UK Department of History launches ‘Celebrating 1776’ series ahead of America’s 250th anniversary

By Jenny Wells-Hosley 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 16, 2026) — As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the University of Kentucky Department of History is launching a public event series designed to deepen understanding of the American Revolution and its enduring legacy.

Physics & Astronomy Colloquium

Dr. Steve Turley, Brigham Young University

Title: Using Physics in Unusual Places

Abstract: I would sometimes tell students that if they didn’t know what major to choose, they should choose physics because it is the basis of everything else. While this is perhaps a bit overstated, it is valuable for faculty members to keep in mind that most of our students will have careers that look different than our academic pursuits. 

I will discuss physics applications I have found outside typical academic settings. As part of an exotic weapons development program, I participated in some of the early development of ultra-cold atoms, the optical Stern-Gerlach Effect and the development of a coherent Lyman-alpha source. While studying efficient ways to compute radar cross sections of stealthy targets, I not only used my background in electromagnetic theory but also some machinery from General Relativity and quantum mechanics. 

Work on measuring lifetimes of parts in ion thruster satellite engines used results from astrophysics. After a 25-year academic career, I have been assisting as a volunteer at FamilySearch, an international nonprofit collaborative genealogical platform. To my surprise and delight, I’ve found ways my physics background can be applied to problems in computerizing and indexing genealogical records, preserving privacy, optical character recognition and matching records to family trees.

Date:
-
Location:
CP 153

Statistics Seminar

Title: Robust trial augmentation using external data

Abstract: Randomized trials often have sample sizes that are too small to produce precise estimates of treatment effects. One approach for improving trial efficiency is to incorporate external data from previously completed trials or observational studies into the estimation process. When the external data are aligned with the trial data and statistical models for nuisance functions are correctly specified, using the external data can yield consistent estimates and enhance efficiency. 

Some degree of misalignment or misspecification, however, is usually expected and can threaten trial validity. We develop a class of estimators that exploit randomization to ensure consistency and asymptotic normality, even when the external data are misaligned with the trial. We also propose a procedure that uses members of this class to construct a combined estimator that is consistent and asymptotically normal and can leverage external data even when that data are misaligned with the trial, or when models for nuisance functions are mis-specified or have slow convergence rates. 

We show that the efficiency of the combined estimator is no lower than that of each of its component estimators (including the efficient trial-only estimator, if it is used as a component for the combined estimator). Our methods allow investigators to use external data to improve the trial's efficiency without concern for misalignment between the external data and the trial. We examine the finite-sample behavior of the proposed methods in simulation studies and apply them to analyze data from a trial comparing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery plus medical therapy versus medical therapy alone for patients with chronic coronary artery disease.

Date:
-
Location:
MDS 220
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