by Ceci Amador

When December arrives, it brings new—and stronger—waves of Christmas-themed everything. Yet, there are some that have a harder time getting in that wonderful Christmas spirit: I am talking about myself. Don´t get me wrong, I love Christmas, but having grown up in another country (Guatemala), my Christmas preparations and traditions have been pretty different since I came to the University of Kentucky. I have realized I don´t get into the Christmas spirit until I finally make it back home. This isn´t a bad thing, I knew what I was getting into when I applied for college in the US, and it’s not like holiday activities are lacking here. On the contrary, there are several, they´re just different from what I am used to.

In a college town, by the time December rolls in, everyone wants to be done with school, go home, have a nice winter break, and enjoy

By Guy Spriggs

Experimental work on quasicrystal tilings by UK physics and astronomy professor Lance De Long’s group was recently featured on the cover of “Physical Review Letters.”

De Long says the artificial ferromagnetic quasicrystals at the center of his work were celebrated because such intricate patterns had never been fabricated before.

“It’s all about topology,” he explained. “The fact it’s nickel-iron doesn’t matter in any details. We can do what we want with [the design] within reason. The basic properties of it are determined just by its pattern.”

The artificial quasicrystals De Long’s group produced are composed of a network of sub-micron-scale thin-film segments, taking the shape

by Mallory Powell

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 5, 2013) – David Gross watched his mother care for her mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease.  He also saw the toll the disease took, not just on his grandmother, but on his mother who served as her caregiver. This inspired him to initiate a project in Morehead to support an assessment of Alzheimer Disease caregivers in rural Kentucky.

The project, which received a Seed Grant from the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), is just one example of how the CCTS is achieving its commitment to community-engaged research through a community mini-grant program for health outreach programs in Appalachia.  

The Seed Grant program, now in its second year, supports projects that contribute to the reduction of health disparities in rural and Appalachian communities by

Maureen Meyers, who received her PhD. in anthropology from UK in 2011, was awarded the 2013 C. B. Moore Award by the Southeastern Archaeological Conference (SEAC). Meyers accepted the prestigious award at the organization’s annual meeting held in early November in Tampa, Florida. The C. B. Moore Award, given annually by SEAC in recognition of “Excellence in Southeastern Archaeology or associated studies by a distinguished younger “scholar”, was established by the members of the Lower Mississippi Survey in 1990. Scholars who are conducting archaeological research in the Southeast U.S. and completed their PhD. with the past ten years are eligible for the award. Nominees are selected by a committee consisting of all past C.B. Moore Award

by Ann Blackford

(Dec. 4, 2013) — A state Senate candidate forum will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, in the Cats Den at the University of Kentucky Student Center.

A special election to replace Kathy Stein in the 13th state Senate District, which includes UK and downtown Lexington, will be held Tuesday, Dec. 10.

"If you enjoyed Constitution Day at UK, you'll love this forum," said Buck Ryan, director of the Citizen Kentucky Project of UK's Scripps Howard First Amendment Center in the College of Communication and Information and whose Honors Program class, "Citizen Kentucky: Journalism and Democracy," is organizing the event. "Come for two minutes or two hours, and be sure to pick up the voters guide."

The students held a mock

by Allison Perry

(Dec. 2, 2013) — A new study led by University of Kentucky researchers suggests that a diet low in vitamin D causes damage to the brain.

In addition to being essential for maintaining bone health, newer evidence shows that vitamin D serves important roles in other organs and tissue, including the brain. Published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, the UK study showed that middle-aged rats that were fed a diet low in vitamin D for several months developed free radical damage to the brain, and many different brain proteins were damaged as identified by redox proteomics. These rats also showed a significant decrease in cognitive performance on tests of learning and memory.  

"Given that vitamin D deficiency is especially widespread among the elderly

by Allison Elliott-Shannon

(Nov. 26, 2013) — From humans to sparrows, individuals within a species display distinct "personalities" when it comes to their behaviors. Taking an innovative approach to understanding how various factors impact behavioral patterns, David Westneat is working with a local population of house sparrows to understand how variables including local ecology, stress and hormones come together to affect the parenting behaviors of birds and other creatures.

Westneat, professor in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biology, has been awarded a four-year grant from the National Science Foundation for $670,000. As a behavioral ecologist with expertise on reproductive and social behavior, Westneat will use the grant to study variation in parenting

by Nathan Owen

(Dec. 2, 2013) —  Youth volunteer programs in the "War on Poverty" will be examined at a panel discussion sponsored by the University of Kentucky Appalachian Center.

The panel will reflect critically on 50 years of the War on Poverty and the youth volunteer programs in Appalachia funded through those policies. The discussion will take place at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, at the Center Theater in the UK Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The panelists will provide short opening presentations, to be followed by an open discussion. Historians and representatives of federal volunteer programs will discuss a half-century of investments in social change in Appalachia through

by Keith Hautala 

(Nov. 25, 2013) — Ashley Candelaria Alumbaugh, a fifth-year predoctoral intern in the University of Kentucky school psychology program and a longtime research assistant at the UK Human Development Institute, received some special recognition at a national conference last week. 

Alumbaugh received the prestigious 2013 Anne Rudigier Award from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities at the group's annual conference in Washington, D.C., held Nov. 17-20. The award recognizes an outstanding student who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families. 

Alumbaugh graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor's degree in

by Whitney Hale

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 22, 2013) — In celebration of the University of Kentucky's upcoming sesquicentennial in 2015, the 70th of 150 weekly installments explores the history of observatories on campus.

