By Trey Melcher

Virginia Carter, who led the Kentucky Humanities Council for more than two decades, will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from the University of Kentucky at its December Commencement ceremonies. The UK Board of Trustees approved the recommendation of Carter at its last meeting. UK's honorary degrees pay tribute to those whose life and work exemplify professional, intellectual, or artistic achievement and have made significant contributions to society, the state and the University of Kentucky.

Growing up in Lexington, Carter developed a deep appreciation for nature, the great outdoors and adventure at an early age. After earning a fine arts bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University and an art history master's from UK, Carter taught at the University of Northern Iowa. Later, she returned to UK to earn a

By Lindsey Piercy

Students at the University of Kentucky can obtain a Master of Science (MS) in digital mapping. The 30-credit online degree is designed for those seeking advanced technical and theoretical training in mapping.

The master's degree is being offered by the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program is part of continued efforts to expand curriculum in geographic information systems (GIS) and digital mapping.

"We offer, what we believe to be, the only online MSc that focuses on the standards and practices of professionals in web mapping development," Matthew Wilson, associate professor of geography, said. "We believe our students will be prepared to enter a work environment that requires more out-of-the-box thinking

By Amy Jones-Timoney, Kody Kiser, Jenny Wells-Hosley, and Brad Nally

With 27 majors and 36 minors, the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences is UK's largest college and touches almost every UK student by providing foundations for advanced study in every field.

Mark Kornbluh, who has served as dean of the college since 2009, talked with UKNow recently — during a walk through UK's main campus — about a few of the things that make his college so special: a diverse student body, outstanding faculty, interdisciplinary partnerships across campus and state-of-the-art facilities, like

By Mack McCormick and Whitney Hale

Bobbie Ann Mason. Photo by Guy Mendes.

Life is a quilt — random bits of memory that somehow fit together, forming a cohesive yet unlikely pattern. One of the best ways to uncover these seemingly hidden patterns, as demonstrated by Kentucky writer and University of Kentucky alumna Bobbie Ann Mason, is through fiction.

“Writing fiction is a way of making patterns, discovering them hiding in the words and sensations of the story,” said Mason, who has been publishing fiction since her first story, “Shiloh,” in 1980. Mason’s stories explore a diverse set of themes ranging from war to love to family history, all the while trying to discover patterns in the random bits of everyday life.

Luke Bradley and Janice Fernheimer received the University of Kentucky 2018 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. This student-nominated award recognizes UK faculty members who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate researchers, providing exceptional undergraduate research experiences, as well as supporting and promoting the undergraduate research initiatives on campus.

Eighteen faculty mentors were nominated for the award by their students.

Bradley is an associate professor and research mentor in the Department of Neuroscience and the 

By Whitney Hale

The University of Kentucky Office of Nationally Competitive Awards has announced that doctoral students Calah Ford and Lydia Hager and 2018 graduate Aaron Mueller have been selected to receive government-funded National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships. In addition, six other UK students received honorable mention recognition from the NSF. 

NSF Fellows receive a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees for a research-based master's or doctoral degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) field. For the 2018 competition, NSF received over 12,000 applications and made 2,000 award offers.

You might not expect Lexington, Kentucky, and Cairo, Egypt, to have a lot in common. But according to Arts & Sciences alumna Alix McIntosh, they share a strong sense of community and hospitality.

In October 2017, McIntosh packed her bags and moved to Cairo to continue her career as an advocate for migrants, refugees and victims of trafficking. Working for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nation's Migration Agency, McIntosh focuses on migration-related issues and has the opportunity to learn more about the specific barriers faced by that population and the impact migration has on society.

When McIntosh began her studies at A&S, her interest in the Arab Spring and general migration issues, and the realization that she knew very little about the region inspired her to pursue a

By Lindsey Piercy

Hannah Pittard, associate professor of English and director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Kentucky, is known for captivating readers with her intricate storytelling. Those who have been awaiting the release of her highly anticipated fourth novel, "Visible Empire," don't have to wait any longer.

The page-turner, which hit bookstore shelves June 5, examines the aftermath of a real-life tragedy: the crash of Air France 007. On a summer day in 1962, the Boeing 707 crashed in Paris shortly after takeoff. The crash, known as the second deadliest in aviation history, killed more than 100 of Atlanta's most prominent citizens. In one

By Trey Melcher

The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved the establishment of five new degrees at its last meeting. The new degree programs are now with the state’s Council on Postsecondary Education for consideration. If approved, the university plans to enroll students as early as the fall 2018.

Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in US culture and business practices within the College of Arts and Sciences. The program will allow students to complete an interdisciplinary degree that draws together significant training in business with a rich background in the history, politics, arts and culture of the United States. The coursework will be split between classes in the College of Arts and Sciences' humanities and social science departments and classes in the 

By Carol Jordan

Ashley Judd (left) and Carol Jordan (right), executive director of the University of Kentucky Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women.

The Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women (OPSVAW) in the College of Arts and Sciences has selected four graduate students to receive awards and support during the 2018 academic year.

The students were selected following a competitive proposal process the OPSVAW holds each year. Student support is among the top priorities of the OPSVAW, and the 2018 academic year will see the office fund one research assistantship and three graduate fellowships through three funding mechanisms. 

The Ashley T. Judd Distinguished Graduate Fellowship

The Ashley T. Judd Distinguished Graduate Fellowship is being awarded to Helen Kras in the

By Andrea Gils Monzon

The University of Kentucky has offered a full-ride scholarship to Ojaswi Piya, one of the 61 talented students from Nepal whose scholarships at University of Texas at Tyler were recently canceled.

