By Whitney Hale

(Feb. 16, 2016) — The University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI) is currently taking applications for faculty grants that help fund China-focused academic endeavors. Applications for 2016 spring and summer grant proposals are due Monday, Feb. 22.

"This is UK Confucius Institute's effort to support faculty in their China-related research and travel. We are offering a wide range of grants for travel and course development. I hope faculty will take advantage of these funds to advance their research and course development on China-related topics," said Huajing Maske, director of UKCI and executive director of the Office of China Initiatives.

Funded

By Catherine Hayden, Gail Hairston

(Feb. 12, 2016) — Braving the colder temperatures of the northern Midwest, the University of Kentucky Forensics team said “ya sure, you betcha” to a win at the Icebox Classic hosted by St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Seven team members took part in the tournament, which featured competition in 12 public speaking events and parliamentary debate. In addition to winning first place in team sweepstakes, UK seniors Logan Hurley and Dianté Elcock placed second and third, respectively, in the quadrathlon competition, which takes the cumulative points earned from all individual event categories. The team also qualified for two more events for the National Forensic Association national tournament in April.

As part of the parliamentary debate competition, team members debated a wide range of

By Whitney Hale

(Feb. 15, 2016) — As part of yearlong examination of violence and the human condition, University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities will bring together a group of international scholars to explore historic episodes of violence and their impacts on Europe at the 2016 Bale Boone Symposium, "Europe Today and the Memory of Violence," running Feb. 17-19, at the UK Athletics Auditorium in William T. Young Library. The symposium is free and open to the public.  

Today, Europe has come to symbolize the possibility of peace and

On Tuesday, February 16, 2016 from noon-1 p.m. at the Carnegie Center for Art and History in New Albany, Indiana, Jay Stottman, Staff Archaeologist with the Kentucky Archaeological Survey, will present the program "Underground History: The Archaeology of African Americans", as part of the Carnegie Center’s Lunch & Learn series. During this “tour of historical archaeological sites in Kentucky within an African-American context”, Stottman will describe how archaeology has helped us learn about the African-American experience in Kentucky, from slavery to the development of urban neighborhoods. He will use his experiences at various archaeological sites to illustrate the nuances of life for African Americans during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Stottman’s talk will focus on research conducted at plantations in Louisville, such as Locust Grove, Farmington, and

By Whitney Hale

(Feb. 11, 2016) — As part of the "Year of Europe" sponsored by the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, UK Libraries is hosting a festival of European films accompanied by an exhibit in William T. Young Library. The award-winning films were chosen by faculty members on the Year of Europe Steering Committee and each film is introduced by a faculty member with knowledge of the country. The films and exhibition are free and open to the public. 

The corresponding exhibit, "Europe through the Lens: A Festival of Contemporary European Films," displays posters

By Amy Jones-Timoney and Kody Kiser

Video produced by UK Public Relations & Marketing. To view captions for this video, push play and click on the CC icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. If using a mobile device, click on the "thought bubble" in the same area. 

(Feb. 10, 2016) — Fans cheered for more than three pointers, dunks and steals last night as UK honored this year’s Great Teachers on the court at Rupp Arena. 

On Tuesday evening, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association presented its 2016 Great Teacher Awards to six recipients at a recognition dinner. The award-winners were then recognized on the court of Rupp Arena during the Kentucky vs. Georgia men’s basketball game.

The recipients are:

• Matt Dawson, 

By Weston Loyd

(Feb. 8, 2016) — The University of Kentucky's Gaines Center for the Humanities, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Design are teaming up to present a new program on violence and the human condition. The series’ fourth event, a lecture on "Architecture and Conflict" by Malkit Shoshan, founder of the Amsterdam-based architectural think-tank FAST (Foundation for Achieving Seamless Territory), will begin at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, in 118 White Hall Classroom Building. The event is free

By Whitney Harder

(Feb. 8, 2016) — A new partnership between the University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) in the College of Arts and Sciences, UK College of Education and STEAM Academy will prepare a diverse population of high school students for careers in geosciences. The program is being funded by a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is expected to begin fall 2016.

"Many high school students don't realize they can make a living studying rocks, and that it's not just rocks — we study water resources, energy, natural hazards, environmental issues and even focus on community planning," said

By Whitney Hale

(Feb. 5, 2016) — Performances of "Dead Poets Society" will kick off this semester of productions in the University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance Studio Season. The spring portion of the season, which gives UK students the chance to stage their own work or interpretations of work, opens with two showings of "Dead Poets Society" at 5 p.m. today (Friday, Feb. 5) and noon Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Lucille C. Little Black Box Theatre, located in room 102 of the Fine Arts Building.

The UK Theatre and Dance Studio Season provides an opportunity

By Ashley Cox

(Feb. 5, 2016) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research recently recognized and awarded 16 students with the Oswald Research and Creativity Program awards. 

Categories include Biological Sciences; Design, including architecture, landscape architecture and interior design; Fine Arts, including film, music, photography, painting and sculpture; Humanities, from creative and critical-research approaches; Physical and Engineering Sciences; and Social Sciences. All submissions are sent anonymously to faculty reviewers in related fields and are judged based on a rubric.

