From Staff Reports

Faculty members in the Department of Chemistry characterize Alexis Eugene as an outstanding student, critical thinker and driven researcher. Her accomplishments were recently recognized at the national level as she received the Graduate Student Award from the Environmental Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS). This prestigious award is given to students with strong research productivity, and Eugene’s record – which includes co-authorship on a letter in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and an article in

by Jenny Wells

(Jan. 16, 2015) — The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) hosted an Energy Fair on campus last month for 271 fourth and fifth graders from Russell Cave, Yates and Cassidy Elementary Schools in Lexington. The fair provided the students with opportunities to meet scientists, learn about different forms of energy, participate in hands-on experiments, and even tour UK's campus. 

In addition to CAER, represenatives from the UK Chapter of the Society of Mining Engineers, Fayette County Public Schools Energy and Sustainability, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Kentucky Geological Survey, and Bluegrass Energy provided interactive stations for the students.

"The Energy Fair trip was a tremendous success," said Josh Radner, a science

Burton H Davis, an adjuct faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and an Associate Director at UK's Center for Applied Energy Research was honored recently by West Virginia’s Governor Earl Ray Tomblin with the “Distinguished West Virginian Award.” The Governor applauded Dr. Davis while declaring that the award represents the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a person from West Virginia for outstanding achievement and meritorious service. Senator Joe Manchin was also present during the celebration as well as Jeff Herholdt, Director of the West Virginia Division of Energy.

by Whitney Harder

(Dec. 18, 2014) — Thirteen University of Kentucky students took home top honors at the Kentucky Academy of Science 100th Annual Meeting in November, where hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students from Kentucky colleges and universities participated in research competitions.

Winners included graduate and undergraduates from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, College of Arts and Sciences, Gatton College of Business and Economics, College of Health Sciences and College of Public Health.

by Jenny Wells

(Dec. 17, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Office for Undergraduate Research has presented 17 students with the Oswald Research and Creativity Program awards.

"There is so much high quality research being done by UK undergraduate students," said Diane Snow, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research. "We're very grateful for funding through the Oswald Awards to be able to recognize and reward these exceptional individuals!"

Established in 1964 by then-UK President John Oswald, the Oswald Research and Creativity Program encourages research and creative activities by undergraduate students at UK. The objectives of the program are to stimulate creative work by undergraduate students and to recognize individuals who

UK College of Arts and Sciences' video with Jeff Babbitt. A transcript of this video can be found in the document attached to this article. 

by Whitney Harder and Brian Connors Manke

(Dec. 16, 2014) — When University of Kentucky faculty need a piece of specialty glasswork designed, like laboratory instruments, they rely on the only scientific glassblower on campus. Jeff Babbitt has been running the Department of Chemistry's Glass Shop for almost 25 years now, providing unique skills and quick service to the UK community.

Babbitt does a variety of things — from simple repairs to the construction of complicated vacuum line systems

by Whitney Harder

 (Dec. 1, 2014) — Environmental Science and Technology, a journal of the American Chemical Society, recently published research by University of Kentucky chemistry Assistant Professor Marcelo Guzman, graduate student Elizabeth Pillar and senior Robert Camm.

Environmental Science and Technology publishes papers that are particularly significant and original in the fields of environmental science, technology and policy.

The article, "Catechol Oxidation by Ozone and Hydroxyl Radicals at the Air-Water Interface," features the team's findings from work funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemistry

(Nov. 20, 2014) — As University of Kentucky freshmen settle into life as college students, a new resource on campus has been helping them adjust to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programs, known for difficult coursework. Undergraduate instructional assistants (UIAs) within one of the university's newest Living Learning Programs, STEMCats, use their past experiences to mentor incoming UK students.

The College of Arts and Sciences recently produced a podcast about the STEMCats community, featuring many STEMCats UIAs explaining what they enjoy about the program and their connections with younger STEM students.

"You get to

(Nov. 10, 2014) - The Lexington Herald-Leader took a look at a creative new undertaking that is becoming available at the University of Kentucky - an undergraduate certificate in distillation, wine and brewing studies.



>>Read the full Herald-Leader article

The Department of Chemistry's Bert Lynn is directly involved, as his class on spirit chemistry is one of the four courses needed for the certificate.

Students aren't the only ones who will benefit from the courses. Distillers, brewers and winemakers have been encouraging the university to establish a connection of skilled talent for a burgeoning business. Kentucky's bourbon industry

In 2013, a group of Chemistry Department faculty, students and alumni met to discuss reviving the department's newsletter, and an outgrowth of that effort to re-establish communications among current and future alumni was the Chemistry Alumni Board (CAB) which held its organizational meeting on Saturday, October 11, 2014.