By December of 1905, the college had purchased a telescope for $1,000 but there were no accommodations for its mounting. It was recommended to the Board of Trustees that to build a suitable observatory building and to cover the cost for proper care of the telescope would cost around $2,000. A request was made to the Board of Trustees that an appropriation in that amount be named. This first campus observatory was located on the northeast corner of what is now McVey Hall.

By 1928 the university campus had grown. The Board of Trustees

From A&S staff reports

University of Kentucky and College of Arts & Sciences alumnus John W. Egerton, one of the nation’s most successful independent journalists and nonfiction authors, died November 21 at his home in Nashville. He was 78.

Egerton penned more than 300 articles and columns in numerous publications, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, and was well known for his series of books that chronicled Southern life.

>>Tom Eblen's tribute to John Egerton in the Herald-Leader

Born in Atlanta, Ga., in 1935, and raised in Cadiz

“Death is not meant to be feared, it is meant to be celebrated.”

This is what Rosalinda Rodriguez was taught as a little girl growing up in Mexico. This has been a prevailing philosophy in Mexico for many centuries now, and it is still the main reason for the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos.

Rosalinda Rodriguez was born and raised in the city of Jalapa in Veracruz, Mexico. After graduating high school, Rosalinda moved to Mexico City in order to continue her studies in Hotel and Restaurant Management and International Relations. After completing her studies there, she decided to move to the United States, believing that this country would offer her more opportunities in her desired field of work. Now, Rosalinda has been living in Lexington for twelve years; she is married and has two children. Although Rosalinda does not go back to Mexico as often as she would

by Jenny Wells, Whitney Hale

(Nov. 22, 2013) – A new University of Kentucky Core class sets out to prove that in fact you can use advanced mathematical applications to solve real world problems.

The goals of "Intro to Contemporary Mathematics," or MA 111, is to expose students to a variety of mathematical topics not typically seen in a traditional algebra-based math class, to encourage students to persist in solving problems and to develop an appreciation for the beauty of mathematical solutions, and to recognize the value of mathematics in solving a variety of

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 21, 2013) — As the nation stops to remember President John F. Kennedy on the 50th anniversary of his death Friday, Dean of University of Kentucky Libraries Terry Birdwhistell recalls his interview with former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis on her husband's relationship with popular Kentucky Senator John Sherman Cooper.

The oral history interview, taken by Birdwhistell on May 13, 1981, at Onassis' home on Fifth Avenue across from Central Park in New York City, was a bit of a dream come true for the oral historian.

"My colleagues thought I was crazy to even write to Ms. Onassis and ask for an interview about her

by Keith Hautala & Andrea Richard

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 21, 2013) — Farah Sheikh, a first-year psychology major at the University of Kentucky, skated her way to win the senior ladies title at the annual U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate Championships earlier this fall in Green Bay, Wis.

Sheikh (pronounced "shake"), who has been skating since she was 3 years old, said winning the senior ladies title was “the icing on the cake.” A two-time Michigan state champion, and a senior ladies sectional competitor, Sheikh said her win in Wisconsin comes with a title that means something.

“You can say you’re a great skater, but unless you have a title, people don’t really understand,” Sheikh said.

Following in her two older sisters' footsteps, Sheikh found she had a knack for skating at an early age. When she was 8 years old, Sheikh was already

by Grace Liddle & Whitney Hale

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2013) – Given the growing Korean population and surging interest in Korean culture in Lexington, several University of Kentucky campus groups have come together to organize a festival where students and community members can experience Korean music and culture through a combination of vibrant performances and hands-on educational activities.

Join UK for this special Korean Music and Culture Festival beginning 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, in the Student Center Grand Ballroom (3rd floor). Performances will begin at 4:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Performances will feature some of Lexington’s up-and-coming Korean musicians, such as Tae Eun Moon (voice) and Yuri Kim (piano), who

by Keith Hautala

(Nov. 20, 2013) — Sarah Lyon, University of Kentucky associate professor of anthropology, has been selected as the editor-designate of Human Organization, the flagship journal of the Society for Applied Anthropology. Lyon was congratulated by her colleagues at a reception on Monday. 

Lyon will assume the appointment at the start of 2015 for a term of three years. Previous incumbents have included several renowned scholars including Conrad Arensberg, Elliot D. Chapple and William Foote Whyte. Human Organization was based at UK on one previous occasion (1967-1970) when it was edited by anthropology Professor Marion Pearsall.

>>View the photo album

Lyon joined the faculty at UK in 2005, after

by Keith Hautala

(Nov. 20, 2013) — Darrell Taulbee, a longtime scientist with the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER), was named incoming president to the Institute for Briquetting and Agglomeration (IBA) at its 33rd biennial conference, held earlier this month in San Francisco. 

Taulbee has been involved in the organization for the past decade, and has served as its vice president and a member of the board of directors.

Taulbee also was chosen to receive the

by Katy Bennett, Michael Danahy

(Nov. 18, 2013) — The University of Kentucky has been named a 2014 Military Friendly School by Victory Media, the publisher of G.I. Jobs magazine. This is the fifth consecutive year that UK has earned this recognition.

“It’s great to be recognized in this way for our efforts once again,” said Anthony Dotson, coordinator of the UK Veterans Resource Center. “The University of Kentucky continues to be a proud supporter of our veterans, military students and their family members, and we are honored to be able to create a friendly and inclusive environment for our military veterans.”

The 2014 Military Friendly Schools list recognizes the Top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the United States that are striving the farthest to

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