Awards in each category are: first place: $350; second place: $200; and honorable

By Kathy Johnson

(Feb. 5, 2016) — WUKY's "UK Perspectives" focuses on the people and programs of the University of Kentucky and is hosted by WUKY General Manager Tom Godell. Today, guest host Chase Cavanaugh speaks with Huajing Maske, director of the University of Kentucky's Confucius Institute, which offers programs on Chinese language and culture. 

To listen to the podcast interview from which "UK Perspectives" is produced, visit http://wuky.org/post/uk-perspectives-look-confucius-institute.

"UK Perspectives" airs at 8:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. each Friday on WUKY 91.3, UK's NPR station.

By Lauren Henrickson

(Feb. 5, 2016) — To kick off the Year of the Monkey, the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI) is hosting its inaugural Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration. The event will take place 5-7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at the Hilary J. Boone Center.

Open to UK faculty and staff, guests will enjoy a delicious Chinese dinner, a performance of Chinese culture and learn more about how UKCI works to fulfill both its core mission and the mission of the university.

"This is our first annual Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration at the Boone Center. We are very excited and hope to take this opportunity to celebrate diversity on campus, as well as announce new UKCI

By Jay Blanton

(Feb. 4, 2016) — University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto has formed a broad-based committee to recommend a long-term resolution for a mural in UK's Memorial Hall that has sparked dialogue across the campus.

The Mural Committee is co-chaired by Melynda Price, a professor of law and director of the African American and Africana Studies Program at UK, and Terry Allen, interim vice president for institutional diversity.

"I have asked these dedicated members of our campus and broader community to move expeditiously, but thoughtfully, in recommending a long-term step with respect to the mural,"

By Andrea Gils

(Feb. 3, 2016) — February is the month when students at the University of Kentucky begin solidifying their summer plans. For many, those plans will take them abroad to earn course credit from a UK faculty member, complete an internship or service-learning project with an international business or nonprofit, or maybe even teach English at a school abroad.

With 2016 being a leap year, the UK Education Abroad office is launching the “Leap Day Challenge” to UK students which will begin Feb. 4 at the Spring Expo and end Feb. 29 (leap day).

Students are challenged to attend at least five of 10 events or activities that the UK Education Abroad office has selected, encouraging them consider how education abroad can fit into their four-year

By Whitney Hale, Mack McCormick

(Jan. 29, 2016) — Last night, five writers were honored at the fourth annual induction of the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame held at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in downtown Lexington. Created in 2013, the hall recognizes Kentucky writers whose work reflects the character and culture of the Commonwealth and educates Kentuckians about the state’s rich literary heritage. All of this year's class of inductees have had work published by University Press of Kentucky (UPK) and two are celebrated alumnae of the University of Kentucky.

Hear

By Jenny Wells

(Jan. 29, 2016) — A group of University of Kentucky Honors students has been selected as a finalist for the second year in a row in the Knight Cities Challenge. Funded by the Knight Foundation, the challenge is a national call for new ideas to make 26 communities around the country more vibrant places to live and work.  

Clay Thornton, an economics and political science sophomore from Lexington, submitted the proposal on behalf of his UK Honors class, "Citizen Kentucky," taught by Associate Professor Buck Ryan. They are now one of 158 finalists out of more than 4,500 submissions from

By Chris Shoals

(Jan. 28, 2016) — Student-athletes from all of Kentucky's fall sports teams combined to earn a total of 81 spots on the Southeastern Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll, Commissioner Greg Sankey announced on Wednesday.

A total of 1,002 student-athletes were named to the 2015 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Any student-athlete who participates in a Southeastern Conference championship sport or a student-athlete who participates in a sport listed on his/her institution’s NCAA Sports Sponsorship Form is eligible for nomination to the Academic Honor Roll. The following criteria will be followed: (1) A student-athlete must have a grade point average of 3.00 or above for either the preceding academic year (two semesters or three quarters) or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above at the nominating institution. (2

By Whitney Hale, Jacob Smith

(Jan. 28, 2016) — The Bluegrass community is invited to ring in the Year of the Monkey this weekend with the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute and the Kentucky Chinese American Association (KYCAA). The Chinese New Year celebration featuring Chinese food, art, crafts, displays and performances will fill the Lexington Opera House on Saturday, Jan. 30.

The Chinese New Year program will begin with a holiday market including festival foods, crafts, traditional costumes, calligraphy, mini-Chinese lectures

By Marc C. Whitt

(Jan. 27, 2016) — Eight academic initiatives at the University of Kentucky have been cumulatively awarded $243,035 by the UK Women & Philanthropy Network, an organization committed to bringing together women who “share the ambition of building a better UK” through philanthropy, announced Paula Pope, director of special projects in the UK Office of Philanthropy.

“The selected proposals for 2015 were excellent as the membership found them to demonstrate creativity, innovation and a commitment to student success,” Pope said. “2015 marked a record year for the Women & Philanthropy Network as it awarded nearly $244,000 for academic grants. We are most grateful to this organization’s leaders and members for their commitment to UK’s students and their

By Zada Komara

(Jan. 25, 2016) — The University of Kentucky Appalachian Center, Appalachian Studies Program, and the Graduate Appalachian Research Community are now accepting abstracts for the 2016 UK Appalachian Research Symposium and Arts Showcase. 

The symposium features diverse undergraduate and graduate student research, performances, art, and other projects from across the Appalachian region. Work must be original, produced within the past three years, and related to Appalachia. This year’s symposium theme is "Difference and Affinity: Representing Appalachia,"