The University of Kentucky has offered a full-ride scholarship to Ojaswi Piya, one of the 61 talented students from Nepal whose scholarships at University of Texas at Tyler were recently canceled.

“This full-ride made my dreams and educational goals and aspirations seem possible again,” Piya said. “I was beyond happy — words can’t convey how grateful I am to have this amazing opportunity come to me.”

Piya, from Karthmandu, Nepal, has accepted the offer and will join the Wildcat family this fall. She plans to major in biology but is also interested in other areas such as sustainability, the environment and waste management

By Whitney Hale

University of Kentucky Office of Nationally Competitive Awards has announced that four recent UK graduates and one doctoral student have been offered Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships. The UK recipients are among approximately 1,900 U.S. students who will travel abroad for the 2018-19 academic year.

Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program operates in more than 160 countries.

The UK students awarded Fulbright grants are:

By Lindsey Piercy

From Facebook and Twitter, to Instagram and Snapchat, it's no secret social media has become a common form of communication, but have you ever left your feeds feeling bad about yourself? If so, you’re not alone, according to a new study conducted by Ilyssa Salomon, doctoral student, and Christia Spears Brown, professor of psychology, at the University of Kentucky in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Social media presents a unique set of challenges for those who are feeling vulnerable. Teenagers are the first generation that cannot imagine life without the internet. Some of that interaction can be positive, allowing teens to find a sense of belonging, but less known is the negative impact of social media on body image.

"If you walk by any group of teenagers, you will notice that most of

By Lindsey PIercy

Rachel Farr, assistant professor of developmental psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky, has been selected as a recipient of the 2018 William T. Grant Scholars Award.

Launched in 1982, the scholars program supports the professional development of promising researchers in the social, behavioral and health sciences. To date, the program has sponsored more than 180 talented researchers.

Scholars receive $350,000 to execute rigorous five-year research plans that stretch their skills and knowledge into new disciplines. As they commence their projects, they build mentoring relationships with experts in areas pertinent

By Jennifer T. Allen

Former Marine and currently active in the Air National Guard, Eric Rannenberg just received his master’s degree as part of the first cohort of UK's new Master of Applied Statistics online professional graduate program.

Eric Rannenberg was coming out of a math course on the University of Kentucky campus when he saw a flier that completely changed his academic plan. The flier, promoting the UK College of Arts and Sciences’ online Master of Applied Statistics, led Rannenberg to apply to the program and begin his studies that semester.

“I dropped all of my other classes except one, joined the statistics program three weeks late and worked hard to get caught up,” he said.

This May, two years later, he walked across the stage at Rupp

By Jenny Wells

Evander Harris, who is now a physics teacher at Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington, mixes compounds together with Henry Clay High School teacher and FCPS teacher partner Craig Schroeder at a 2016 Noyce STEM Summer Workshop.

The University of Kentucky wants to not only recruit more students into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors, but also train those students to become STEM educators.

Through a collaborative effort led by the UK College of Education, the UK College of Arts and Sciences and the UK College of Engineering, the "UK Noyce STEM PLUS: Producing Leaders for Urban/rUral Schools" project aims to attract UK students, especially students from

By Whitney Hale

Recent University of Kentucky Chinese studiesand international studies graduate Bridget Nicholas has been selected for a fellowship from the Princeton in Asia program. As part of the program, Nicholas will serve in Dunhuang, China.

Princeton in Asia (PiA) sponsors more than 150 fellowships and internships in 21 countries and is the oldest and largest organization of its kind, unique in its scope, size, century-long expertise and emphasis on service. PiA’s goal is to provide transformative, service-oriented experiences for bright, talented graduates and to serve the needs of Asia as determined by host institutions and Asian partners. PiA arranges fellowships and internships in the fields

By Mallory Powell

High school students can get an expert introduction to statistics and related careers at a free three-day workshop June 4 through June 6. The "Statistics Facts and Snacks" program, hosted by the University of Kentucky Applied Statistics Lab and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science, will discuss what a statistician does, explore requirements to pursue higher education in statistics, and teach introductory statistical programming techniques. The workshop is geared towards any high school grade level and no statistics or computer science experience is required. 

Sessions will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the UK Multidisciplinary Sciences Building, room 333. 

Parents/guardians can register their students at https://stat.as.uky.edu/asl-events.

By Vice President for Research Lisa Cassis

This spring the Office of the Vice President for Research sponsored Kaylynne Glover, a Ph.D. candidate in biology, and Alexa Johnson, a Ph.D. student and graduate research assistant in the UK Sports Medicine Research Institute (SMRI), to go to Washington D.C. for “CASE: Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering.” This three-and-a-half-day program through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) offered these young researchers a firsthand view of Congress, the federal budget process and effective science communication.

“I love the intersection between science and society. That's where I want to spend my life,” said Glover, “I want to be able to work with the public, but what else can I do other than write blogs or create a Facebook page that advocates for science? In my limited

By Jenny Wells

Catherine Linnen, an assistant professor of biology in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, is the recipient of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award. The program will provide Linnen with $950,000 over five years to conduct research in evolutionary genetics and develop a teaching program to promote scientific research to students and the community. The two projects will be integrated to support the core goals of the grant. 

"Being chosen for a CAREER award is perhaps the biggest honor of my academic career," Linnen said. "The funds provided by this award will enable my lab to pursue cutting-edge research on the origins of