xt78kp7tqf7v https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt78kp7tqf7v/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky Alumni Association 2017 journals English University of Kentucky Alumni Association Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky alumnus Kentucky Alumni, vol. 88, no. 2, Summer 2017 text Kentucky Alumni, vol. 88, no. 2, Summer 2017 2017 2019 true xt78kp7tqf7v section xt78kp7tqf7v SUMMER 2017 UK RESEARCH Engaging students for success * Celebrating 80 Years Thank You! www.ukfcu.org | 859.264.4200 Welcome to better banking Federally Insured by NCUA * Summer 2017 • Volume 88 • Number 2 UK continues to pursue interdisciplinary research and creative efforts that address challenges and disparities of Kentucky citizens. 18 Cover: Misty Ray Hamilton 12 UK Research: Engaging students for success UK is one of only eight universities in the country with the full range of undergraduate, graduate, professional and medical programs on one campus, leading to ground-breaking discoveries and crossdisciplinary research and scholarship. 22 26 28 30 Jim Geisler: Seeing blue and making a difference This Gatton College of Business and Economics graduate achieves success in international business and helps students follow in his footsteps through service and philanthropy. Virginia Bell: A best friend to all Virginia Marsh Bell ’82 SW returned to college after 40 years for a second career that helped change care provided to people with dementia worldwide. By Christina Noll Will Cash: Serving sweets to countries around the world No matter where you travel overseas, when you find yourself on the receiving end of a Krispy Kreme doughnut, you have Will Cash ’09 BE, ’10 GS to thank. By Linda Perry They did it! UK honored its newest alumni in May during its largest Commencement in UK’s history. UK travelers undergo a transformative journey through history Hope & History Study and Travel Tour travelers visited Alabama to experience the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Photo : UK Research Communications By Linda Perry Departments Multidisciplinary research building will open in 2018. 4 7 8 11 32 36 39 Pride in Blue Presidential Conversation UK News Blue Horizons Wildcat Sports Alumni Engagement College View 42 48 52 54 55 56 Class Notes Career Corner In Memoriam Creative Juices Retrospect Quick Take www.ukalumni.net 1 * 2 Summer 2017 * Board of Directors Officers Susan V. Mustian ’84 BE - President J. Fritz Skeen ’72 ’73 BE - Treasurer Stan R. Key ’72 ED - Secretary Kentucky Alumni Magazine Vol. 88 No. 2 Kentucky Alumni (ISSN 732-6297) is published quarterly by the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, Lexington, Kentucky for its dues-paying members. © 2017 University of Kentucky Alumni Association, except where noted. Views and opinions expressed in Kentucky Alumni do not necessarily represent the opinions of its editors, the UK Alumni Association nor the University of Kentucky. How To Reach Us Kentucky Alumni UK Alumni Association King Alumni House Lexington, KY 40506-0119 Telephone: 859-257-8905 1-800-269-ALUM Fax: 859-323-1063 Email: ukalumni@uky.edu Update Your Record UK Alumni Association King Alumni House Lexington, KY 40506-0119 Telephone: 859-257-8800 Fax: 859-323-1063 Email: ukalumni@uky.edu Web: www.ukalumni.net For duplicate mailings, please send both mailing labels to the address above. Member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Association Staff Publisher/Executive Director: Stan Key ’72 Editor/Associate Director: Jill Smith ’05, ’11 Managing Editor: Linda Perry ’84 Publications Production Assistant: Hal Morris Graphic Designer: Misty Ray Hamilton ‘08 Brenda Bain ’15: Records Data Entry Operator Linda Brumfield: Account Clerk III Sara-Elizabeth Bush ’13: Program Coordinator Nancy Culp: Administrative Services Assistant Caroline Francis ’88, ’93, ’02: Alumni Career Counselor Jack Gallt ’84: Associate Director Leslie Hayes: Membership and Marketing Specialist Kelly V. Hinkel ’11: Staff Support Associate I John Hoagland ’89: Associate Director Diana Horn ’70, ’71: Principal Accountant Katie Jennings ’11: Marketing & Communications Coordinator Albert Kalim ’03 ’16: Webmaster Kathryn Kearns ’12: Staff Support Associate I WIlliam Raney ’14: House Support Darlene Simpson: Senior Data Entry Operator Frances White: Data Entry Operator District Michelle Bishop Allen ’06 ’10 BE Jeffrey L. Ashley ’89 CI Robert Price Atkinson ’97 CI Dr. William G. Bacon Jr. ’82 ’85 MED Trudy Webb Banta ’63 ’65 ED Heath F. Bowling ’95 BE Emmett P. Burnam ’74 ED John S. Cain ’86 BE James E. Cantrell ’76 EN Shane T. Carlin ’95 AFE Rebecca F. Caudill ’72 ’76 ED Shannon