A 2000 graduate of UK’s Natural Resource Conservation and Management (NRCM) program, Dr. Ben Gramig has taken his undergraduate emphasis in policy and made it his own as a professional.

He is currently an Associate Professor at Purdue University where he teaches some of the same courses that he took as a student at the University of Kentucky including Natural Resource and Environmental Economics and Economic Dynamics. Dr. Gramig’s position also involves research in which he focuses on current issues such as the mitigation of climate change in agriculture, the sustainability of cellulosic bioenergy crops and cost-effective agricultural non-point source pollution control.

Ben’s initial interest in policy brought him to the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (GOAP) where he worked for two years after graduation. Once at the GOAP, his knowledge and interest

As part of the NRES major, students are required to partake in an experiential education programs that will provide hands-on learning related to their concentration area.

To fulfill this requirement, senior Ross Bundschuh accepted a summer internship with a division of TRC Solutions located in Norcross, Georgia. TRC Solutions is a national company that provides a variety of clients with integrated services in the energy, environmental, and infrastructure markets.

With an Analytical Skill Development (ASD) in Economics and Policy Analysis, Ross’ responsibilities included submitting permit applications to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, writing reports to clients and the Federal Energy Regulatory commission, and consulting with federal agency representatives on proposed liquefied natural gas pipeline projects.

He chose the internship because he is

Video by UK Research Media

by Keith Hautala

(July 23, 2014) — University of Kentucky Biology Professor Ashley Seifert, whose research is focused on skin regeneration, is studying the African spiny mouse, a tiny mammal with some amazing regenerative abilities.     

"What’s phenomenal is that they’re able to regenerate complex tissue structures," Seifert said. "They can regenerate all of the components of their skin including hair follicles, sebaceous glands and the underlying dermis, the structural component which gives the skin strength. And then, in the ears, amazingly, they can regenerate cartilage. Any orthopedic surgeon will tell you what a huge advance it would be if we could figure out how to regenerate cartilage in a

by Whitney Hale

(July 22, 2014) — Fiction writer Rebecca Makkai, whose novel "The Hundred-Year House" was published this month, and the multi-talented Margaret Wrinkle, author of the 2013 novel "Wash," will read from their work and teach fiction at the Kentucky Women Writers Conference being held Sept. 12-13, in Lexington.

Chicago-based writer Makkai just released her second novel, "The Hundred-Year House," described by The Los Angeles Times as "a big-hearted gothic novel, an intergenerational

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 Keith Hautala

(July 21, 2014) — A "water justice" workshop organized by the University of Kentucky's Appalachian Center was held July 7-11 in Robinson Forest to promote equal access to water resources and inclusive decision-making concerning these resources on local, regional and global scales.

Participants included Kentucky high school students, public school educators, UK faculty and staff, biology and biosystems engineering majors, natural resources and environmental science majors, a faculty member and three undergraduates from the University of Lampung, Indonesia, visiting scholars from Denver University and Eastern Kentucky University, and representatives from the Kentucky River Watershed Watch, Kentucky Division of Water, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, the Kentucky

by Keith Hautala

(July 21, 2014) — The Commonwealth’s first megawatt-scale carbon capture pilot unit at an operating power plant will soon be located at Kentucky Utilities Company’s E.W. Brown Generating Station, near Harrodsburg.

The announcement was made during a news conference and ribbon cutting on the grounds of the facility this morning with Gov. Steve Beshear, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters, LG&E and KU Energy Chairman, CEO and President Victor Staffieri, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto, and other dignitaries and industrial partners in attendance.

The $19.5 million project with the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy

Whether it’s summer camp in Costa Rica or a weekend-long trip to Mammoth Cave, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) students have more opportunties than ever to gain first hand experience.

This year marks the second year in which students will choose between two countries to attend Summer Camp! Students can choose to participate in the traditional summer camp experience at Robinson Forest, where it has been taught for more then 20 years, or the new tropical summer camp taught in Costa Rica.

Summer Camp is consistently described as students’ most memorable experience as an NRES student, and no matter which option you choose, you’re sure to agree.

The Robinson Forest camp, held in a beautiful forest setting in eastern Kentucky, employs a

In 2013, Natural Resource and Environmental Science students Vicki and Emma took their education abroad to Germany and Australia.

While many students know whether or not they want to study abroad far in advance of when they leave, Vicki decided she wanted to go to Germany her sophomore year and immediately began studying the language.

She then attended UK’s Education Abroad Fair her junior year and found exactly what she was looking for: the Environmental Studies and Sustainability program in Freiburg, Germany.

The program allowed Vicki to study environmental topics through courses that complemented her NRES degree, but were not offered at UK, including: Ethics of Climate Change, Renewable Energies in a World of Transition, and Freiburg Green City: Economic Aspects of Environmental Change. She also took a course in forest management in

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

By Brian Connors Manke

(July 16, 2014) — Originally from Indianapolis, Nathan Moore and his mother moved to Louisville when he was around 12. Growing up on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, Moore is somewhat conflicted as a northern southerner, or is that southern northerner?

