by Whitney Hale

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) has selected University of Kentucky student Brandon Kulengowski, of Lagrange, Ky., as one of this year's 28 recipients of the prestigious $10,000 scholarship. The ASF Scholarship is presented annually to outstanding college students majoring in science, technology, engineering or math.

Astronaut Scholars exhibit motivation, imagination and intellectual daring, as well as exceptional performance, both in and outside the classroom. The foundation has awarded more than $3.5 million in scholarships to date, including $131,000 in scholarships to UK students alone.

Brandon Kulengowski, the son of Debbie and Timothy Kulengowski, attended Oldham County High School before coming to UK. At the university, he is pursuing a doctoral

by Sarah Geegan

Adjunct Anthropology Professor Kim McBride's 22 years of archaeological work at Pleasant Hill, a former Shaker community approximately 30 miles southwest of Lexington, was recently featured in the national publication, American Archaeology magazine.

The magazine's seven-page feature highlights McBride's extensive work at Pleasant Hill, which includes directing a series of field schools in which more than 100 students have located former building sites throughout the village. Throughout these excavations, McBride, co-director of Kentucky Archaeological Survey, and her students have

by Ann Blackford

What began as a small medical mission trip to Ecuador  in 2002 for a group of pediatric medical residents led by Dr. Thomas Young, professor of pediatrics at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, has evolved over the years into a large multidisciplinary, interprofessional partnership between UK and the local community working together to discover new and improved ways to teach, learn, and serve vulnerable and resource-poor communities in Ecuador.

UK's Shoulder to Shoulder Global (STSG), formed in 2005, is a UK-based initiative devoted to improving the health and quality of life in Ecuadorian communities suffering the effects of poverty, including high rates of preventable health problems, violence, low educational  attainment, and

by Sarah Geegan

Though the fall 2012 semester is already underway, the College of Arts and Sciences is still offering courses for students interested in earning additional credits this semester.

Mid-semester courses, beginning in October, will progress until December and cover topics ranging from history and literature to science and research, as well as a merging of both arts and sciences.

As a component of the College of Arts and Sciences' Passport to the World Initiative, "Reimagining Russia's Realms," professors Cynthia Ruder from the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and

By Sarah Geegan

Biology professor James Krupa recently received his second major accolade from the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) in the past two years. After taking home the NABT University Teaching Award last year, Krupa received the Evolution Education Award for 2012 — crediting famous UK alumnus John T. Scopes for much of his inspiration.

The award recognizes innovative classroom teaching and community education efforts to promote the accurate understanding of biological evolution. Sponsored by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) and National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), the honor will be officially presented to Krupa at the NABT annual

The fluids we drink can hold cultural and historical significance -- but what about the way they affect our physiology? A new course, A&S 100-024, The Science Behind What We Drink, is professor Rita Basuray’s fusion of the two. By examining the role of water, beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola in terms of historical significance and the ways in which they interact with the human body, the class will connect science and the humanities. Basuray’s class is also bridging the gap between campus and community by bringing in local businesses such as Mon Tea and campus organizations like the UK office of Substance Education & Responsibility to the course. 

For more information about the course, contact Rita Basuray: 

WRD is offering a unique course in October. A&S 100-006, Composing with Visuals, focuses on the visual aspect of digital communication skills. Rachel Elliott, who is the instructor for the course, talks about the ways students will create visuals to explore identities, tell stories, and interpret information, and present findings via photography, film, and infographics. The course begins in mid-October 2012.

For more information about the course, or to enroll, please contact your advisor.

This podcast was produced by Cheyenne Hohman.

This work is licensed under a

by Gail Hairston

Latino and Hispanic students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to come together to build relationships and network with each other at the next event of the University of Kentucky 2012 Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month (H/LHM) Celebration. Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month is observed Sept. 15-Oct. 15.

The celebration is a collaboration between UK students, staff, faculty and the community with the consolidated and supported efforts cultivated by Latin American Studies, Hispanic Studies, and Fine Arts.

The entire community is invited to the next event, a Latino/Hispanic Student and Faculty Mixer, sponsored by the H/LHM Core Planning Team. The free event is slated from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, at the UK Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center, 133 Student Center. For more information, contact Kairise Conwell, assistant

by Allison Elliot

A study by a team of University of Kentucky researchers has shed new light on the potential habit-forming properties of the popular pain medication tramadol, in research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.  The paper is slated to appear in an upcoming edition of the academic journal Psychopharmacology.