R. Corley ’98 BE William “Bill” M. Corum ’64 BE Elizabeth “Betsy” Coleman Cox ’69 AS D. Michael Coyle ’62 BE, ’65 LAW Robert “Rob” L. Crady III ’94 BE Bruce E. Danhauer ’77 AFE Ruth Cecelia Day ’85 BE Eugene L. DuBow ’53 AS Phillip D. Elder ’86 AFE Erin Endersby ’01 EN Abra Akers Endsley ’98 ’01 CI Robert Michael Gray ’80 ’81 BE Austin H. Hays ’03 BE Vicki S. Hiestand ’93 BE Derrick C. Hord ’83 CI Lee A. Jackson ’70 SCC, ’73 AS Dr. Frank Kendrick ’90 ’92 DE Shelia M. Key ’91 PHA Susan L. Liszeski ’84 AFE Thomas K. Mathews ’93 AS James D. McCain ’81 BE Herbert A. Miller Jr. ’72 AS, ’76 LAW Matthew “Matt” C. Minner ’93 AS Ashley S. “Tip” Mixson III ’80 BE Sherry Remington Moak ’81 BE Dr. W. Mark Myers ’87 DE Will L. Nash ’06 AS Abigail O. Payne ’05 CI Ronald “Ronnie” M. Perchik ’82 BE Nicholas C. Phelps ’08 BE Charles “Chad” D. Polk ’94 DES Robert J. Riddle ’11 AFE John D. Ryan ’92 ’95 BE Philip Schardein,’02 BE Sharon Lee Sears ’80 CI Mary L. Shelman ’81 EN Marian Moore Sims ’72 ’76 ED George B. Spragens ’93 BE R. Michael Stacy ’95 BE Reese S. Terry Jr. ’64 ’66 EN Peggy T. Tudor ’73 ’83 NUR, ’07 ED Quentin R. Tyler ’02 ’05 AFE, ’11 AS Kendra Lorene Wadsworth ’06 ED Craig M. Wallace ’79 EN Rachel Watts Webb ’05 CI Scott Wittich ’75 BE At Large Jo Hern Curris ’63 AS, ’75 LAW Dr. Michael H. Huang ’89 AS, ’93 MED Antoine Huffman ’05 CI Jane Cobb Pickering ’74 ED Amelia Brown Wilson ’03 ’06 AFE, ’11 ED Nicholas D. Wilson ’03 AS, ’05 GS College Michelle McDonald ’84 AFE, ’92 ED - Agriculture Winn F. Williams ’71 AS - Arts & Sciences James Brownlow Bryant ’67 BE - Business & Economics Jeremy L. Jarvi ’02 CI - Communication & Information Dr. Clifford J. Lowdenback ’99 AS, ’03 DE - Dentistry Lu Ann Holmes ’79 DES - Design Martha Elizabeth Randolph ’83 BE, ’87 ’92 ED - Education Taunya Phillips ’87 EN, ’04 BE - Engineering Kim A. Baker ’92 FA - Fine Arts Barbara R. Sanders ’72 AS, ’76 ED - Health Sciences Janis E. Clark ’78 GS, ’85 LAW - Law Dr. Emery A. Wilson ’68 ’72 MED - Medicine Patricia K. Howard ’83 ’90 ’04 NUR - Nursing Lynn Harrelson ’73 PHA - Pharmacy Vacant - Public Health Willis K. Bright Jr. ’66 SW - Social Work Alumni Trustees Dr. Michael A. Christian ’76 AS, ’80 DE Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED Kelly Sullivan Holland ’93 AS, ’98 ED Appointed Katie Eiserman ’01 ED - Athletics Thomas W. Harris ’85 AS - University Relations Terry B. Mobley ’65 ED - Honorary D. Michael Richey ’74 ’79 AFE - Philanthropy Bobby C. Whitaker ’58 CI - Honorary Benjamin George Childress - Student Government Association Vacant - University Senate Past Presidents George L. Atkins Jr. ’63 BE Richard A. Bean ’69 BE Michael A. Burleson ’74 PHA Bruce K. Davis ’71 LAW Scott E. Davis ’73 BE Marianne Smith Edge ’77 AFE Franklin H. Farris Jr. ’72 BE Dr. Paul E. Fenwick ’52 AFE William G. Francis ’68 AS, ’73 LAW W. P. Friedrich ’71 EN Dan Gipson ’69 EN Brenda B. Gosney ’70 HS, ’75 ED Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED John R. Guthrie ’63 CI Ann B. Haney ’71 AS Diane M. Massie ’79 CI Robert E. Miller John C. Nichols II ’53 BE Dr. George A. Ochs IV ’74 DE Sandra Bugie Patterson ’68 AS Robert F. Pickard ’57 ’61 EN Paula L. Pope ’73 ’75 ED David B. Ratterman ’68 EN G. David Ravencraft ’59 BE William Schuetze ’72 LAW David L. Shelton ’66 BE J. Tim Skinner ’80 DES James W. Stuckert ’60 EN, ’61 BE Hank B. Thompson Jr. ’71 CI Myra L. Tobin ’62 AFE J. Thomas Tucker ’56 BE Henry R. Wilhoit Jr. ’60 LAW Elaine A. Wilson ’68 SW Richard M. Womack ’53 AFE www.ukalumni.net 3 * Peggy S. Meszaros UK Alumni Association President Memories of Peggy “I had the distinct honor of knowing Peggy professionally and personally — She leaves a deep and lasting mark on my heart and life. To her family and many friends, I know you will join me in saying, we are better because of knowing you.” “Peggy will be greatly missed. What a great representative of the University of Kentucky.” “I remember the wonderful conversation we had when I first met her. A remarkable woman.” “Peggy was always so nice to me. A great loss for UK and VT family.” “Sad news. The UK Alumni Association has had so many great presidents and Peggy was certainly among them.” 4 Summer 2017 During the week of our spring board of directors meeting, we lost a special university friend, our UK Alumni Association President Peggy Meszaros. She passed away in her hometown of Hopkinsville following a brief illness. Meszaros earned her master’s degree from the University of Kentucky in 1972, held a bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay University and a doctorate from the University of Maryland. She led a notable career in higher education and her work, both