By Whitney Hale

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, the first-ever Western singers trained in modern Mandarin lyric diction will debut a special evening of music from the East and West on a Bluegrass stage courtesy of the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute. "I Sing Beijing," which will have made its American debut at New York's Lincoln Center only four days earlier, will grace the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall stage beginning at 7 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

Joining the Western singers, who represent some of the top young artists programs in the world, will be rising stars from China to perform a concert that

This entry is the first in a series of guest bloggers I am welcoming to this space over the next year. It will be an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to share with us their Wildcat experience. In this first installment, Sarah Geegan, an integrated strategic communications graduate, current graduate student and information specialist in UK Public Relations and Marketing, recently returned from our nation’s capital where she joined fellow students and alumni for the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony. Please enjoy.  -President Eli Capiluto

By Sarah Geegan

 

Last month I was fortunate enough to witness in person a monumental moment in United States history, the 57th presidential inauguration ceremony. Nestled under about five layers of clothing and equipped with the essentials (hand-warmers,

UK History professor Jeremy D. Popkin has been named the Christian Wolff Visiting Professor at the Martin Luther University in Halle, Germany, for 2013. Popkin will be in residence in Halle in June 2013 and will deliver lectures on his research on the press during the French Revolution and on the French Revolution’s debates about slavery. 

“It’s a great honor to be invited to lecture at one of Germany’s most historic universities,” Popkin said.

During the 2012-2013 academic year, Popkin has been a fellow at the National Humanities Center in North Carolina. He also spent a month in Berlin as a guest scholar

By Sarah Geegan

A new hybrid course in the College of Arts and Sciences will bridge the gap between to seemingly unrelated areas: art and epidemics.

Using an interdisciplinary approach, the course will focus on five different diseases: alcoholism, tuberculosis, AIDS, cancer and the plague, through both scientific and humanities approaches. Students will explore opposite ways of conceptualizing, expressing and writing about this common theme. This 3-credit course will be available in the fall 2013 semester, and is open to all students majoring in the humanities or the sciences.

The course is titled, "UKC 310: Art and Epidemics."

Instructors Katherine Rogers-Carpenter and Rita Basuray structured the course to cover the science

by Guy Spriggs

UK Sociology associate professor Shaunna Scott was recently named editor of the Journal of Appalachian Studies (JAS). Scott is a former president of the Appalachian Studies Association – which publishes the journal – and becomes the second sociologist from UK to serve as editor of JAS.

“Being the editor of the journal has been one of my career goals for a long time,” Scott said. “I am very gratified that my colleagues in Appalachian studies have entrusted me with this important position.”

Scott is a long-time contributor to JAS and served on the steering committee that implemented the change from publishing conference proceedings to a peer-

By Sarah Geegan

The science may be new, but the program itself is in its second year, after tremendous success in 2011-2012. The College of Arts and Sciences' "What's New in Science" series, an outreach program aimed to strengthen UK's relationships with high school science programs, will once again engage teachers and youth in various scientific areas.

A succession of UK scientists will discuss emerging discoveries and exciting developments occurring now in the realm of science. Held in a casual round table format, professors from various disciplines and science teachers from Kentucky schools talk among themselves at these events, asking questions and discussing answers about new and emerging scientific knowledge.

Each session focuses on a new topic in one of

By Whitney Hale

In recognition of Black History Month, a photography exhibit of several generations of Kentucky African Americans is currently on display in the Margaret I. King Building on the University of Kentucky campus. "Kentucky: Roots, Times and Generations," which is up through Feb. 28, is free and open to the public.

The photographs on display have been curated by UK Librarian Reinette Jones from various archival collections available in UK Special Collections, such as the Sallie Price Family Papers and the Collection on African Americans in Kentucky.

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 is a continuation of last week's conversation about "Reimagining Russia's Realms," the College of Arts and Sciences' in-depth examination of the people, art, cultures and homelands of Eurasia. The guests are Cynthia Ruder, associate professor of Russian studies and Gordon Hogg, Special Collections Library director.

By Whitney Hale

In celebration of the University of Kentucky's upcoming sesquicentennial in 2015, the 44th of 150 weekly installments remembers early alumnus Thomas Hunt Morgan, a world renowned experimental zoologist and pioneering geneticist.

