The University of Kentucky is the major graduate and research institution of the Commonwealth, and the major land-grant university in the state. As such, it offers substantial programs in both basic and applied research. These research efforts are the life blood of graduate education programs which prepare new researchers who will continue to expand the boundaries of human knowledge and to seek answers to pressing problems of our complex society. Applied research programs in areas such as agricultural sciences, mining and minerals, engineering sciences, medicine, arts and sciences, business and economics, mathematical sciences and physics, and tobacco and health serve the Commonwealth and the nation by addressing critical issues influencing the quality of life and economic well-being of our citizenry.
University faculty and research staff have expertise in many areas especially in the basic biological, physical, medical and social sciences, in engineering, and in the creative arts and the humanities. These individuals conduct research which ranges from the investigation of philosophical and ethical dilemmas raised by advances in science and technology to the practical application of basic knowledge in agriculture, energy, rehabilitation, and information retrieval as well as in the economic development of the Appalachian region.
A significant aspect of research conducted at the University is the concern for its practical application for the betterment of society. Many of the techniques developed and ideas conceived in the laboratory and in advanced study evolve into technological developments of major significance.
Most research programs at the University are supported through federal, state and private sources. Application for such support and the fiscal administration of the monies received are overseen by the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration (OSPA). Programmatic organization and administration of research is provided by the various research institutes and multi-disciplinary centers and, in the case of individual faculty projects, by the regular departmental, school, and college structures.
When appropriate resources are available at the time desired, the appropriate Chancellor or the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, upon the recommendation of the Dean of The Graduate School and the department affected, welcomes visiting scholars as guests of the University, and grants the privilege of auditing seminars and research courses and of conducting research in laboratories and libraries. Normally there will be no charge except for laboratory expenses. Negotiations for such arrangements should be made in advance through the Office of the Dean of The Graduate School.
Postdoctoral fellowships are available in many research programs. Information concerning the terms of the fellowships is available in the department. Postdoctoral fellows are required to register with The Graduate School through their departments.
Most departments have support for teaching and research assistants. The stipends vary with the departments. Information concerning assistantships may be obtained from the various departments.
The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) was formed in the spring of 1969 to provide a permanent channel for communication between the administration and the graduate and professional students.
As the major research library in the Commonwealth, the University of Kentucky Libraries provide comprehensive access to information essential to teaching, research, and service at the University of Kentucky, through human resources and maximum use of technology. The libraries extend information services to the Commonwealth and make unique holdings available to the world. The libraries' collection contains more than 2.6 million volumes and currently receives over 26,000 periodical and serial titles, including government document serials. The social sciences, humanities, and life sciences collections are housed in the William T. Young Library, a new 361,000 square-foot facility that opened in 1998. Specialized collections are housed separately in other campus libraries and information centers serving the disciplines of agriculture, architecture, art, business and economics, chemistry and physics, communications, education, engineering, geology, law, mathematical sciences, medical sciences, and music.
The University of Kentucky has been a depository for U.S. federal government publications since 1907. The King Library maintains these resources (except those related to agriculture and law), as well as official publications of Great Britain, Canada, the United Nations, the European Union, Kentucky, and other states. The library system has a collection of over 230,000 maps. General interest maps are located in the King Library Map Collection; geological maps are in the Geological Sciences Library.
The library system houses and services over 5.7 million units of microform, including over one million technical reports from U.S. and foreign governments. UK Libraries receive 200 major U.S. and foreign newspapers, and a comprehensive collection of Kentucky newspapers.
Special Collections and Archives (SCA) holds extensive collections of rare books, manuscripts, and audio-visual materials. SCA units include Audio-Visual Archives, University Archives and Record Program, Modern Political Archives, Manuscripts, the Oral History Program, Bert T. Combs Appalachian Collection, Family and Local History, and the King Library Press. Although the SCA's specialization is Kentuckiana, other large collections include: the Appalachian Regional Commission Archives, the Cortot Collection of Musicology, a John Milton Collection, and the W. Hugh Peal Collection of American and English Romantic and Victorian Literature. The latter collection includes extensive holdings of letters, literary manuscripts, and first editions, and is one of the outstanding resources of its type in the United States.
