by Allison Perry

(Dec. 2, 2013) — A new study led by University of Kentucky researchers suggests that a diet low in vitamin D causes damage to the brain.

In addition to being essential for maintaining bone health, newer evidence shows that vitamin D serves important roles in other organs and tissue, including the brain. Published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, the UK study showed that middle-aged rats that were fed a diet low in vitamin D for several months developed free radical damage to the brain, and many different brain proteins were damaged as identified by redox proteomics. These rats also showed a significant decrease in cognitive performance on tests of learning and memory.  

"Given that vitamin D deficiency is especially widespread among the elderly

by Keith Hautala

(Nov. 20, 2013) — Darrell Taulbee, a longtime scientist with the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER), was named incoming president to the Institute for Briquetting and Agglomeration (IBA) at its 33rd biennial conference, held earlier this month in San Francisco. 

Taulbee has been involved in the organization for the past decade, and has served as its vice president and a member of the board of directors.

Taulbee also was chosen to receive the

video courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2013) — In addition to research presentations, the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will offer numerous volunteer opportunities for the entire campus community when the University of Kentucky hosts the conference April 3-5, 2014. From helping direct traffic, to managing technology, to just helping students find where they need to go, there will be a variety of positions available to students, faculty and staff.

Students will have even more flexibility to get involved, as the University Senate has given permission for faculty to redirect their classes April 3 and 4 so students can attend conference events and presentations. 

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Burt Davis, longtime associate director for the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research's Clean Fuels and Chemicals Group, has been selected as the 2013 American Chemical Society's Energy & Fuels Division Distinguished Researcher Award in Petroleum Chemistry. Criteria used for the award include excellence in research in the broadly defined area of petroleum chemistry, as evidenced by publications, patents, invention or commercialization of new technologies, and leadership in the research area. Dr. Davis is also a former ACS Storch Award recipient from 2002. One of the ACS top awards, the Storch Award recognizes distinguished contributions to fundamental or engineering research on the chemistry and utilization of all hydrocarbon fuels,

 by Whitney Hale

(Oct. 29, 2013) — In celebration of the University of Kentucky's upcoming sesquicentennial in 2015, the 68th of 150 weekly installments on the university looks back at the construction of the Chemistry-Physics Building.

On Nov. 11, 1960, construction began on the Chemistry-Physics Building. The current site of the building once was occupied by the president’s garden and tennis courts. 

Physics once occupied 33,600 square feet of Pence Hall and chemistry used 41,500 square feet in 

by Allison Elliott-Shannon

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 25, 2013) — The University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Department of Chemistry will host the 17th annual Lyle Ramsay Dawson Lecture today, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m. in Room 139 of the Chemistry-Physics Building. This year's speaker will be Yury Gogotsi, professor of materials science and engineering at Drexel University, and director of the A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute. The lecture is named after Dawson, a former UK distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry.

Gogotsi will provide an overview of research activities in the area of nanostructured carbon and carbide materials used for capacitive storage of electrical energy. Electrochemical capacitors or “

by Cassie Schacht

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 22, 2013) — Families and children in Lexington and surrounding areas have an opportunity to learn about chemistry in a fun and exciting environment this week. The University of Kentucky Department of Chemistry opens its doors and welcomes a faithful crowd of "chem-enthusiasts" for an evening of colorful and educational chemistry at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, in Room 139 of the UK Chemistry-Physics Building, 505 Rose Street, Lexington.

Chemistry department students, staff and faculty will host an interactive and exciting demonstration show titled "Energy Now and Forever!" 

"We perform demonstrations that reflect many of the core topics being taught in chemistry classes, with many of our demonstrations requiring

by Allison Elliot-Shannon, Mallory Powell, Allison Perry



(Sept. 27, 2013) -- The "Triple Crown" is a term reserved for the greatest accomplishment in thoroughbred racing -- winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. It's a feat that has been achieved only 11 times in history.

The University of Kentucky recently accomplished the equivalent of “triple crown” in the academic medical world, becoming only the 22nd medical center in the country to have a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation (at the Markey Cancer Center), a federally funded Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADC, at the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging), and a Clinical and Translational Science Awards grant (at the Center for Clinical and Translational Science ).

With the new NCI designation and the existing ADC and CCTS federally-funded programs, UK joins

by Sarah Geegan

The College of Arts and Sciences will induct new members into its Hall of Fame Oct. 11, 2013, to join the ranks of the current 32 alumni and 8 emeritus faculty A&S Hall of Fame members.

The ceremony, taking place at 3:30 p.m. in the Singletary Center for the Arts, will follow an academic theme; the inductees will wear formal academic regalia and receive medallions with the UK A&S seal. All members of the campus community are welcome to attend.

>>View the photos from the event

"This is an exciting opportunity and an honor for us to celebrate the success of our

by Jenny Wells

Last week, the University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence honored its newest class of Chellgren Fellows.  Benefactor Paul Chellgren and his wife Deborah, along with Chellgren Endowed Chair Philipp Kraemer, UK Provost Christine Riordan, and UK President Eli Capilouto, recognized and congratulated the students on being named Fellows.

The Chellgren Fellows Program is for students with exceptional academic potential and aspirations, who are eager to participate in a special learning community designed to cultivate extraordinary achievement. Outstanding faculty members from across campus serve as individual mentors for the Fellows.