professionally and as a volunteer, at the University of Kentucky was extensive. If you knew Peggy Meszaros, you knew you were in the presence of someone great, an inspired individual who wanted to leave the world in a better place. She was a remarkable woman who embodied terrific leadership ability, held a passion for education and respected others. Some of our alumni had the opportunity to meet Meszaros personally, while others knew her through her connections to the University of Kentucky. The cover story from the winter 2013 issue featured Meszaros and her work mentoring students and paying it forward. The story profiled her career and her goal to find ways to apply the knowledge in order to make positive impacts on the lives of others. In her early days, she realized that one’s family life played an important role in academic success. Her assumption intrigued her and she dedicated her career research to family studies, ultimately retiring as the William E. Lavery Professor of Human Development and director of the Research Center for Information Technology Impacts on Children, Youth, and Families at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State College (VT). In the article, she said, “I believe so much in the land-grant mission which is, we don’t just do research in isolation. The land-grant mission is to take that research out to make positive improvements in communities.” It’s only fitting that Meszaros spent the majority of her working years at two land-grant institutions: the University of Kentucky and Virginia Tech. She came to the University of Kentucky in 1985 to serve as dean of the College of Home Economics and professor of Family Studies. While at UK she also served as the assistant director of the Kentucky Agriculture Experiment Station, assistant director of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, was acting chairwoman of the Nutrition and Food Science Department, and acting chairwoman of the Family Studies Department. During her tenure at UK, she was instrumental in changing the name of the College of Home Economics to the College of Human Environmental Sciences to better reflect its mission. She was inducted into the UK Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 1995, was a founding member of the UK Erikson Society, a member of the UK Fellows Society and Women & Philanthropy, as well as a Life Member of the UK Alumni Association. From 1993 to 1994 she was dean of the College of Human Resources at VT and from 1994 to 2000 served as senior vice president and provost, the highest-ranking female in the history of that institution. At the time of her passing, Meszaros held emerita titles for two positions at Virginia Tech, the William E. Lavery Professor Emerita of Human Development in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and provost emerita. Meszaros displayed astonishing leadership skills, an enthusiastic spirit, strong respect for others and a sincere smile. She had a tremendous loyalty to the University of Kentucky and the UK Alumni Association and held a number of leadership roles within the association. She served 12 years as a UK Alumni Association board member, chairing five different committees during her tenure and ultimately serving as president in 2016-17. She was recognized in 2011 with the UK Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. Susan V. Mustian, previous president-elect of the UK Alumni Association, said, “I’ve had the honor of working closely with Peggy the past two years and the privilege of her friendship. Her dedication to the University of Kentucky Alumni Association was tireless, and her support of our great university was immeasurable.” It was a privilege and an honor to know Peggy Meszaros. Her presence within the association will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time. To view additional information and her obituary, visit www.ukalumni.net/peggymeszaros. * MUSEUM. HOTEL. RESTAURANT. Located minutes from campus. Discounted 10% rate* for UK Alumni. For reservations, call 859.899.6800 and mention UK21CLEX. 167 W Main Street, Lexington, KY 40507 859.899.6800 | 21cLexington.com *21c Lexington only. Based on availability. Blackout dates apply. www.ukalumni.net 5 * get social with us ukalumni kentuckyalumni kentucky_alumni ukalumni.net/linkedin University of Kentucky Alumni Association 6 Summer 2017 * Presidential Conversation What do we get for $31 billion? More than 33,000 people die each year from prescription and illicit opioid-related drug overdose. More than 1,000 people are treated for overdoses in emergency rooms each day. The numbers are stark and especially devastating in