The Agricultural Information Center (AIC), located in the Agricultural Sciences Building, focuses on user services and providing agricultural information to the desk top. The AIV is responsible for the collection development of the agricultural print collection which is housed in the William T. Young Library. Materials in electronic format are maintained by the Center staff and are available either in the AIC or via the Internet. The AIC actively supports faculty and graduate research by providing major abstracts and indexing services as well as major research journals on the wide area network to their desktops. Services provided include delivery of print resources from campus libraries as well as other libraries through interlibrary loan and services such as UK UnCover. Extensive subject specific workshops in electronic access and individual consultation on information needs are provided by the Center staff. The AIC also provides print copies of major research journals pertinent to agriculture and a print reference collection on site. Beginning in the Spring Semester 1999 the AIC will also offer application microcomputing with the addition of a University of Kentucky Student Computing Lab and quiet, contemplative space with the renovation of the reading room.
The library's on-line computer system provides catalog, data base searching, and circulation control. Users can also access bibliographic data bases such as ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) and Medline (National Library of Medicine). The on-line catalog and all Internet resources are made available in the 20 computer labs that are maintained for student use.
All campus libraries offer a variety of computerized bibliographic and full-text search services. The Information Services Department offers computer-assisted instruction to individuals, introductory orientation to the library for beginning students and in-depth presentations to classes of advanced students. Branch libraries also provide instructional services. Some library units and branches publish guides and brochures on the use of various library tools and services. Information about these and other services are available via the library's Web site at: <www.uky.edu/Libraries/>.
The library system has long been a member of the Center for Research Libraries in Chicago. The Center's collection is one of unique and rarely-held research materials such as archival materials in microform, microform sets, dissertations, newspapers, serials, and materials from Eastern Europe and Asia (east, south and southeast). This material is made available to member libraries through interlibrary cooperation. Faculty, graduate students and staff may borrow these materials through use of the Interlibrary Loan Departments on campus. More information about the Center can be found on the World-Wide Web at <wwwcrl.uchicago.edu>; and Internet users can access the Center's catalog by telneting to crlcatalog.uchicago.edu (when the log prompt appears, enter 'guest').
UK Libraries hold membership in the Association of Research Libraries, an organization of the top American and Canadian research libraries. It is also a member of the On-line Computer Library Center (OCLC), a computer-based system of shared cataloging that allows member libraries to make interlibrary loan requests on-line.
The University of Kentucky Computing Center offers University-wide computing services in support of all UK faculty, students, and staff. At present, the facilities include a 64 CPU HP/Convex Exemplar X-Class Scalable Supercomputer (SP 2200), an HP 9000/K460 Technical Server, and an IBM 9672 mainframe. These systems provide large-scale, numerically-intensive computing support for research computing. In addition, there are several communications options available for electronic mail and access to Internet resources. The University provides extensive computing resources for students in the student computing labs. There are currently over 1200 computers available in the labs ranging from Windows 95 and Macintosh systems, to UNIX workstations. Many of the student labs have specialized software for particular disciplines, e.g., CAD software in the College of Architecture, engineering-specific UNIX-based software in the College of Engineering, and instructional technology curriculum development tools in the College of Education. A wide array of general and special purpose software is available for both the large central system and the student computing facilities. Consultants are on duty in all of the student labs and at the Information Systems Help Desk in McVey Hall. Most facilities and services are available at no charge to University students, faculty and staff.
UK's leadership role in supercomputing extends further than its campus through a partnership between the university and the National Computational Science Alliance. Established in 1997 through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Alliance is a unique coalition of computational scientists, and education professionals at more than 50 universities and research institutions across the country working to prototype the computational and information infrastructure of the next century.
UK has a threefold leadership role with the Alliance. First, UK serves as a supernode on the National Technology Grid. As such, the University provides scientists across the nation with supercomputing cycles on the HP Exemplar.
Secondly, UK serves as a technology-transfer point between the Alliance and the 19 states which are part of EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research). EPSCoR is a federal/state program designed to help rural states develop top research programs.
Finally, UK is a part of the Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (PACI). This initiative seeks to establish two regional supercomputer centers. UK will be the gateway to the southeast, serving as a liaison with the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) to coordinate its mega-networking plans. Based in Washington, SURA has 41 members in 14 southern states.
