Weekly News and Events | February 3, 2025

Each February, Black History Month honors the achievements, contributions, and enduring struggles of Black individuals throughout history.

The theme for Black History Month 2025, “African Americans and Labor,” highlights the profound impact of work on the Black experience. This theme encompasses a broad range of historical and contemporary contexts, from the agricultural labor of enslaved Africans to the leadership roles of today’s Black professionals, including corporate executives and entrepreneurs.

University of Kentucky Celebrates Black History Month

This February, the University of Kentucky’s Martin Luther King Center, in collaboration with campus partners, will celebrate Black History Month with a series of events and programs open to both the UK community and the public.

Jasmine Prince, Associate Director of the MLK Center, shared that this year’s theme is “Black Hands, Bold Futures: The Power of Labor, Innovation, and Advocacy.”

Signature Events for Black History Month:

• BHM Soul Food Kick-off
• Monday, Feb. 3 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Gatton Student Center, Grand Ballrooms AB

• Coffee House Jazz & Poetry Night
• Thursday, Feb. 13
• 4 - 5 p.m. | Live Jazz History
• 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Jazz & Poetry with the Ron Jones Quartet The Cornerstone

• King Cinema: Queen of Katwe
• Tuesday, Feb. 18 | 5:30 p.m.
• Worsham Cinema

• A Night at the Apollo: Student Talent Showcase
• Thursday, Feb. 27 | 6 p.m.
• Harris Ballroom, Gatton Student Center

• the UK Department of Biology will feature posters in the Jacobs Science Building, highlighting both historical and contemporary figures in STEM.

Department News

It’s Award Season – No, Not the Grammys or the Oscars!

This is our chance to shine a spotlight on excellence within our community. Take this opportunity to nominate the many outstanding individuals in our Biology Department for various awards.

Nominations Now Open for the 2025 Arts and Sciences Faculty Awards

The 2025 Arts and Sciences Faculty Awards recognize faculty excellence in mentoring, teaching, community engagement, and service. Consider nominating your colleagues for one or more of these prestigious awards.

Submission Deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025.

For criteria and submission details, please visit the Arts and Sciences Faculty Advancement site under Faculty Awards. Nominations should be sent to Teresa Smith.

Nominations Open for 2025 A&S Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards

The Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards celebrate exceptional undergraduate instruction by TAs in the College of Arts & Sciences. Fifteen awards will be given, with five winners selected from each area: Math/Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Each recipient will receive a certificate and a monetary prize.

Nomination Process:

• Each A&S department can nominate up to three TAs.
• Required materials for each nominee:
• Two 1-page letters of recommendation (one from a faculty member, one from the DGS, Chair, or TA Coordinator)
• A Graduate School classroom observation form from a recent semester
• A 2-page CV
• A 1-page teaching philosophy statement
• A list of courses taught, number of students, and student evaluation scores for “Quality of Instruction” and “Quality of Course” (or equivalent)

Submission: Please send nominations no later than February 24, to Jacquie Burke. Do not submit directly to the college.

Nominations for the 2025 A&S Outstanding Staff Awards

The A&S Staff Council and the Dean’s Office encourage you to nominate a member of staff who you feel is deserving of this award. These awards recognize individuals who have:

• Demonstrated exemplary dedication and commitment to their department/unit and to the College
• Gone above and beyond their expected job standards, by ways of flexibility, respect, learning, competence, and communication
• Provided influence and advancements, furthering areas of teaching, research, and service
• Consistently modeled our mission of “through excellence, enable the faculty and students’ best work”

Deadline: Friday, February 11.

Submit Nominations here

Nominate a Student for the Outstanding Student Employee of the Year Award

Do you have an exceptional student employee in your lab? Consider nominating them for the Student Employee of the Year Award. This award recognizes undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding commitment and initiative in their work.

Nominations are open through February 16.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be a current work-study or hourly student employee at UK.
• Must have completed or expect to complete at least six months of part-time employment by April 2025.
• Must be enrolled in a UK undergraduate degree program and maintain at least half-time enrollment for both Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters.

Submit Nominations: Here

Let’s celebrate the incredible contributions of our colleagues and students by nominating them for these well-deserved awards!

Seminars

Campus and Lexington Area Events

Graduate Corner

GradTeach Live! – Register Now

Graduate teaching assistants are encouraged to register for GradTeach Live!, a competition similar to the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT). This event celebrates the important role of TAs in UK’s instructional mission.