Kentucky, where, every day, someone’s son or daughter, husband or wife, grandchild, niece or nephew loses the opportunity to see another day, achieve another goal or reach his or her potential. Those are the numbers I think about when the inevitable questions arise about federal funding of research that takes place at institutions like the University of Kentucky. Research is expensive — $31 billion was appropriated last year to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) alone — but it yields some of the most promising results for our future. Through competitive grants, institutions in Kentucky — UK being the largest recipient by far — received nearly $164 million last year for research into cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and opioid addiction along with other debilitating diseases and afflictions. Research doesn’t always yield instant results. In fact, it rarely does. Researchers often spend years, huddled in labs, asking basic scientific questions, not sure what the result will be, much less not knowing whether something groundbreaking will occur. Research is a bet on our future. It’s the idea that our brainpower and intellect, harnessed in common cause and against uncommon and insidious disease, can find answers. We can find solutions to the most insoluble and devastating of challenges — challenges that afflict every family and torture every community. We know because of our past and what is happening today. For more than a century, the NIH has engaged in the important work of improving health outcomes that save lives. Medical science’s understanding of vital life processes and chronic illness, the creation of new medical devices like the MRI, and procedures that improve care and detect health maladies earlier, represent only a small fraction of breakthroughs in biomedical research supported by the NIH. Closecr to home, Kentucky families face, at rates far higher than the national average, incidences of heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and stroke, to name just a few. With the support of NIH, UK is seeking solutions to these pressing health challenges. And we are making a difference. Recently, in an effort to better understand the energy mechanisms that fuel cancer cell development, a team of researchers from UK received an $11.2 million grant from the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence, part of NIH. Additionally, UK faculty converged in March with policymakers and researchers from across the nation for the National Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta. The summit brought together stakeholders from all levels of government, business, academia, treatment and community leadership to address the scourge of opioid abuse. This is another critical Kentucky question — our rate of overdose deaths far exceeds the national average. Much of our work is supported with federal grants from agencies within the NIH. Last year, UK investigators received $9.6 million to address substance abuse and addiction from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse. With those dollars we are examining the causes of addiction and what treatments work best to turn the tide against it. Big, eye-popping numbers like $31 billion are, in some ways, impossible to get your mind around. But everyone has been touched by — or knows someone touched by — the insidiousness of chronic illness and addiction. Everyone knows the human cost of these diseases of despair. When I think about the impact of federal research and the investments being made, I don’t think in billions. I think about the lives lost to opioid addiction, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and chronic illness. These numbers haunt me. They should haunt you, too. The challenge should embolden all of us. But we have to be willing to continue to invest in research — research that saves lives and changes communities — research that says we won’t accept the loss of another life from these diseases of despair. Sincerely, Eli Capilouto President On the passing of Peggy Meszaros The UK family collectively mourns the passing of alumna and UK Alumni Association President Peggy Meszaros. The Hopkinsville native and lifelong Wildcat was a proud representative of her alma mater and devoted higher education leader for many years. Her extraordinary career helped shape the direction of Human Environmental Sciences education and research at UK and Virginia Tech, where she also served as provost. In recognition of her loyalty and contributions to her alma mater, Peggy Meszaros was awarded the Distinguished Service Award and was inducted into the UK Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni. The