Thomas Hunt Morgan was born in Lexington, Ky., on Sept. 25, 1866. He attended the Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) College of Kentucky (now UK) during the 1880s. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1886 and received a master's degree two years later. Morgan briefly taught natural history at A&M before going east. 

Morgan was a nephew of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. As a student at A&M, Morgan continued to live at his birthplace, Hopemont, the home of his famous family. The

By Kathy Johnson

Michael Bardo, University of Kentucky Psychology professor and director of the Center on Drug Abuse Research Translation, was the guest on Saturday's "UK at the Half," which aired during the UK vs. Auburn game that was broadcast on radio.

"UK at the Half" airs during halftime of each UK football and basketball game broadcast on radio and is hosted by Carl Nathe of UK Public Relations and Marketing.

To hear the "UK at the Half" interview, click here. View a transcript of the interview,

The College of Arts & Sciences offers awards for international travel. These awards are for independent travel abroad to specified cities and sites, not for formal programs through Education Abroad. Please complete the travel grant application and return to 311 Patterson Office Tower.

Here are examples of the budget and itinerary that must be included in your application.

A&S majors can experience the “Italian Renaissance,” travel to Spain, experience the French Revolution, gain insight on Luther and the Reformation, and immerse themselves in Oliver

The College of Arts & Sciences offers awards for international travel. These awards are for independent travel abroad to specified cities and sites, not for formal programs through Education Abroad. Please complete the travel grant application and return to 311 Patterson Office Tower.

Here are examples of the budget and itinerary that must be included in your application.

A&S majors can learn about the Holocaust summer 2013 by traveling to Germany/Amsterdam and several other cities.

By Whitney Hale

In celebration of University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences' year-long exploration into the culture and history of Russia, UK Libraries continues "Reimagining Russia's Realms" throughout the spring semester with an exhibit of Soviet Cold War-era military posters from the UK Libraries Scott Soviet  Military Collection. The free public poster exhibit will open with a Russian Tea at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Hub at William T. Young Library.

The Scotts’ collection of Soviet propaganda posters includes striking large-scale

By Gail Hairston, Amy Jones, and Kody Kiser

The University of Kentucky Alumni Association presented its 2013 Great Teacher Awards to six recipients last night at a recognition dinner,  followed by an appearance at Rupp Arena’s center court during halftime of the South Carolina vs. UK basketball game.

The recipients are:

•           Karen Badger, associate professor, College of Social Work

•           Roberta Dwyer, professor, College of Agriculture

•         

By Keith Hautala

Three University of Kentucky faculty members will present at the first-ever Southeastern Conference Symposium, to be held Feb. 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. 

The 2013 edition of the SEC Symposium, titled “Impact of the Southeast in the World’s Renewable Energy Future,” addresses a significant scholarly issue across the range of disciplines represented by the SEC’s 14 member universities. The event showcases their academic excellence and underscores their educational and economic contributions to the vitality of the region, nation and world.

John Anthony, UK's Gill Professor of Chemistry, will present "Carbon-Based Materials for Solar Power Generation" at a session about advanced materials

network.as.uky.edu - A Digital Humanities Symposium, February 15-16, 2013.

By Guy Spriggs

According to Spanish and topical studies major Sammi Meador, it can be hard to use words like environmentalism and sustainability when talking about her personal and academic interests.

“These are hot topics right now,” Meador said, “and a lot of people think these are just wishy-washy terms.”

As she explains, however, sustainability is about far more than buzz words and empty gestures. Environmental studies is also about people.

“People think it’s a liberal white kid thing, that the goal is to be a hippie and to save the animals and all that. But there’s a human side to it. Sustainability really includes every aspect of human society,” she said.

“I’m coming from a place of privilege that affords me the time and resources to ponder these ethical questions,” Meador continued. “I don’t

By Allison Perry

University of Kentucky assistant professor of chemistry Edith "Phoebe" Glazer has received an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant for $715,000 over four years to continue her research into ruthenium-based cancer drugs. These compounds are less toxic to healthy cells than a similar and widely used inorganic drug.

Cisplatin is a common platinum-based cancer drug used in a variety of cancer treatments. But while cisplatin kills cancer cells, it also attacks healthy cells, causing debilitating side effects. Ruthenium is another transition metal and belongs to the same group of the periodic table as iron.

Previously, the Glazer group developed two new ruthenium complexes designed to kill cancer cells while preserving healthy cells. These complexes are inert in the