|
Archive
issue
|
NewsUK
101 teaches skills to survive college UK 101 teaches skills to survive college
Going to college can be a tough adjustment for a freshman, and coping with a large campus like UK can make that effort an even greater challenge. But thanks to UK 101, freshmen and incoming transfers are given an opportunity to ease into life at UK and learn many of the skills necessary to be a successful student. “The goal of UK 101 is to improve the first-year experience for students,” said Rebecca Jordan, associate dean of students. “We hope the by-product will be higher retention of those students.” UK 101 is a one-credit-hour class that meets for eight weeks, with each section being taught by a faculty member or professional staff member and an upper-class student. The program began in 1989 with four sections and has expanded to 51 section this semester. Also available are a handful of full-semester sections that are geared toward more specific student populations, such as undeclared students or those in business and economics. Staff who have offered their time to teaching sections include Philipp Kraemer, associate provost for undergraduate education; Connie Ray, vice president for institutional research, planning and effectiveness; and Mike Nietzel, provost. “This is the first time I have taught UK 101,” Nietzel said. “I did so because I wanted the opportunity to learn more about the experiences our first year students were having at UK and because I believe the course is a very good way to help students adjust to the demands of the university.” Instructors
participate in two days of training in May and receive continued support
from the Dean of Students Office. They are taught to cover topics that
include: Students also complete two library-use assignments, attend one campus cultural event and take the Strong Interest Inventory (for career assessment). Bonnie Little served as the peer instructor for Nietzel's section this semester. Although Little, a finance/public relations junior from Lexington, did not take the course as a freshman, she believes that the class is worthwhile for those making the adjustment to college life. “I would recommend this class to all students,” Little said. “The biggest benefit of this course is getting the one-on-one attention from faculty and the peer instructors.” With over 90 percent of students who complete the course recommending it to incoming students, UK 101 is making the impact for which it was designed. Institutional research also indicates that retention rates are higher for students enrolled in the class than those who are not. “It's been so much fun getting to know the people in class,” Little added. “I think the students have been able to make an easier transition into life here at UK.” Faculty who are interested in teaching a section should contact Jordan at 257-6597 or Kraemer at 257-3027. John N. Gardner, a leading expert on the first-year student experience, will visit campus on Nov. 20. He will discuss the first-year student experience and retention rates during two sessions: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the William T. Young Library auditorium and 3 - 4:30 p.m. in the Student Center Small Ballroom. These session are free and open to anyone interested. topWork-Life Task Force to hold two open forums for employees
• Noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, in HG611 UK Hospital (hospital auditorium). • Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, in the Center Theatre, Student Center. These forums will be used as a way to introduce the Work Life initiative to the campus and seek input regarding ways the university can assist employees to better balance work and life. All employees are encouraged to attend. The task force, which grew out of a recommendation to President Lee T. Todd Jr. from the President's Commission on Women, was charged with examining ways to enhance employee effectiveness through university policies, procedures and practices that assist employees in fulfilling their personal as well as job-related responsibilities. "Creating a workplace that allows employees to more effectively balance their work and off-the-job lives is an integral part of my vision for the University of Kentucky," Todd said. Todd has already announced the first result of this initiative, the approval for mothers and fathers to use accrued temporary disability leave for the adoption of a child and the expansion of leave to fathers for the birth of his child. The new policies will give employees with accrued TDL more paid time off to adjust to their new family. The task force is composed of a wide range of about 40 employees from across campus. Phyllis Nash, associate vice president for academic and student affairs, UK Chandler Medical Center, and Karen Combs, associate vice president for budget and administration, UK Chandler Medical Center, serve as co-chairs. In addition, Todd appointed Jennifer E. Swanberg, assistant professor, College of Social Work, as adviser to the task force. Swanberg, who has helped gear up this effort from the beginning, is the co-author of "The 1997 National Study of the Changing Workforce." The study was a research program of the Families and Work Institute, a non-profit New York-based center that provides data on the changing workplace, family and community. For more information, visit www.uky.edu/worklife or contact Maria Kemplin at 323-4871. top“Magic” to speak in LexingtonNational Basketball Association Hall of Fame inductee Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is coming to Lexington on Wednesday, Nov. 20, to advocate his business philosophy of investing in projects that have redeeming social value. The event, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Lexington, is called "Investing in Urban Entrepreneurship – An Evening with Magic Johnson." Johnson, through Johnson Development Corp., focuses on projects