Prescription pain killer abuse is a major public health problem in the U.S. In 2010, more individuals over the age of 12 reported nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers in the past month than use of cocaine, methamphetamine or heroin.

"Prescription pain pill abuse is a real problem in Kentucky. We have lots of overdoses. We held a summit here in February

by Sarah Geegan 

Three University of Kentucky faculty have lead the effort in establishing an important statewide initiative in the field of physiology. Robin Cooper from the Department of Biology, along with Michael Reid and Francisco H. Andrade, both from the Department of Physiology, have brought together physiologists from across the Commonwealth to form the Kentucky Chapter of the American Physiological Society (APS).

The APS is an international

by Sarah Geegan 

The University of Kentucky has become one of only 20 universities in the United States to offer a Ph.D. in a rapidly expanding academic field — gender and women's studies.

Professor and director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Gender and Women's Studies, Ellen Riggle, said, "As we see in the media every day, gender is at the core of politics and economics, language and performance. It is a hot topic among academics, and it impacts everyone. Its immediate relevance in our lives invokes interest among students and professors."

Because of the increasing number of both undergraduate and master's programs in gender and women's studies, Riggle said that these programs need faculty trained in scholarship of the

by Jenny Wells and Alicia Gregory 

Through the National Institute of Environmental Health Science's Superfund Research Program (SRP), University of Kentucky students are discovering ways to improve human health and diseases caused by chemical exposures near hazardous waste sites.

Kentucky has more than 200 hazardous waste sites on the active list for control, cleanup or monitoring under the federal Superfund program. The UK SRP focuses on the health impacts of exposure to different chlorinated organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, and trichloroethylene (TCE), both of which are prevalent at Superfund sites in Kentucky and nationwide. PCBs are a class of hazardous chemicals used in coatings for electronics, sealants, adhesives, paint and flame

Matt Wilson's GIS Workshop at the University of Kentucky builds connections to the community through partnerships with non-profit organizations such as Seedleaf and the Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice.

by Kathy Johnson

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's program features two UK students who excel in both the classroom and on the field. Freshman soccer midfielder Cailin Harris and sophomore decathlete Daniel Buckles are also in the UK Honors Program.

To listen to the podcast interview, from which "UK Perspectives" is produced, click here.

"UK Perspectives" airs at 8:35 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. each Friday on WUKY 91.3, UK's NPR station.

by Whitney Hale

As the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences continues stamping its world-travel passport after its successes with the Year of South Africa and Year of China, UK Libraries is joining them as they focus on Russia and the former Soviet Republics. UK students, faculty, staff, and the Lexington community are all invited to "Reimagine Russia’s Realms" with year-long events throughout 2012-13 beginning with a kick-off event 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27.

The kick-off will feature a presentation by subject librarian Gordon Hogg on the history of UK Libraries’ Scott Soviet Collection, which will include an

by Keith Hautala

The University of Kentucky has been named a 2013 Military Friendly School by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs magazine. This is the fourth consecutive year that UK has earned this recognition.  

"We are very proud to once again be designated a Military Friendly School," said Anthony Dotson, coordinator of the UK Veterans Resource Center. "The University of Kentucky has made a commitment to serving those who have served our country, and this designation reflects how we live up to that commitment."

The 2013 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

"Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools shows UK’s

International Studies senior Cassie Hardin is spending the next five months is Beijing, China. Luckily for us, she has a video camera and is not afraid to use it! Follow her adventures as she blogs from abroad, and helps A&S celebrate our Year of China initiative.

by Whitney Hale

As part of the Kentucky Women Writers Conference, the seventh Gypsy Poetry Slam returns to Lexington featuring celebrity judge and celebrated poet Tara Betts and hosted by popular local Affrilachian poet Bianca Spriggs. The slam is one several free public evening events celebrating the literary arts presented as part of the 2012 conference.

This year's Gypsy Poetry Slam will feature its largest group of competitors, 11 national and local poets. Winner of the slam will be presented with the Faith A. Smith Poetry Prize, established by Kentucky and Affrilachian poet Frank X Walker in memory of his mother. The Smith

This podcast was produced by Cheyenne Hohman.

The Department of Mathematics is excited to welcome professor Bert Guillou to its faculty!

Professor Guillou joins us this fall researching topology, the mathematical study of surfaces. He is interested in homotopy theory, the study of "transforming" one surface or shape into another, a field with applications in quantum physics, robotics, and even molecular biology.

This podcast is part of a series highlighting the new faculty members who joined the College of Arts and Sciences in the fall 2012 semester.

Produced by Stephen Gordinier.