The

video courtesy of UK Public Relations and Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

Planning and hosting a national conference is no easy task, but for the UK community, collaboration makes it all possible. The University of Kentucky will host the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research, or NCUR, next semester, which will bring nearly 4,000 additional students from across the country to the UK campus. And as students, faculty and staff can attest -- it is something worth bragging about.

NCUR will take place April 3-5, 2014, all throughout UK's campus. The conference will give undergraduates a unique opportunity to present their research and creative endeavors, while meeting other like-minded students from all across the country. They not only promote their individual

By Alicia Gregory

In 2009, the Virtual Observatory And Ecological Informatics System (VOEIS) project was launched. Funded by an NSF EPSCoR grant, VOEIS united researchers at five universities in Kentucky and two universities in Montana to develop a cyber infrastructure system to monitor, analyze, model, and forecast the consequences of environmental changes in freshwater ecosystems.

Real-time sensor readings from lakes and streams are sent to laboratories at Flathead Lake Biological Station in Montana and Hancock Biological Station in Kentucky and go into a database management system.

Barbara Kucera, principal

By Sarah Geegan

When UK chemistry professor Susan Odom was asked about one of her students at the 244th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia, her answer rendered her colleagues speechless.

Her colleague's question: "How many years of graduate school has she completed?" Odom's response: "She's still in high school."

Her student, Corrine “Nina” Elliott, works to synthesize and study new compounds for overcharge protection in lithium-ion batteries — essentially creating chemicals which can be added to batteries to make them safer and more efficient. Elliott won first place in chemistry at her regional and state science fair competitions, and presented this research at the Intel International Science Fair,

By Sarah Geegan

UK chemistry professor Marcelo Guzman was recently awarded the prestigious, National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Award, a five-year grant for his research, education, and outreach efforts in the field of environmental chemistry. 

The $525,000 grant will allow Guzman to develop the first atmospheric chemistry research and education program in Kentucky. The funding will also support students in various stages of their academic careers: undergraduate, graduate and K-12.

Guzman's work with environmental chemistry focuses on the interaction of light with organic compounds present in low water activity environments such as the atmospheric aerosol,

by Allison Perry

The Society for Free Radical Biology & Medicine recently named the University of Kentucky's Dr. Allan Butterfield as the recipient of its 2013 Discovery Award.

The SFRBM's Discovery Award is given out every other year to a researcher who has presented significant advancements in the field of redox research. Recipients must be nominated by a SFRBM member with details justifying their consideration. Butterfield was nominated by professor Daret St. Clair of the UK Department of Toxicology, with a

By Jacob Most

University of Kentucky Wildcats from all eight of UK’s spring sports teams combined to earn a total of 71 spots on the Southeastern Conference Spring Sports Academic Honor Roll, Commissioner Mike Slive announced this week.

UK’s honorees included 16 women’s track and field team members, 14 from baseball, nine from softball, seven women’s tennis players, eight men’s track and field team members, six each from men’s golf and men’s tennis and five women’s golfers.

A total of 1,247 student-athletes from around the league earned spots on the honor roll, which is based on grades from the 2012 summer, 2012 fall and 2013 spring terms.  In order to make the SEC Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must have a 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding academic year or his/her entire collegiate career, be at least a sophomore in academic

By Ellyce Loveless

Few students have the kind of passion for world news that recently-graduated International Studies major MeNore Lake has. Two years ago she sought to fulfill a need at the University of Kentucky through this passion. She wanted to create an online news publication that would publish monthly articles written by students about international politics, economies, science, sports, and culture, and thus The World Report was born.

Lake comes from a family that values the knowledge of international affairs, where discussing the culture of other countries is customary dinner conversation, and traveling out of the country is always an exciting yet familiar adventure. When she came to UK, she noticed a void in student interest concerning international issues.

 “

By Sarah Geegan

University of Kentucky student Brooke Stewart has been selected to participate in an inaugural leadership program for GEAR UP alumni in Washington, D.C. in June. The Covington, Kentucky native and Holmes High school graduate is among 30 former GEAR UP students selected from across the nation.

GEAR UP, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is a federally funded college access and readiness program.

Stewart was actively involved with GEAR UP while she attended Holmes High School. She attended a three-week GEAR UP Summer Academy at Eastern Kentucky University in 2009, was heavily involved in GEAR UP Students Give Back community service projects, and was a recipient of the GEAR UP Drive

By Sarah Geegan

The University of Kentucky, in an effort to enhance  student readiness and performance, has launched a partnership with the country's leading massive open online course (MOOC) platform, Coursera.

UK is one of 10 flagship state universities or systems that make up this first wave of large public universities to announce a partnership with Coursera. And, as importantly, this partnership -- unlike a number of providers for massive open online courses -- is targeting high school students to ensure that they are prepared for college.

"This partnership is one more example of our innovative approach to fulfilling our university's commitment, as the Commonwealth's flagship institution, to provide high-quality education and create a brighter future for Kentuckians," said

By President Eli Capilouto

On Thursday morning, one of the nation’s leading online learning companies, Coursera, is announcing that UK is among a handful of public, flagship universities it is partnering with to further expand learning opportunities for more students across our country.

Specifically, as our news release about this initiative describes, the University of Kentucky is one of 10 flagship universities or state systems teaming with Coursera in the emerging, but dramatically growing, platform called Massive Open Online Courses.

UK’s role in this partnership will be offering students the opportunities to take free, introductory Chemistry courses