by Sarah Geegan

University of Kentucky students come from all over the map — from as nearby as Fayette county, to as far away as Vietnam. Though their hometowns vary, they all share one thing in common; they're part of a Big Blue community that comes together during one of the most exciting times on UK's campus: K Week.

For international students at UK, K Week starts a week earlier, with K Week International Orientation, a series of events designed especially to support students coming to UK from abroad. More than 400 international undergraduate, graduate and CESL (Center for English as a Second Language) students will arrive during K Week International Orientation; UK currently hosts approximately 1,900

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 Jenny Wells, Kristen Stauffer

Research contributions by faculty from the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences and College of Education are featured in the 2013 release of "Common Core Mathematics Standards and Implementing Digital Technologies," published by IGI Global.

Carl Lee, UK professor of mathematics, Margaret Mohr-Schroeder, associate professor of STEM education, and College of Education doctoral graudate Robin Magruder (now a professor at Campbellsville University) were primary contributors.

Standards in the American education system are traditionally handled on a state-by-

By Whitney Hale

Four students from the University of Kentucky have been selected as recipients of Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships. The UK recipients are among 1,900 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2013-2014 academic year through the prestigious program. In addition, one of UK's four winners, medical student Juliana Odetunde, received one of only five prestigious Fulbright-Fogarty awards, which promote the expansion of research in public health and clinical research in resource-limited settings.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding

By Jenny Wells

The Kentucky Girls STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Collaborative, in partnership with the STEM-H Institute at Eastern Kentucky University, will hold its fifth annual conference "Reaching for the Stars!" Friday, June 7, at the Eastern Kentucky University campus.

Educators, counselors, business and community leaders, parents and girls are invited to come meet others with a strong desire to see girls discover opportunities available to them within the STEM fields. Conference attendees will explore up-and-coming career opportunities in the STEM disciplines and learn proactive steps to help girls

By Whitney Hale

Five University of Kentucky students and one recent graduate have been selected to receive government-funded National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships. The fellowships will present the students with more than $100,000 to use toward research-based master's or doctoral degrees.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program helps ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science and engineering in the United States and reinforces its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in the U.S. and abroad. NSF fellows receive a three-year annual stipend of $30,000 along with a $12,000

By Whitney Hale, Kayla Powell

In conjunction with the Art Museum at the University of Kentucky exhibition Curves in Math, Waves in Glass, Origami and Glass Works, father-son team, Martin Demaine and Erik Demaine, will discuss the relationship of art and mathematics in a lecture scheduled April 24. The exhibition, which opened April 21, runs through May 26. 

Martin Demaine and Erik Demaine will present Algorithms Meet Art, Puzzles and Magic at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the Worsham Theater in the

By Bryan O'Loughlin, Whitney Hale

Sam Beavin, a University of Kentucky junior majoring in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry, has been awarded a Udall Scholarship of up to $5,000 for his senior year. Beavin is one of 50 students selected to receive the scholarship from a pool of more than 450 applicants.

The Udall Scholarships provide up to $5,000 to sophomore and junior level college students who have shown commitment to careers related to the environment, tribal public policy, or Native American health care. Scholarships are funded by the Udall Foundation, an independent federal agency that was established by Congress in 1992.

Beavin is the son of Gary and Tina Beavin of Louisville, Ky., and a 2010 graduate of St. Xavier High School.

The UK

By Keith Hautala

The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees today approved University Research Professorships for 2013-14 for four faculty members. The professorships carry a $40,000 award to support research. Funds for these annual awards are provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research.

Now in its 37th year, the University Research Professors program's purpose is to enhance and encourage scholarly research productivity, to provide an opportunity for concentrated research effort for selected faculty members, and to recognize outstanding research achievement by members of the faculty.

The 2013-14 University Research Professors are:

by Jay Blanton

video by UK Public Relations and Marketing.

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto Thursday praised the partnership of Gov. Steve Beshear and legislative leaders who are strongly supporting UK's self-financing of a dramatic $275 million transformation of the campus.

"We are here this morning because of your leadership and your willingness to partner with us, as educational institutions, united to provide Kentucky with the best education, research and service," Capilouto said at a Frankfort news conference with the governor and legislative leaders who are supporting UK's proposal. "In offering your support for us to self-finance facilities that will help dramatically improve and transform our campuses, you are voicing your faith in Kentucky's

When Robert Schneider isn't touring around the world with band, Apples In Stereo, he's often working on one of his other great passions - math! The recent UK mathematics alum has just released a new math strategy game. Check out the video to see how the game looks and works:

You can also read the full article from the A.V. Club here

By Sarah Geegan, Lea Mann

University of Kentucky math professor Carl Lee recently received the Kentucky Mathematical Association of America award at the annual KYMAA meeting at Bellarmine University. The award is given annually to one mathematician from across the state.

The Mathematical Association of America, (MAA), is a national professional mathematics society, which focuses on collegiate teaching. The Kentucky section draws from all colleges and universities across the state and recognizes one member each year for distinguished college or university instruction.

Lee said he was surprised but honored to receive the award.

"This was very unexpected," Lee said of his award. "I was attending

By Whitney Hale

Two University of Kentucky students have been recognized by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program for 2012. Sophomore Josiah Hanna, of Lexington, and junior David Spencer, of Paducah, Ky., received honorable mention recognition from the scholarship program.

This year’s Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,123 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by colleges and universities nationwide.

Josiah Hanna, son of David and Sarah Hanna, is a Paul Laurence Dunbar High School alumnus. He is pursuing majors in computer science and mathematics and a minor in 

By Whitney Hale, Lea Mann

The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities has chosen 10 outstanding undergraduates as new scholars for the university's Gaines Fellowship Program for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.

Gaines Fellowships are given in recognition of outstanding academic performance, demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, an interest in public issues and a desire to enhance understanding of the human condition through the humanities. Fellowships are awarded for the tenure of a student's junior and senior years, or for the last two years of a five-year program; students in all disciplines and with any intended profession are given equal consideration.

UK's

By Sarah Geegan

Paul Steinhardt, professor of physics and astrophysical sciences at Princeton University, will deliver the Van Winter Memorial Lecture at the University of Kentucky from 3:15-4:15 p.m. Friday, March 23, in Room 139 of the Chemistry-Physics Building.

The Van Winter Memorial Lecture honors Clasine Van Winter, a professor in the UK departments of Mathematics and 

By Whitney Hale

The next Little/Gaines Artist Series presentation will explore how much life imitates art. "The Daily Routine: Theme and Variations," featuring the work of Little/Gaines artist Kit Donohue, a musician and UK graduate student, and her collaborator, dancer and UK alumna Kasey Shackelford, will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, at the Niles Gallery, located in University of Kentucky's Lucille C. Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center. This event is free and open to the public.

As part of the Little/Gaines Artists Series, Kentucky

By Whitney Hale

A new composition by University of Kentucky sophomore Ben Norton has been selected for the Lexington Philharmonic's New Music Experiment, a new initiative to foster musical creativity and innovation. As part of the experiment, Norton's piece will be part of a workshop and later presented to the public in a performance scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Tickets to the performance of Norton's Woodwind Quintet No. 9 and other selections from the New Music Experiment is $5 and can be purchased at the door.

"I am very excited and incredibly honored to be given this opportunity," says Norton. "I was simply happy that others wanted to go out of their way to

By Jenny Wells

The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence has named three new Chellgren Endowed Professors.

The professors are:

Chellgren Endowed Professors maintain an active research program in their discipline; teach courses