The Graduate Center for Biomedical Engineering provides multidisciplinary programs of education, research, and service in the application of engineering principles to the areas of medicine and biology. The Center brings together engineers, life scientists, and physicians to conduct original research in a variety of medical-related problems. Areas of research include cardiopulmonary mechanics and controls, neuromuscular function, musculoskeletal mechanics, rehabilitation engineering, computational neuroscience, motor control, orthopedic biomaterials, orthopedic biomechanics and electromagnetic tissue stimulation. Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Biomedical Engineering are offered. The Center is located in the Wenner-Gren Research Laboratory that provides the framework for multidisciplinary research. Faculty and staff of the Center collaborate with investigators from other units of the University including the Departments of Physiology, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Cardiology, Medicine, Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, and Kinesiology and Health Promotion, as well as the Departments of Agricultural, Chemical, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, the College of Pharmacy, and the Center for Robotics and Manufacturing Systems. Center faculty and staff provide opportunities and support for graduate students, medical residents, and selected undergraduates. Graduates of the program enter careers in research institutes, academia, hospitals and industry.
The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce offers an interdisciplinary master's degree which can be tailored to meet the career needs of individual students. The program is especially useful for students desiring careers in any of the non-academic fields in foreign affairs such as international banking, commerce and journalism, or service with governmental agencies or international organizations in foreign affairs. To assure the interdisciplinary character of the degree, students may concentrate their work in a specific geographical area or focus on certain aspects of international affairs.
In addition, the Patterson School serves in an advisory capacity to Ph.D. programs in departments offering internationally-oriented doctoral degrees in various colleges on campus.
The Ph.D. program in Gerontology provides opportunity for advanced multidisciplinary study of aging and the aged with particular emphasis on issues of health and well-being. This doctoral program is the recipient of a multi-year NIH training grant (1998-2003) The program is a Tier I Target of Opportunity Program coordinated through the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, a Commonwealth Center of Excellence. The Center is a nationally designated Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, a Center of Excellence in Stroke, and the site of a Geriatric Education Center. The graduate faculty includes representation from Anatomy and Neurobiology, Anthropology, Behavioral Science, Civil Engineering, Dentistry, Family Studies, Geography, Internal Medicine, Management, Neurology, Nursing, Nutrition and Food Science, Philosophy, Physiology, Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology. Areas of particular expertise and emphasis include rural aging, long-term care, cognitive and sensory change, public policy, ethical issues, and the etiology and treatment of Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and other diseases prevalent among the elderly. Center facilities include 34 biomedical research laboratories, a library, conference rooms, and research and office space. Affiliated facilities for training and research include the University of Kentucky Hospital, Christian Health Center (a University-affiliated nursing home), The Breckinridge (an Alzheimer's assisted living facility), the Center for Rural Health, the Helping Hand Alzheimer's Day Care Program, University of Kentucky Geriatric Support Services, Cardinal Hill Hospital, Northeast Area Health Education Center, and the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center.
The Ph.D. program in Nutritional Sciences provides opportunity for advanced multidisciplinary study in Nutritional Sciences. Educational opportunities exist in agricultural, biological, clinical, community, medical, social, biochemical and molecular nutritional sciences. The graduate faculty consists of more than 30 faculty members representing various academic units of the University including Agronomy, Animal Sciences, Anthropology, Behavioral Science, Biochemistry, Clinical Sciences, Horticulture, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Nutrition and Food Science, Oral Health Science, Psychiatry, Surgery, and Toxicology. Faculty have modern research laboratory facilities for conducting cell culture, human and animal studies using state of the art equipment. These include trace mineral, vitamin, lipid, amino acid, enzyme, hormone, cytokine, stable and radioactive isotope, microcirculatory, and energy assessment analyses. Clinical facilities for training and research include the University of Kentucky Hospital, the Veteran's Administration Hospital, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky Medical Center Outpatient Clinics, and the Markey Cancer Center. Opportunities for community-based research exist locally, throughout the state, and in international settings.
The Martin School offers three multidisciplinary degree programs—the Master of Public Administration, the Master of Health Administration and the Ph.D. in Public Administration—and engages in research and public service activities. The disciplines represented by the School's faculty are management, finance, economics, industrial engineering, political science, and health administration. The research and public service components of the Martin School offer the School's faculty, staff, and graduate students the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary research on public policy issues.
The Graduate Center for Toxicology (GCT) educates scientists at the M.S., Ph.D. and postdoctoral levels to deal with toxic substances and their effects on humans and the environment. The GCT has a core faculty based in the Health Sciences Research Building and an interdisciplinary faculty of about fifty jointly-appointed faculty members, all of whom are active in teaching and research in toxicology, drawn from the major departments and colleges on campus. The GCT has over 100 graduates among whom are numerous faculty members and government and corporate toxicologists.