UK family is honored by Peggy Meszaros’ legacy, and she will be greatly missed. www.ukalumni.net 7 * UK News Feist-Price named vice president for institutional diversity Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing UK President Eli Capilouto has tabbed a longtime UK scholar and academic administrator as vice president for institutional diversity. Sonja Feist-Price began her new duties in March. She has been at UK for nearly 25 years as a leading teacher and scholar in the College of Education. She also has served as academic ombud and most recent as a senior assistant provost for faculty affairs. “Dr. Feist-Price brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to this essential work, along with decades-long and heart-felt commitment to our university’s success,” Capilouto said. “Having served on the faculty of our College of Education and embracing challenging responsibilities across a wide spectrum of administrative roles, she possesses the right combination of credentials, experiences, skills, and personal Feast on Equality raises more than $37,000 for LGBTQ* Resources The UK Office of LGBTQ* Resources hosted its inaugural Feast on Equality dinner in December. Feast On Equality is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a sole purpose to raise funds for at-risk LGBT youth by hosting signature fundraising events to engage the community and create awareness surrounding the issues that LGBT youth face. Through the event, the Office of LGBTQ* Resources raised $37,000. The funds that were raised through Feast on Equality will be used to: • Fund up to eight student scholarships. • Create and support a paid student internship program with academic credit. • Launch a partnership with the Graduate School to provide two graduate and professional student grants up to $1,500. • Enhance regular programming including Pride Week. “The UK Feast on Equality partnership has been a game changer for our advocacy and education work at the university. The funds raised at this event are helping us expand our scholarships and strengthen our programming in key ways to support an inclusive campus environment,” said Lance Poston, director of LGBTQ* Resources. ■ 8 Summer 2017 relationships necessary to help lead us forward to an even more welcoming and diverse campus.” “Words cannot begin to express how excited I am about the opportunity to work with President Capilouto to lead the University of Kentucky in the area of diversity and inclusion,” Feist-Price said. “The ability to positively impact the lives of students, faculty and staff as it relates to inclusive excellence is consistent with my purpose and passion for life, and aligns with the university’s strategic plan. I look forward to expanding the great work of the Office for Institutional Diversity.” Capilouto also praised Terry Allen, who has served as interim vice president for much of the last two years. “We are indebted to him for this most recent work,” Capilouto said, “but also for his admirable record of service to our university across so many years.” Feist-Price was named to the vice president’s position following a search that began this fall. A broad-based search committee, chaired by College of Public Health Dean Donna Arnett, reached a consensus with Capilouto on Feist-Price as the preferred candidate for the position. Feist-Price also appeared in campus forums with students, faculty and staff to discuss her vision for the position. She also met with senior administrators and direct reports to Capilouto. ■ Office of the Provost and Information Technology Services launch new collaborative site The UK Institutional Research and Advanced Analytics team, a collaborative effort between the Office of the Provost’s Institutional Research team and Information Technology Services’ Advanced Analytics team, unveiled its newly redesigned website, www.uky.edu/iraa. The website serves as an important portal for distributing university data to both members of the UK community and the public. The goal of the redesign was to provide enhanced online resources and improved access to institutional data. The most important feature of the new design is the Interactive Fact Book, which significantly enhances visitor’s ability to access information, visualize trends and analyze data in meaningful ways. The new site also includes numerous other enhancements, including improved customer support information, explanatory videos and easier access to campus resources. The Institutional Research and Advanced Analytics team studies past trends, completes detailed analyses, delivers interactive data visualizations and dashboards, and provides official