and investments such as supermarkets and movie theaters in underserved urban neighborhoods. The company's business model seeks to foster economic growth and financial empowerment in urban areas. President Lee T. Todd Jr., one of the event's hosts, said, "Creating a dynamic economy in today's world involves a number of important elements from education to technological innovation and access to capital. It also includes the creation of an open, diverse economy that provides opportunities to a broad cross-section of all citizens. Magic Johnson has proven that neglected urban neighborhoods are in fact renewed frontiers that are starving for business enterprises. We hope he will start the conversation for how we can mirror his economic development success for Lexington and other communities across the state." "Having an international name like Magic Johnson here in Lexington puts the spotlight on our efforts to promote diversity as an important tool in the larger effort to build an entrepreneurial economy in Lexington and Kentucky," said Kris Kimel, president of Kentucky Science & Technology Corp., another event sponsor. P.G. Peeples, president of the Lexington-Fayette County Urban League, said, "This event is being held to learn and discuss in greater detail the business strategy of the Johnson Development Corp., as well as to establish a dialogue with the company that could possibly lead to similar work in Lexington and Kentucky." The Kentucky Science & Technology Corp., the University of Kentucky and the Lexington-Fayette County Urban League are hosting the dinner. Sponsors hope the event will draw several hundred business and community leaders from throughout the state. Presenting sponsors for the event include Lexmark International and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky. For sponsorship information or ticket reservations, contact the Kentucky Science & Technology Corp. at 233-3502 ext. 221. topBriefsWUKY to carry live Met Opera broadcasts
WUKY (FM 91.3) will carry the full schedule of Saturday Chevron Texaco Metropolitan Opera broadcasts live from New York's Lincoln Center beginning Nov. 30. All broadcasts begin at 1:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Of special local interest will be the Dec. 28 presentation of William Bolcom's “A View From the Bridge” which features UK graduate Gregory Turay in a leading role.
Annual
report now online Medical
Center Task Force to offer recommendations Two open forums for the campus community were conducted recently to hear feedback from faculty and staff. The task force will meet Nov. 20 and is expected to submit final recommendations to President Todd the next day. A draft of the group's recommendations, as well as minutes of previous meetings, copies of presentations made to the task force, and other information, can be found at www.mc.uky.edu/medcentertaskforce/. Submit briefs by e-mail to uknewseditor@email.uky.edu. Top extension administrator says stakeholders will help shape futureTo plan and implement effective agricultural programs for the future, land grant universities and their Cooperative Extension systems must listen to the stakeholders they serve. Colien Hefferan, administrator for the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, said in a recent speech to UK College of Agriculture faculty and staff that Extension programs should stay focused on clients.
“All of us who are a part of this system need to commit ourselves to really engaging the communities with whom we work, really assessing where science can take us and really asking ourselves what are the questions we need to ask that will engage all of our family of universities in finding solutions to problems in the communities we serve,” Hefferan said. As administrator of CSREES, which is county and state Cooperative Extension's federal partner and funding agency in Washington, D.C., Hefferan oversees a $1 billion budget and manages an agency that represents 105 land-grant universities. She spoke at UK's Seay Auditorium as part of the Stokes Lecture Series. Hefferan stressed the importance of Extension collaborating with other agencies to solve problems. “We need to be multidisciplinary, multifunctional, multi-institutional and multistate in our approaches,” she said. “Here in Kentucky there are a number of extraordinary examples of linking together the Extension system with the public health system, and a linkage between the community development system and the research system that is looking for new uses and new products for agriculture.” Science needs to underpin the decisions made in agriculture, environment and human health, according to Hefferan. She said one must look at lessons from past science use in order to make future science choices. She also challenged agricultural educators to do a better job of anticipating future needs. “We have a positive responsibility to help people envision what the future will be and move our education programs and our science programs toward the vision of that future,” she said. “We need to have a balance of programs that let us address immediate concerns as well as push out into the future. We're the people who have the expertise to anticipate the future.” Hefferan was accompanied on her Central Kentucky visit by Dawn Riley, USDA director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs for Research, Education and Economics. During their visit they toured one of the state's local Cooperative Extension Service offices, and also UK's new beef research unit. Haven Miller 10 questions to ask your pharmacistThe drop in temperature means cold and flu season is here and more people will be taking medicine. The College of Pharmacy recommends knowing the answers to the following 10 questions before taking any new medication. 1. What is the name of the medication and what is it supposed to do? 2. When and how do I take it? 3. How long should I take it? 4. Does this medication contain anything that can cause an allergic reaction? 