Student support comes from Graduate School fellowships, minority fellowships, special fellowships, research assistantships, and NIEHS pre- and postdoctoral fellowships for Research Training in Environmental Toxicology. The GCT is committed to cultural diversity.
Areas of research strength include environmental toxicology, immunotoxicology, molecular mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis, molecular biology, toxicology, and neurotoxicology. Students in the GCT are organized through the Toxicology Student Forum, which is represented on all GCT committees and functions as the students' voice and representative during their time at the University of Kentucky.
For further information on the Graduate Center for Toxicology, contact the Director at (606) 257-3760 or fax 606-323-1059.
The Appalachian Center coordinates and supports research, instruction, extended service, and archival activities relating to the Appalachian region, and administers interdisciplinary research programs such as the Library's Appalachian Collection. The Center offers graduate assistantships and provides assistance and a focal point for graduate students from a range of disciplines who are interested in the study of Appalachia.
Students interested in graduate study with an emphasis in the Appalachian region may contact the director of the Center.
The Sanders-Brown Center on Aging is a multidisciplinary center for gerontological teaching, research, and service, dedicated to improving the quality of life for older adults. The Center is responsible for coordinating and integrating research, education and service programs in aging throughout the University of Kentucky. It administers interdisciplinary research programs, coordinates the offering of gerontology courses, and assists in the training of graduate students. Over 150 faculty and staff from many areas and disciplines of the University are involved in programs of the Center. (See the Ph.D. program in Gerontology.)
Students interested in graduate study with an emphasis in gerontology may work toward the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology awarded by the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. The certificate requires 15 graduate credit hours in an approved, multidisciplinary curriculum in gerontology and completion of graduate degree requirements in a major academic discipline. For further information on the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology contact the Certificate Director, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.
The Center for Business and Economic Research provides a focal point for research in the Carol Martin Gatton College of Business and Economics. It provides information and staff support for research projects, assists faculty in efforts to secure external funding for research, and coordinates multidisciplinary team approaches to research. The Center also monitors and analyzes the economy of Kentucky and provides quarterly economic forecasts for the state.
The Markey Cancer Center is a multidisciplinary center for research, patient care, education and community outreach.
Research activities are broadly represented through four program areas: tumor immunology, molecular genetics, membrane studies and developmental therapeutics. The Center supports core research facilities for flow cytometry, macromolecular structure, electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, hybridoma production, and transgenic mouse construction. These activities, together with a wide range of individual investigator initiated projects, are supported by a combination of funding sources, including research grants from the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and other extramural funding agencies. The Center also has available additional resources in all areas relevant to cancer problems.
The Center for Computational Sciences is a center for research and education with primary emphasis on developing and using computer models to analyze chemical, physical, and biological systems. Faculty from Mathematics, Computer Science, Statistics, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and other departments use a multidisciplinary approach to study such systems, utilizing the full range of computational resources—micro, mini, mainframe, and supercomputers. This includes algorithm development and evaluation for vector and parallel, as well as for scalar machines. Courses in applied mathematics, numerical analysis, and computer modeling are available for students interested in this approach to analyzing and understanding these systems.
The Gluck Equine Research Center is part of the Department of Veterinary Science. Research in the Center is supported, in part, by an endowment established by the University of Kentucky Equine Research Foundation. The Center provides state-of-the-art facilities and equipment for the study of a wide variety of diseases of the horse. Research in the areas of infectious diseases, reproductive physiology, parasitology, pharmacology, immunogenetics, growth and development, pathology, blood typing, and toxicology and experimental therapeutics are conducted within the 69,505 square foot building located in front of Commonwealth Stadium.
The Gluck Center offers postgraduate and postdoctoral training in a variety of disciplines. The Center is well-positioned in one of the most concentrated horse breeding areas in the world. Both basic biomedical and problem-oriented research are included in the Center's program.