institutional data to external stakeholders. ■ * The UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment updated snake ID website has enough information to satisfy just about any question a person could have concerning the snake cutting across their patio or field. The new website (kysnakes.ca.uky.edu) was updated by Steven Price, assistant professor of stream and riparian ecology in the UK Department of Forestry, and Andrea Drayer, UK forestry research analyst. It highlights life histories, color patterns, physical characteristics and ecological roles of the animal Price terms as “perhaps the most maligned” in Kentucky. It also provides the user with the information needed to identify snakes they might encounter in their yards, on their farms, or out and about in wetlands and rivers, woodlands and prairies. Users can search for species by geographic region, as well as body characteristics such as head or body shape, color or pattern. The site brims with photographs of the different snake species found in Kentucky, as well as information about their habitat and natural history. “I’m hoping this will be widely used by general citizens interested in snakes, as well as students, teachers and Extension agents,” Price said. After members of the UK Board of Trustees met with a group of students who represent the rich tapestry of diversity across the campus, an idea emerged to open a new interfaith prayer and meditation room on campus available to students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds, perspectives and religions. A space in room 76 of McVey Hall is the temporary home of the room until permanent space can be located in the new UK Student Center next year. “We are committed to a campus community where everyone who calls this special place home feels a sense of belonging. A key element in creating that community is a range of initiatives and programming that provides and promotes rich, diversity-related experiences for the entire campus community — whether a cultural exchange, global experiences with food and entertainment or a simple space like this one that provides an opportunity for quiet reflection across faith traditions,” UK President Eli Capilouto said. “The dedication of this space in McVey Hall as an interfaith prayer and meditation room is another illustration of our commitment to community.” During the space’s grand opening, UK freshman Yousuf Al Mamari was excited to see the room he plans to utilize as part of his everyday life on campus. “I think it’s a great place for Muslim students especially because we have five prayers a day. We have class but when we have a break we can come here and pray,” Al Mamari said. “It’s easy for us. I would like to thank UK.” ■ Eastern garter snake UK Libraries and partners launched search tool for African-American history UK Libraries has partnered with Umbra Search African American History at the University of Minnesota — a program that makes African-American culture and history more broadly available through a freely available search tool (www.umbrasearch.org), strategic digitization and public events and workshops. Digitized rare and unique materials from the UK Libraries that document African-American cultural history have been made available for aggregation and are now discoverable in Umbra Search, alongside over 400,000 materials from libraries and archives across the country. These include the Jim Curtis photograph collection on Civil Rights in Kentucky, the Alexandra Soteriou photographs, the Jouette Shouse Collection of American Liberty League pamphlets and publications from the Federal Writers’ Project of the Kentucky WPA. ■ Photo: ExploreUK Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing UK opens interfaith prayer and meditation room Photo: Jake Hutton AFE revamps Kentucky snake ID website As part of the Umbra Search partnership, UK Libraries is sharing items from the Jim Curtis photograph collection on Civil Rights in Kentucky like this photo of, left to right, Frank Stanley Jr., Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr. and Gov. Edward T. Breathitt. www.ukalumni.net 9 * UK News Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing Engineering Lab renovated to accommodate increased enrollments UK College of Engineering students have a new laboratory space. A renovation of the Chemical Engineering Unit Operations Laboratory in the F. Paul Anderson Tower will accommodate the recent increase in undergraduate chemical engineering class sizes. Over the past year, the laboratory underwent a full renovation, including upgrades of the utilities, lighting, lab benches and floor. The overall size of the lab increased by 