In GradTeach Live!, participants will have 3 minutes and 2 slides to:

• Share their teaching philosophy and pedagogical approach
• Provide a concrete example of how their philosophy is applied in the classroom (in-person, virtual, or hybrid)
• 
  

To participate, please complete the interest form by February 8.

Fellowship and Funding Opportunities: 

Graduate School Fellowship Competition for Spring 2025

The Graduate School’s fellowship competition is now open for funding opportunities for the Fall 2025 and/or Spring 2026 semesters.

Application Timeline:

• Presidential Graduate Fellowship
• Applications Open: January 6, 2025
• Application Deadline: February 16, 2025
• Matthews/Singletary/Wethington Fellowships (For First-Year Students Only)
• Applications Open: January 6, 2025
• Application Deadline: March 30, 2025
• Cralle Foundation/Joan Cralle Day Fellowship (For First-Year Students Only)
• Applications Open: January 6, 2025
• Application Deadline: March 30, 2025

Application Links:

• Full fellowship descriptions: Fellowship Descriptions
• Application portal: Apply Here

External Funding: Explore and apply for current external funding Opportunities here..

Kuehne Fellowship: The main purpose of the Biology Department's Kuehne Fund is to provide support for the field work of a graduate student in biology.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for awards up to $1,000.

Please contact Dr. Jessica Santollo, Biology DGS, if you have any questions.

Important Dates for Graduate Students spring 2025:

February 20

• Last day doctoral candidates for a May 2025 degree can submit a Notification of Intent to schedule a final examination in the Graduate School

BGSA News

This spring the BGSA will meet 3;30-4:30pm in THM 108

• February 28
• March 28
• April 25

Resources for Students

Professional Development

Center for the Enhancement of Leaning and Teaching (CELT) Events

Inviting Students to Reflect on their Learning: Exam Wrappers and Other Strategies

• Monday, February 3 12-1pm via Zoom
• Register Here

Generative AI 101: A Refresher and Catch-Up Session

• Thursday, February 6 12:30-1:15pm
• Register Here

View schedule of upcoming CELT Events here.

Research Events: Lunch and Learn Series

All Lunch and Learn workshops are held via Zoom on Wednesdays from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

A Three Decade Legacy of Lessons and Impacts: Transdisciplinary Research on Health and the Environment

• Date: February 12, 2025
• Presenters: Erin Haynes (College of Public Health) and Kelly Pennell (Pigman College of Engineering)

View the complete Lunch and Learn spring 2025 schedule here.

College of A&S Concur Open Lab Schedule:

• Friday, February 7, POT 245, 10 AM - 11 AM
• Friday, February 14, JSB 361 M, 10 AM - 11 AM
• Friday, February 21, POT 245, 10 AM - 11 AM 

Scientific Meetings



Upcoming conferences and symposiums: 

Cold Spring Harbor - Single Cell & Spatial Transcriptomics Analysis

Dates: June 26 - July 14, 2025

• Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
• Arrival: June 26th by 6pm EST
• Departure: July 14th around 12pm EST

Course Details:

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) course is an intensive, full-day program that often includes evening and weekend sessions. Students are expected to attend all sessions and reside on campus for the duration of the course.

Application Link: CSHL Course Application

Beyond Biology: Community Awareness 

Big Blue Pantry The Food Pantry is an emergency relief program that is designed to meet the short-term food security needs of all current UK students. Email: bigbluepantry@uky.edu

LGBTQ+ Resources

LGBTQ* Resources is the University of Kentucky's central hub for accessing information, groups, and services related to diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Housed in the Office for Student Success, they are a campus-wide office that works to make sure that our community is a welcoming, safe, and supportive place for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Email: LGBTQ@uky.edu

The CaTS team is providing free Professional Headshots for all Arts and Sciences faculty and Staff. Walk-in sessions on the first Wednesday of each month from 11 AM - 1 PM in POT 918 (student work room). You can also book a 15-minute appointment on select Thursday's with Sophie Morgan for as-needed headshots.



Feedback and Weekly Newsletter Submissions 

The weekly newsletter, along with future updates, will be posted on the Biology website under the Departmental Newsletter and Weekly News tab. Any edits or updates will be reflected on this page.

If you notice anything that needs editing or if you have information to share in the next newsletter, please email Jacqueline Burke at jacqueline.burke@uky.edu.