The Center of Membrane Sciences affords a unique approach to promote multidisciplinary research and education in both natural biological membranes and artificial synthetic membranes. UK faculty from the Departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Physiology and Biophysics, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Animal Sciences, and Psychology are active in the programs of the Center. This collaboration between experts in biological membranes with experts in synthetic membranes constitutes the major strength of the Center and it puts the University and the Commonwealth at the forefront of this vital area of science and technology. No other such Center of Membrane Sciences exists in the United States. The sciences of membranes encompasses broad areas: a) the structure and chemistry of biological membranes and their constituents, transport processes, and information transfer (transmembrane signaling) in living systems; b) the synthesis, structure, and chemistry of synthetic membranes; separation of solutes ranging in size from smaller molecules and ions to large proteins by reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration with biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications; separation of gaseous mixtures by synthetic membranes; c) separation of organic and biomolecules by synthetic membranes containing chemical and biofunctional groups; d) membrane-based catalysis, analysis, and separation combine molecular biology with chemistry and chemical engineering to produce new fundamental and applied studies of biofunctional membranes. Opportunities are available for graduate students in each of the above-listed disciplines as well as in agriculture, allied health, medicine, dentistry, and other areas.
The Center for Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (CPST) offers an institutional framework for multidisciplinary research in the pharmaceutical sciences principally through collaboration with the industry. By providing a focus for efforts already underway at the University, the Center assists established and emerging pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnology firms engaged in the development, production and marketing of drug products for human and animal health care. The Center's mission is to enrich academic programs, promote technology transfer, conduct specialized educational and training programs relating to pharmaceutical technologies and enhance economic development in the Commonwealth.
The Center for Robotics and Manufacturing Systems is dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing through education, research, and technology transfer. The Center supports active programs in the areas of manufacturing processes, engineered materials and processes, automation systems, and integrated manufacturing systems.
State-of-the-art laboratories are utilized by faculty, staff and students to develop processes for new materials, modeling and simulation, and automation and systems integration. Major areas of research include aspects of metal cutting such as control of machining chatter, methods and theory of chip formation and control, finite element modeling of the machining process, and metrology. The monitoring and control of machine systems also is an important area. Current research also encompasses activities on methodologies for modeling, sensing, and control. Intelligent systems, communication networks particularly adapted to manufacturing systems, and improved distributed computer architectures are being studied. In addition, non-traditional processes such as painting technology, stereolithography, electrodischarge compaction of powdered metal, and injection molding are addressed.
Technology transfer activities help manufacturing companies keep pace with the increasing globalization of the world. Specialized areas of assistance offered by the CRMS engineering and technical staff include computer-aided technologies, electronic assembly, product/process optimization, and rapid prototyping. Technology advancements are disseminated to manufacturers by presentations, seminars, workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions, as well as through one-on-one industrial extension activities.
The Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute (IHDI) is a research, training, service and technical assistance program working at local, state, regional, national and international levels to improve services to persons with disabilities and their families. These activities are developed in cooperation with a broad range of both University of Kentucky units and public or private organizations and agencies. These cooperative relationships include education, social services, medicine, allied health, rehabilitation and other related disciplines. Its activities include life span involvements with programs ranging from prevention of disabilities to aging and gerontology. It is a member of the American Association of University Affiliated Programs (AAUAP).
The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) is a research unit of Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Kentucky. Its mission includes basic and applied research related to Kentucky's geology and mineral resources, water resources, and geologic hazards. Research results are publicly available in published reports and maps, as well as on the Internet at <www.uky.edu/KGS/home.htm>. KGS staff provide technical support to Federal, State, regional, and local government agencies and serve on 90 committees, boards, and professional societies. The Survey is the official repository in Kentucky for oil and gas well records, drill cutting and core samples, and ground-water data.
KGS maintains a state-of-the-art relational database. Geoscience data are available for use by researchers, students, and the public. The Survey's laboratory facilities are used to analyze the chemical and physical characteristics of water, rock, coal, oil, natural gas, and other natural resources. Although laboratory services are provided primarily to KGS researchers, they are also available to other researchers who study the environment and natural resources of Kentucky.
Numerous researchers at KGS serve as adjunct faculty in the Department of Geological Sciences and the Department of Agricultural Engineering, teach courses, and serve on advisory boards of graduate students at UK. Many graduate students are employed in KGS research programs.
Areas of expertise at KGS include coal-mining geology, coal-resource assessment, coal quality and petrography, stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Eastern and Western Kentucky Coal Fields, application of geographic information systems (GIS) to coal-field geology; industrial and metallic minerals; digital geologic mapping, geophysics, and geologic hazards; hydrogeology of agricultural lands, hydrogeology of coal fields, hydrogeology of karst terranes, hydrogeology of urban and industrial areas; and basin hydrology, water supply, and waste management. KGS is a national leader in digital geologic mapping. The Survey is also an authorized ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.) ArcView GIS instruction center.