30 percent, and a number of new experimental modules were added. “The undergraduate laboratory experience in engineering is one of the most formative elements of the curriculum, as our students are called upon to apply and extend classroom knowledge, function effectively in teams and grapple with observations and data sets that don’t always come out textbook perfect,” said Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering Chairman Douglass Kalika. The renovation of the lab was made possible by financial gifts from engineering alumni Michael Marberry and S.J. Whalen. The flooring was donated by chemical engineering alumnus Rick Crouch. Juniors and seniors use the facility to conduct experiments that explore the core concepts of fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering and separations, and range from traditional operations, such as distillation to bioprocessing and membrane separation technology. “Outstanding facilities breed creativity and collaboration,” said UK College of Engineering Interim Dean Larry Holloway. “They are critical for attracting the best faculty and students to our program, as well as allowing our faculty, staff and students to achieve their fullest potential.” ■ If you have a passion for the business world, in particular a desire to work in the finance industry, yet wonder how you can obtain and develop the skills needed for such a career, the UK Gatton College of Business & Economics has some very good news for you. The Gatton College is launching a new professional Master of Science in Finance (MSF) degree and will welcome its first class in fall 2017. “The MSF degree program broadens students’ career opportunities in the finance and banking industries by providing rigorous and focused training in finance, and sharpening their skills for the fast-changing and competitive world of modern finance,” said Mark Liu, associate professor of finance in the Gatton College, who will direct and teach in the MSF program. “Job candidates with MSF degrees are highly desired in finance-specialized industries, particularly investment banking and asset management companies, and are sought after by corporate treasury departments. The job opportunities in these industries are substantial, intellectually stimulating and high-paying.” Beginning each fall, the MSF program consists of a 10-month, 30-credit-hour, 10-course curriculum. The MSF program is not just for finance or business majors. There are no specific course prerequisites other than college-level math and introductory statistics. Work experience is not required for admission. All applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. 10 Summer 2017 Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing Gatton College adds professional finance master’s degree All MSF classes will be offered in the brand new state-of-theart Seale Finance Learning Center in the new Gatton College building, which opened in October 2016. MSF students will also gain firsthand asset portfolio management experience by participating in Gatton’s $5 million student-managed investment fund. “This unique program is the only MSF program in the Commonwealth, and serves an important regional and national need for educating skilled and qualified financial management professionals,” said Gatton College Dean David W. Blackwell. “This program leverages Gatton’s nationally recognized strength in finance to train students for these critical careers.” ■ * Blue Horizons UK awarded $11.2 million grant to launch new Center for Cancer and Metabolism UK has received a prestigious Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence grant to study the metabolism of cancer from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health. The $11.2 million grant will fund the UK Center for Cancer and Metabolism over the next five years. Kentucky has disproportionately high incidences of both cancer and metabolic disorders – our state leads the nation in cancer deaths and is in the top 10 for highest obesity rates in the country. While scientists have long known of a direct link between obesity and cancer, the need for further research into this field is a necessity for Kentuckians. The CCM will bring together highly complementary disciplinary strengths at UK in cancer, metabolism and data sciences, coupled with sophisticated metabolomics tools and advanced cancer imaging capabilities, to strengthen the university’s cancer research enterprise by providing a thematically focused multidisciplinary infrastructure dedicated to defining the role of metabolism in the development and treatment of cancer. The CCM is co-led by program directors Daret St. Clair, professor