On January 23, seven writers were inducted into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame. One inductee, James Baker Hall, was a previous member of our English department and was much beloved and well respected as a poet. Other inductees included Rebecca Caudill, Thomas D. Clark, Janice Holt Giles, Etheridge Knight, Thomas Merton, and Jesse Stuart.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 18, 2014) — Three University of Kentucky authors will present recent books about mountaintop removal mining, and the treasured landscapes and Appalachian communities that lie in its midst, at a book talk and signing Thursday, Feb. 27.
Erik Reece, of the Department of English, and Jim Krupa, of the Department of Biology, will discuss their book, "The Embattled Wilderness: The Natural and Human History of Robinson Forest and the Fight for its Future" (University of Georgia Press, 2013). Shannon Elizabeth Bell, of the Department of Sociology, will discuss her book, "
by Mary Venuto
University of Kentucky’s undergraduate literary arts journal, Shale, earned an honorable mention from the 2013-2014 Sigma Tau Delta Outstanding Literary Arts Journal awards. Shale is an on-campus literary journal that features poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, world language pieces and art submitted by UK students. The journal is partnered with the English Department, Writing Center, and the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.
Shale staff submitted the spring 2013 issue to the annual Outstanding Literary Arts Journal contest. Katie Cross, president of the local chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and Co-Editor-in-Chief
by Katy Bennett, Student Activities Board
(Feb. 6, 2014) — In honor of Black History Month, the University of Kentucky's Student Activities Board Multicultural Committee is hosting "Pluck! Featuring the Affrilachian Poets," at 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Feb. 6, in the William T. Young Library auditorium.
The Affrilachian Poets will share tales of colorful personal history and political statements in their work. Hear from and meet Affrilachian poets, including Makalani Bandele, Joy Priest, Bianca Spriggs and Ricardo Nazario Colon.
The Affrilachian Poets is a group of writers that formed at the University of Kentucky's Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center in the early 1990s, led by then program coordinator and
Poet Tracy K. Smith reads from "Life of Mars" on PBS' "NewsHour."
by Whitney Hale
(Jan. 30, 2014) — The Kentucky Women Writers Conference will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith as its keynote speaker at the 2014 conference, scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13. Smith’s appearance is being supported in part by University of Kentucky Libraries.
Tracy K. Smith is the author of three award-winning books of poetry, including her most recent collection, "Life on Mars" (Graywolf, 2011), the 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times Notable Book. The collection draws on science fiction film, literature and
by Keith Hautala
(Jan. 17, 2014) — Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
Walker, founder of the Affrilachian Poets and an associate professor of English at the University of Kentucky, is being recognized for his most recent book of poetry, "Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers."
The book, revolving around the civil rights leader's 1963 murder in Mississippi, was published last year, the 50th anniversary of the killing. Walker crafted the poems in the voices of individuals central to the event: Evers' widow, Myrlie
by Alicia Gregory
(Jan. 15, 2014) — A memorial celebration is planned in honor of Marybeth McAlister, longtime communications manager at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER), who died of complications of influenza and pneumonia Jan. 8, 2014. She was 53.
The memorial will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Spindletop Administration Building on the UK CAER campus, 2624 Research Park Drive, off Ironworks Pike. A fund has been established for a memorial bench in McAlister's name at The Arboretum. Contributions to the Marybeth McAlister Donation Fund may be made at any Central Bank branch or mailed to Central Bank and Trust Co., P.O. Box 1360, Lexington, KY 40588-1360.
In December 2012, McAlister had a cord blood stem cell transplant
by Kathy Johnson
(Dec. 17, 2013) ― The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees today accepted nearly $6.5 million in gifts and pledges to UK.
The pledges include:
$535,000 from the Davis and Beverly Marksbury Foundation of Nicholasville, Ky., to fund capital projects within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics; and $2 million from Terry Woodward of Owensboro, Ky., to support the Gatton College of Business and Economics Capital Campaign and will be used for the Gatton building expansion now underway.Gifts include:
More than $1.7 million from the estate of Judith M. Janssen, formerly of Evanston, Ill., to add to the existing Guy M. Davenport Endowed Professorship in English; $735,000 from the estate of Maywin S. Lauderdale, formerly of Lexington, to create and endow the Robert. A. and Maywin S. Lauderdale Graduate
by Keith Hautala
(Dec. 17, 2013) — An essay by Lisa Zunshine, a University of Kentucky professor of English, appears in the Dec. 13 edition of The Chronicle Review, published by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
The essay, titled "Why Fiction Does it Better," argues that works of fiction — which operate on varying levels of sociocognitive complexity — help to drive the development of both a rich vocabulary and "theory of mind," and are essential reading for preparing young minds for college.