The Kentucky Transportation Center serves as the focal point in the state for interdisciplinary research in transportation. In addition to its Transportation Research Program, the Center operates a Technology Transfer Program and provides technical assistance and training to road and street departments throughout the Commonwealth. The Center works closely with various governmental agencies and conducts research supported by a variety of sources including private industry.
The Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute (KWRRI) stimulates and supports water resources research and education by identifying current and emerging water resources issues for Kentucky and the nation. Faculty at all the universities and colleges in Kentucky are encouraged to participate in the Institute's programs.
Programs of the Institute include the Environmental System Program, a certification program that offers a multi-disciplinary perspective of environmental issues; the Environmental Protection Scholarship Program, which supports both undergraduate and graduate students with full scholarships in exchange for employment with the state upon graduation; and the Federal Facilities Oversight Unit, which assists the state Division of Waste Management with environmental oversight of federal facilities located in Kentucky. The Water Resources Research Program supports faculty members, research staff and graduate students in a broad spectrum of research topics. The Institute's technology transfer program includes short courses, seminars and conferences, and the distribution of research results.
The Department of Statistics operates two consulting laboratories: the Statistics Consulting Laboratory for the main campus and the Biostatistics Consulting Unit for the Medical Center campus. These laboratories provide advice to faculty and graduate students on proper study designs for projects involving quantitative data as well as on appropriate strategies for analyzing the data emanating from such projects. Laboratory services cover the entire range of applied statistical methodology including biostatistics, epidemiology and survey sampling. Statistical programming support for projects is also available on a fee for services rendered basis. The staff occasionally offers short courses on specialized topics.
The Survey Research Center designs, coordinates, and conducts survey research activities for the University, non-profit organizations and public agencies and assists faculty and students with survey research projects. The Center's services range from research design, questionnaire development, and sampling through data analysis and report writing.
The Center conducts national, statewide, and local telephone and mail surveys, face-to-face interviews, and focus groups, using the latest technologies and methods such as CATI, CAPI, and CASI. It conducts the biannual Kentucky Survey, which probes the opinions and attitudes of Kentuckians about a variety of social, economic, and political issues, and the Kentucky Health Survey, which addresses a wide range of health issues. Data from these surveys and other Center projects are available for faculty and graduate student research.
This Institute conducts research in two distinct fields, namely the investigation of animal physiology related to the use of tobacco products, and the application of biotechnology to develop new crops based on the tobacco plant. In the animal sciences field, THRI grants support projects that investigate the action of tobacco smoke constituents on processes in the lung, the action of nicotine on the central nervous system, and many other mechanisms relating to the interaction of tobacco products with animal physiology. The Institute also provides an unique service to tobacco researchers worldwide through its production of research reference cigarettes, construction of equipment for smoke-exposure studies, and provision of analytical services. Biotechnology research aimed at the development of new crops based on tobacco is supported both through competitive grants and by an in-house program. There is a strong emphasis on collaborations with research groups in academia and industry. The in-house group undertakes research into the types of products best suited to production via crop agriculture, the development of advanced systems for production of novel substances in the tobacco plant, and the development of new tobacco plants making novel products such as antibiotics, insecticides, enzymes etc. This research is designed to facilitate the eventual development of entirely new crop opportunities for the Kentucky tobacco grower. The Institute welcomes proposals for research support in both the animal health and the tobacco biotechnology fields. Pilot proposals to initiate innovative research will be considered at any time. Proposals for regular 1- or 2-year THRI research grants must be submitted by February for support to begin July 1. Interested applicants should contact the Director’s office (606-257-5798) for more information.
The Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) is a consortium of 41 universities in 13 southeastern states and the District of Columbia established in 1980 to serve as an entity through which colleges, universities, and other organizations may cooperate with one another and with government and other organizations in acquiring, developing, and using laboratories, machines, and other research facilities and in furthering knowledge in the physical, biological, and other natural sciences and engineering. The University of Kentucky is a founding member of SURA.
SURA's current research efforts are focused in nuclear physics, information technology, and materials science. SURA manages the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) for the Department of Energy for research in nuclear science. The SURA/TJNAF Graduate Fellowship Program offers awards to graduate students at SURA institutions who plan to pursue TJNAF-related research.
Since 1946, students and faculty of the University of Kentucky have benefited from its membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of colleges and universities and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members.
Contact the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, University of Kentucky, (606) 257-1663 for more information about ORAU programs; or contact Ann H. Patton, ORAU Corporate Secretary, at (615) 576-3306.
