The International Studies program in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky developed three years ago in response to a recognition that the world and its problems are increasingly interrelated. Whether it's religious beliefs; social or political circumstances; environmental, economic or health outcomes; events in one part of the world today affect those elsewhere.

New International Studies Program Director Carlos de la Torre is accustomed to creative and interdisciplinary work across colleges and continents.

De la Torre comes to UK from his native Ecuador, where he returned in 2003 to direct the creation of a

Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Media professor Adam Banks sits down with Renee Shaw on KET's Connections to talk about digital communications, models of Black leadership, new media platforms, and what this means for minorities facing the Digital Divide. His second book, Digital Griots: African American Rhetoric in a Multimedia Age, develops a specific approach to teaching writing rooted in African-American rhetorical traditions and was published by Southern Illinois University Press's Studies in Writing and Rhetoric series. Watch the full interview here.

by Arne Bathke

When elections are thrust into the media spotlight we are inundated by numbers, graphs, and figures. Every day, someone presents new poll results and predictions, statistical analyses, or interpretations. 

Candidates are trying to find out which target group to focus on with their efforts to sway voters. Journalists want to be the first in forecasting the outcomes of important races. Political analysts and scientists strive to comprehend the underlying political and sociological movements that determine election results.

Neither group can succeed without a good understanding of statistics. In fact, knowing your stats well gives you the extra edge over your competitors.

Statistics and politics have long historical ties. The term “Statistics” derives from the Italian “statista” which means “Statesman”, and it is

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

What do you want to be when you grow up? That's exactly what Tricia Dyk, the University of Kentucky's Director of the Center for Leadership Development, asked 4th-8th grade students in a Harlan County 4-H program almost 20 years ago.

Last fall, Dyk approached sociology doctoral student and Community & Leadership Development research assistant Jess Kropczynski about the mass amounts of data she had from her past work in the area.

"Dr. Dyk had the idea that we could follow up with the students she originally surveyed," said Kropczynski, also a sociology

UK Biologist David Westneat has received a grant from the National Science Foundation entitled "Suburban Ecology and Invasive Species." The funding, which will be for the summers of 2012, 2013, and 2014 will allow 10 student research positions for 10 weeks. The program focuses on suburban ecology - the interactiosn between organisms and an environment that is heavily modfied by human activity, with special focus on invasive species. Eleven researchers acros five departments have designed a diverse array of projects for student participatns. The research projects will be conducted at Robinson Forest and Griffith Woods. Congratulations to Professor Westneat and the Biology Department!

The University of Kentucky is joining millions of people around the country in recognizing the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. A number of events going on at UK or involving the university will remember and show respect to the victims of that dark day in United States history.

 Activities are being conducted by the UK ROTC, the Center for Community Outreach (CCO) and the College of Design.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, the UK Pershing Rifles Cadets will conduct their annual memorial vigil for the lives lost on 9/11 at the flag pole on the Administration Lawn,

reading the name of each victim lost in the attacks, as well as posting a small American

by Guy Spriggs

It is difficult to fully grasp the destruction caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March of 2011.

Millions were left without electricity or water. Thousands were injured, and many more have been reported dead or missing. Estimates from the World Bank put damages from the event at $235 billion, making it nearly three times as destructive as Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

In America, however, things continued without much pause. It is possible, after all, to feel completely disconnected from such catastrophes as long as we are not directly affected.

But even though this disaster took place on the other side of the planet, both students and professors from the College of Arts & Sciences experienced the event from inside Japan.

Doug Slaymaker, a professor in the Japan Studies Program specializing in 20th century

By Whitney Hale, Erin Holaday Ziegler

As an emerging regional and world power, China has caught the attention of the American public; questions of foreign policy, economics, domestic politics and environment tend to dominate the media.

This fall, the College of Arts & Sciences will launch a yearlong focus on China as a part of its Passport to the World program.

"The Year of China: Awaken the Past, Discover the Future" will include an entire year of lectures, activities and events related to China from throughout UK's campus designed to introduce the study of China.

"By inviting guest speakers, organizing educational events and promoting the study of China past and present, we aim to stimulate dialogue and curiosity," said A&S Dean 

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

Introductory chemistry, or CHE 105, strikes fear into the hearts of many University of Kentucky students.

As a gateway course to quite a few majors on campus, the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts & Sciences provides a large service component to nonchemistry majors.

"Students change their majors because of chemistry; they do badly on the first exam and withdraw," said general chemistry director Stephen Testa. "As a chemistry professor, I feel bad about that. I don't want chemistry to be a dream crusher."

To help UK undergrads further grasp complex material, the department, following a national trend in chemistry higher education, is currently piloting a

By Erin Holaday Ziegler & Whitney Hale

The University of Kentucky is celebrating a new chapter in its general education program with a campus and community celebration of citizenship on Sept. 6. 

The UK Core celebration will take place from 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, in the William T. Young Library on UK's campus.

The idea of preparing students with the critical thinking skills they need to succeed in a competitive global economy plays a central part in UK's new general education requirements, also known as UK Core.