Regardless, one direction that Moore is certainly moving is up. The University of Kentucky junior was recently named a fellow for the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute in New York City, and as one of only 10 recipients to be bestowed that honor, it is helping to further define who Nathan Moore is and who he is quickly becoming as an academic.

“Being accepted into this fellowship is not only a prestigious and

by Ashley Tabb

(July 14, 2014) — The University of Kentucky’s newest MOOC (massive open online course) is focused on skills students need to transition into college, wherever they attend. Thousands of individuals have signed up to take the free, open college-preparatory course online.

"How to Succeed in College," beginning Tuesday, July 15, will be the university’s second offering on Coursera, a leading platform for MOOCs. The non-credit course is designed to prepare incoming and current students for college-level classes.

The five-week course is designed to help students think about the differences between high school and college, including class environment, studying techniques, exams structures and social encounters. After completing the online course, students will better understand what to expect upon arriving on campus, which should

by Keith Hautala

(July 15. 2014) — The University of Kentucky has entered into an agreement with a major Chinese petrochemical conglomerate to develop technologies to capture, utilize and store 1 million tons of carbon dioxide per year from a coal-fired power plant in Dongying, Shandong, China.

The agreement, between UK's Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and the Sinopec Corporation's Shengli Oilfield Company and Petroleum Engineering Construction Corporation, is a project of the joint U.S.-China Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) as part of its Carbon Capture, Use, and Storage (CCUS) initiative. Preliminary work on the project began in 2012, and work is scheduled to continue through 2017.

The purpose of the project, with an estimated total investment of $320-400 million, is to develop a series of technologies to capture, transport, store

Video produced by Alicia P. Gregory, videography/direction by Chad Rumford.

by Keith Hautala

(July 14, 2014) — Regeneration is one of the most tantalizing areas of biological research. How are some animals able to regrow body parts following injury? Why can't humans do the same thing? Can scientists learn the secrets that imbue certain animals with this amazing ability? Could that knowledge someday be used to develop new therapies to help people heal? 

Four professors in the University of Kentucky Department of Biology — Randal Voss, Jeramiah Smith, Ann Morris, and Ashley Seifert — are undertaking the basic scientific research needed to begin to answer these and other questions. Each of them approaches the problem from a different angle, focusing on different aspects of

by Gail Hairston

(July 14, 2014) — More scholarship opportunities will soon be available for students who want to minor in Jewish studies at the University of Kentucky. The Interdisciplinary Jewish Studies Program in the UK College of Arts and Sciences has received an $85,000 grant from the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence (JHFE).

The grant will fund five undergraduate scholarships for students who minor in Jewish studies. Some of the scholarships are available for the 2014-2015 academic year, and the remainder are for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Students who want to apply for the scholarships should contact the Jewish Studies

by Whitney Hale

(July 14, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Office of Nationally Competitive Awards has announced the selection of three UK students by the US-UK Fulbright Commission to participate in Fulbright Summer Institutes in the United Kingdom.

Kelsey Potter, an English and integrated strategic communication junior, has been awarded a place at the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) 

By Guy Spriggs

In the field of geology, the University of Kentucky is not traditionally known as a petroleum school. But through participation in the Imperial Barrel Award (IBA), a team of graduate students in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) not only gained invaluable insight into the oil industry, but elevated UK’s standing as a geoscience program.

The IBA, organized by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, is an annual basin evaluation competition where participants analyze geological and geophysical data sets for oil-producing viability. Teams this year were challenged with determining hydrocarbon potential for an area in New Zealand’s Taranaki Basin and presenting their findings to a panel of industry experts.

By Mary Venuto

The Ecological Research and Education Center (EREC) has reached an important milestone in becoming a recognized field station.

For eighteen years the Ecological Research Facility (ERF), located on the north side of town, was used as a site for controlled experiments. Four years ago the University of Kentucky bought a former library building that was adjacent to ERF. With financial assistance from LexMark, ERF was able to become a field station.  

University of Kentucky biology faculty and undergraduate students have since used the Ecological Research and Education Center for a broad range of ecological environmental and genomic research. In addition to research, EREC is also involved in furthering the education of undergraduate

by Gail Hairston

(July 10, 2014) – University of Kentucky sophomore psychology major Kara McCord won one of the 2014 Noba Student Video Award top prizes, awarded by the Diener Education Fund (DEF) and Noba Psychology, for her video titled “Flashbulb Memories”.

The worldwide competition recognizes the most outstanding student-made videos developed around psychological concepts related to memory.

McCord’s entry, judged by a panel of leading psychologists, was among entries from the U.S., Europe, South America, and Asia. In addition to receiving a cash award of $3,000, her video focusing on a phenomenon of autobiographical memory, will be included as a part of the Noba Psychology digital textbook in a

by Kathy Johnson, Jenny Wells

(July 8, 2014) — A book by two University of Kentucky professors was highlighted recently in a Huffington Post blog by author Janet Mason.

"A Positive View of LGBTQ: Embracing Identity and Cultivating Well-Being" by Sharon Rostosky, professor of counseling psychology in the UK College of Education and Ellen Riggle, professor of political science in the UK College of Arts and Sciences, is one of two books Mason focused on as exhibiting the importance of identity in the LGBTQ community.

Mason said the book "talks about the unique