A scholar of 18th-century British literature, Zunshine is Bush-Holbrook Professor of English at UK, where she teaches courses in Restoration and 18th century British literature and culture. She is the author or editor of 11 books, including, most recently, "Getting Inside Your Head: What Cognitive Science Can Tell Us about Popular Culture,"
by Jenny Wells
(Dec. 16, 2013) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research has honored 18 students with the Oswald Research and Creativity Program awards. Representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Research, along with director Diane Snow, presented the winners with certificates at a reception on campus Dec. 5.
Established in 1964 by then-UK President John Oswald, the Oswald Research and Creativity Program encourages research and creative activities by undergraduate students at UK. The objectives of the program are to stimulate creative work by undergraduate students and to recognize individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement.
Categories include Biological
by Andrea Richard, Whitney Hale
(Nov. 18, 2013) — The University of Kentucky Special Collections Library will show the second film in its movie series “Reel to Real” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, in Worsham Theater. The film series explores celebrated movies through a historically accurate perspective based on primary source materials found in Special Collections. The screening is free and open to the public.
"In Country," featuring Bruce Willis, is about a Vietnam War veteran living in rural Kentucky, and his
video courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing
article by Jenny Wells
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2013) — In addition to research presentations, the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will offer numerous volunteer opportunities for the entire campus community when the University of Kentucky hosts the conference April 3-5, 2014. From helping direct traffic, to managing technology, to just helping students find where they need to go, there will be a variety of positions available to students, faculty and staff.
Students will have even more flexibility to get involved, as the University Senate has given permission for faculty to redirect their classes April 3 and 4 so students can attend conference events and presentations.
"
By Guy Spriggs
When UK English doctoral student Travis Martin returned from military service in 2006, he found himself dealing with avoidance issues and concerns about assimilating into life after deployment. Martin says he didn’t know how to answer questions others had about the war. “I didn’t like being reminded of it all the time. I started avoiding situations and people altogether,” he said.
Then, in his last undergraduate semester at Eastern Kentucky University, Martin read a book by an Iraq war veteran when taking a course on memoirs. Martin was nervous about the assignment at first, but this exposure to another veteran’s story became a formative experience for him as both a scholar and a returning soldier.
“I found that the more I
by Whitney Hale
(Nov. 6, 2013) — The University of Kentucky Special Collections will celebrate the career of Appalachia scholar and historian Ron D. Eller. The donation ceremony of the Ron Eller Papers will include a talk by historian Chad Montrie on Nov. 8.
The public is invited to a formal donation of Eller's papers at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at the Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center, located in 104 Margaret I. King Building. The program will include Montrie's talk, "
by Whitney Hale & Mack McCormic
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 30, 2013) — University Press of Kentucky (UPK) author and University of Kentucky part-time history instructor James C. Nicholson has been named the recipient of a 2012 Kentucky History Award given by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) for his book "The Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America’s Premier Sporting Event." This is the second award the book has garnered.
The Kentucky History
By Victoria Dekle
90 miles to the north of Lexington on the banks of the Ohio River is the “The Queen City.” The nickname itself could probably be the topic of a panel discussion when the 37th annual meeting of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) rolls into town in early November. There will be presentations, roundtables and workshops about anything and everything relating to critical studies of gender, from the ways gender is taught, experienced, and promoted in society including higher education.
Most notably, GWS chair Karen Tice will be headlined in an innovative feature of this year’s conference, the Authors Meet Critics roundtable. It is an event in which authors of recently published books hear and respond to comments from experts in
by Victoria Dekle
(Sept. 27, 2013) — It was an excellent summer for the Department of English as six faculty members published books in highly-regarded presses. “The English Department had an exceptional summer, but hardly an unprecedented one,” said Professor and Chairman of the English Department, Jeff Clymer. “Faculty from all areas of our department – Creative Writing, Literary Studies and Linguistics – routinely publish in the most prominent and visible presses.”
And these scholars use their knowledge and research skills to the benefit of their students. “We push our research directly into our courses,” said Clymer. “As professors at a large university, it’s the fusion of our teaching and research that we find especially exciting.”
by Sarah Geegan & Grace Liddle
The College of Arts and Sciences is offering 13 courses that begin in the middle of the fall 2013 semester. For students who may have recently dropped a class or hope to pick up some extra credit hours, these courses provide flexibility after the regular registration period.
Course topics range from the science of what we eat, archaeology and history of ancient Mexico, an introductory course on the city of Lexington, and a study on the culture and economics of local and global food systems.
The "Global Food & Local Agriculture" course explores questions associated with why people eat what they do and what that implies about society. To answer these questions, the class
by Whitney Hale
The Kentucky Women Writers Conference will feature best-selling novelist and National Book Award finalist Bonnie Jo Campbell at its keynote event, scheduled for 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, in Worsham Theatre, located in the University of Kentucky Student Center. Campbell will present a free public address titled "What I Learned from My Mother," followed by a Q-and-A and a book-signing. The writer will also lead two other sessions during the daytime on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and 21, for conference registrants only.
Bonnie Jo Campbell is the author of the best-selling novel