UK Core, which is fully integrated into all undergraduate degree programs as of the fall 2011 semester, is a course of study that all students, regardless of major, must complete,

by Erin Holaday Ziegler

The University of Kentucky's Clinical Psychology program took the number one spot in a national study of productivity rankings, meaning that UK psychology graduate students and professors in the College of Arts & Sciences are generating a host of novel research that is effective and influential as well.

In a recent published study "Leading North American Programs in Clinical Assessment Research: An Assessment of Productivity and Impact" by Texas A&M University psychology professor Leslie C. Morey, UK's Clinical Psychology program ranked No. 1 in h-index. 

"We were thrilled to be ranked first," said UK

The University of Kentucky Libraries invites the public to submit nominees for the 2012 UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement which recognizes Kentuckians who have attained high intellectual achievement. Nominations for the honor will be accepted through Sept. 28, 2011.

The UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement, one of UK's most prestigious awards, was created in 1990 to recognize an individual or a group who has made a contribution of lasting value to the Commonwealth. The award is also a means to promote education and creative thought. The recipient of the Medallion Laureate is determined by majority vote of the UK Libraries National Advisory Board.

Information about the 2011 recipient, Adalin Wichman can be found on the UK Libraries dean’s blog, 

After a successful showing last spring, University of Kentucky professors and staff members are invited to the university's second Teaching and Technology Fair from 2-5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, in the Lexmark Public Room, 209 Main Building.

The fair, sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences, Division of Undergraduate Education and theCenter for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), is meant to be a one stop showplace for a variety of contemporary technologies that can be successfully employed in the traditional classroom.

This second fair is a bigger and better version of last May’s event.  "This is a fine opportunity to learn of some innovative things that can be — and are being

by Erin Holaday Ziegler

The University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences has chosen the following professors as new department chairs: associate professor Deborah Crooks, Department of Anthropology; associate professor Jeff Clymer, Department of English (to begin spring 2012; associate professor of English Marion Rust will be interim chair of the Department of Anthropology for the fall 2011-2012 year); associate professor Karen Petrone, Department of History; professor David Leep, Department of Mathematics; professor 

by Erin Holady Ziegler

As one of the foremost experts on organic electronic materials and carbon solar cell design, University of Kentucky chemistry professor John Anthony enjoys creating materials in order to do things.

"What many people fail to remember is that everything in our lives, including ourselves, is made from chemicals," Anthony said. "My goal every day is to make my electronic materials stronger, lighter and more stable."

But sometimes Anthony, taking a pause from his work in the pragmatic and applied, likes to have a little fun.

Fun for Anthony involves acenes, a class of organic compounds that play a pivotal role in the development of the organic electronic materials that the College of Arts

By Whitney Hale

The Gypsy Poetry Slam, now in its sixth year as part of the Kentucky Women Writers Conference, to showcase the works of not only local poets, but also those from across the nation. As part of the event, headlined by noted poet Krista Franklin, the conference will also feature a new award. The Faith A. Smith Poetry Prize, established by Kentucky poet Frank X Walker, will be awarded to the winner of this year's slam to be held 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at the Downtown Arts Center. The slam is free and open to the public.

Frank X Walker, co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets and

The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence honored its fifth class of 30 Chellgren Fellows at a reception on campus last night. Benefactor Paul Chellgren and his wife Deborah, in addition to Chellgren Endowed Chair Philipp Kraemer, UK President Eli Capilouto, UK Provost Kumble Subbaswamy, and Associate Provost Mike Mullen, all 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

by Erin Holaday Ziegler

A renowned Kentucky writer and University of Kentucky English professor was recently honored in a southern writing magazine for his creativity in the classroom.

The Oxford American: The Southern Magazine of Good Writing named associate professor of English in the College of Arts & Sciences Frank X Walker to its list of "The Most Creative Teachers in the South" for the fall issue.

"People have a monolithic stereotype of Appalachia that is more of a caricature," Walker said in his interview with Oxford American. "They think of Boss Hogg or 'The

Randal Voss and Jeramiah Smith are the recipients of a new research grant from the Department of Defense, Army Research Office. The grant, entitled "Genome Sequencing to Enable a Model Salamander for Tissue Regeneration Research", will provide approximately $375,000 over three years to sequence and assemble a whole axolotl chromosome, which is equivalent to sequencing and assembling a whole human genome without a reference. More cutting edge A&S research making a difference – congrats!

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

In honor of her years as the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences writer-in-residence and her new book, "The Girl in the Blue Beret," A&S Dean Mark Lawrence Kornbluh is hosting a reading and reception for Bobbie Ann Mason from 3:30-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 7, at the The Art Museum in the Singletary Center for the Arts.

Mason will begin the reading at 4 p.m., with a Q&A to follow.

“Bobbie Ann Mason is a true Kentucky treasure.  She represents the best of the Commonwealth and stands tall as an exceptional role model for all our students," Kornbluh said.  "Her most recent work, 'The Girl in the Blue