A lot of positive energy came out of the meeting as the Board looks for ways to establish contact and communications between the UK Department of Chemistry and all of its alumni. 

The Board discussed ways to share with current students the experiences of alumni and to increase awareness of the diversity of careers available to chemists.

At the meeting, the Board also discussed some of the major challenges facing the Department of Chemistry, as well as the key features that should be

By Keith Hautala

(Oct. 21, 2014) — Trick or treat! The University of Kentucky is offering local children a sugar-coated chemistry lesson a full week before Halloween.

“The Sweet Side of Chemistry: Candy” is the theme of this year’s annual demonstration show, presented by the UK Department of Chemistry's graduate students at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, in Room 139 Chemistry/Physics Building. The show presents the students' favorite live chemistry demonstrations in a fun, easy-to-understand format, in celebration of National Chemistry Week, Oct. 19-25.

Families are encouraged to attend the event, which promises lots of kid appeal.  

“This event is a great way to share our enthusiasm for science with the people of Lexington” said UK Chemistry Professor Anne-Frances Miller. “They’ll come away with an understanding that chemistry is

by Keith Hautala

(Oct. 17, 2014) — Research from the University of Kentucky Department of Chemistry will help batteries resist overcharging, improving the safety of electronics from cell phones to airplanes.                        

The research, led by Susan Odom’s group, has focused on the design, synthesis, and testing of organic compounds that can be incorporated into the electrolytes of lithium-ion batteries to improve their safety profiles. Specifically, Odom’s team is studying compounds called redox shuttles.

Lithium-ion batteries are the energy storage technology of choice for portable consumer electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones. Over the past few years, these batteries have been

by Will Fawns

(Oct. 16, 2014) – The University of Kentucky's Dr. Allan Butterfield will be receiving the Society of Free Radical Biology and Medicine’s (SFRBM) Mentoring Excellence Award at the society's national conference in Seattle, Nov. 19-23.

In his 39 years at UK, Butterfield has graduated more than 65 doctoral and master's degree students and approximately 150 undergraduates. He has also trained about 20 postdoctoral scholars.

In 2012, he was selected to be a fellow of SFRBM and earned their prestigious Discovery Award for his work in the field of redox research related to Alzheimer’s disease. In 1998, he earned a trip to the White House to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering

by Gail Hairston

(Oct. 10, 2014) — The University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame induction and festivities are slated Friday, Oct. 10, at 3:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the UK Singletary Center for the Arts.

Honorees include:

2014 ALUMNI INDUCTEES

Her Honor Ethelee Davidson Baxter was born in Jackson, Kentucky, in 1939 and was raised in Lexington, Kentucky. Baxter graduated from Lafayette High School in 1957 and was inducted into the first class of the Lafayette High School Hall of Fame in 1989. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in English, speech and drama. While at UK, she was a Wildcat cheerleader, president of the Blue Marlins synchronized swimming team, and a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta

by Gail Hairston 

(Sept. 30, 2014) — More than an “s” has been added since the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Science was created in 1908 with only seven faculty members. In fact there was a College of Arts and Science even before the institution was named the University of Kentucky; the institution was called the State University, Lexington, Kentucky (previously Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky and State College) until 1916.

In those 106 years, several of today’s largest colleges were birthed from the original College of Arts and Science’s former programs, including today’s College of Education, College of Communication and Information, College of Social Work and College of Fine Arts.

The college grew quickly under the inspiration and commitment of President James Patterson, whose statue now graces the plaza next to

by Kathy Johnson

(July 21, 2014) — A portion of Rose Street closes today in connection with construction of the new $112 million Academic Science Building that will transform the way students, faculty and staff learn, teach and conduct research on the University of Kentucky campus.

To move forward on this critical facility, demolition of old buildings and the ensuing construction on Rose Street will result in the need for closure of a portion of Rose Street between Huguelet Drive and Funkhouser Drive, and the section of Rose Street from Columbia Avenue to Funkhouser Drive will be restricted to local traffic only. Traffic will be detoured around the construction area using the streets of Columbia Avenue, Woodland Avenue, Hilltop Avenue, University Drive and Huguelet Drive.

Meawhile, the portion of Washington Avenue from South Limestone to Gladstone

by Jenny Wells

(July 17, 2014) — Just because school is out for summer doesn't mean every student is taking a break from learning.  Many students from the Fayette County Public School's (FCPS) STEAM Academy have participated in labs and even undergraduate research at the University of Kentucky to further enhance their already innovative educational experience.

The STEAM Academy (which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) opened in Lexington last fall, offering its students a blended learning instructional program, focusing on mastery learning, personalized instruction and opportunities to engage in resources at UK.  The school functions under a partnership between FCPS and UK (led by the College of Education), offering dual/college credit opportunities in UK courses