, identifying a
By Jenny Wells-Hosley and Kayla Coffee
Siena Pilati, left, Mostafa Mubarak, Carolina Burn and Fatimah Alomar pose with the Bowman Wildcat statue in the Gatton Student Center. Carter Sloss | UK PhotoLEXINGTON, Ky. (May 6, 2026) — Four graduating students have been selected by University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto to represent the Class of 2026 as speakers at UK’s May Commencement Ceremonies Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9.
Together, they reflect the breadth of the UK experience — leaders, scholars and innovators whose paths have been shaped by discovery, service and a strong sense of community.
The students are Mostafa Mubarak, Carolina Burn, Siena Pilati and Fatimah Alomar.
Fatimah AlomarLEXINGTON, Ky. (May 6, 2026) — Trenton Schroering, a junior majoring in political science, was one of 20 students selected from a highly competitive nationwide pool of nearly 800 applicants as a 2026 Key into Public Service Scholar by the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
Schroering is the first UK student to earn the award.
“I view the honor as proof that public service is still valued,” Schroering said. “I've never wanted anything more than to make the world a better place for my peers. I judge myself based on how many days I'm able to improve and how many smiles I'm able to bring to others, and hope that this award increases my capacity to do that. In the meantime, I'm glad I can represent my University of Kentucky community as the first Wildcat to ever achieve
By Tom Musgrave
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 5, 2026) — Twelve University of Kentucky students and recent graduates have been awarded U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, the country’s oldest graduate fellowship program directly supporting graduate students, recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in foundation-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions.
The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $34,000 and a cost of education allowance of $12,000 to the institution.
This program is one of several scholarship opportunities UK’s