5. Should I avoid alcohol, any other medicines, foods, and/or activities? 6. Should I expect any side effects? 7. What if I forget to take my medication? 8. Is it safe to become pregnant or to breast-feed while taking this medication? 9. Is there a generic version of the medication that my doctor has prescribed? 10. How should I store my medications? Taking the correct dose of medication on schedule also is important. If you experience side effects, contact your physician or pharmacist. Do not quit taking medicines, unless your physician has instructed you to stop. Make sure your doctor and pharmacist know all your medications to prevent dangerous drug interactions. Finally, don't be a victim to advertising. A new drug isn't necessarily the best drug. Save money on your prescriptions by asking your pharmacist and physician if a generic equivalent is available. Talk to your physician and pharmacist about what is best for you. Journalism graduates to discuss role of newspapers in U.S.Several of UK’s most successful alumni, all practicing journalists, will return to campus Nov. 21 for the first in a series of forums to focus on major issues in the American media. The forum will be held at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the William T. Young Library. The alumni, graduates of UK's School of Journalism and Telecommunications, will participate in a new Alumni Speakers' Symposia series aimed at familiarizing students, the UK community and the public with contemporary issues facing journalism, advertising, public relations and telecommunications. During their one or two-day visits, the alumni will also meet with the school's students and faculty, as well as speak in various classes. “We believe this kind of program can demonstrate to both our students and alumni that this school - and what goes on here - has been, and remains, an important part of their respective lives,” said Richard Wilson, an alumnus and the journalism school's interim director. The new program will allow the symposia to rotate among the school's three sequences - journalism, integrated strategic communications (ISC) and telecommunications. Wilson said current plans call for annual symposia representing each sequence. Each symposium will deal with a current topic related to the sequence sponsoring it. Participants in the first symposium will be E. J. Mitchell, managing editor of The Detroit News; David Hawpe, editorial director of The Courier-Journal; John Voskuhl, assistant managing editor, Lexington Herald-Leader; Warren Wheat, editor of The Elizabethtown News; and Kakie Urch, editor of the Kentucky Enquirer. The other panelists will be Chip Cosby, a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader and John “Chip” Hutcheson III, publisher of the Princeton (Ky.) Times Leader. The school's ISC and telecommunications sequences will hold symposia in January and March. Wilson, a long-time Courier-Journal reporter and bureau chief, said the new program provides several pluses for the journalism and telecommunications school. “It will show our current students just how successful many of our alumni have become in the field of mass communications,” he said. By returning to the campus, Wilson added, “Our alums will recognize the quality of the students now studying at their alma mater. And if a little networking for future employment begins, that's even better.” Wilson said that through the symposia, the campus will have an opportunity “to hear what practitioners think about some of the most pertinent issues in the worlds of journalism, advertising, public relations and telecommunications.” Topic for the November symposium is “The American Newspaper: Is Its Changing Role Affecting Its Usefulness in a Democracy?” Topics, specific dates and participants have yet to be chosen for this year's other two symposia. The new program is being funded by contributions from the school's alumni and friends. Employees help children celebrate the holidays with Circle of Love
The annual Circle of Love provides presents such as clothing, toys and bicycles to kids nominated by teachers and counselors from Central Kentucky schools. UK employees and departments participate in the program by buying gifts from a wish list made by the children. Names of children, along with their wish lists, will be available for selection at various dates and locations. Medical
Center Campus All Circle of Love sponsors receive a free holiday ornament. For more information about donations at the Medical Center, call the volunteer office at 323-6023. For more information about campus donations, call Karen Doyle, Student Center I.D. office, at 257-1378.
KET to air encore presentation of “Basketball in Kentucky - Great Balls of Fire”TV Guide called it “Hoops Heaven,” and the Lexington Herald-Leader said it is “… brimming with colorful memories.” In December, KET presents an encore airing of television's most comprehensive statewide look at the game of basketball. “Basketball in Kentucky - Great Balls of Fire” airs Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 4 and 5, at 8 p.m. EST on KET and KET2. The four-part documentary series moves through more than a century of the people, places and moments that have defined - and redefined - the game, exploring what basketball has meant to the state both as a sport and as a vital part of our cultural fabric. Along the way, the series features more than 130 interviews with players, coaches, sports writers and fans, as well as archival pictures and film footage, some of which had never before been released for public viewing. 100 Years of UK Basketball NASCAR replica model available in December
The NAPA 500 NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway Oct. 27 did not end the way University of Kentucky basketball fans would have preferred - with the Wildcat-adorned No. 10 Johnny Benson Pontiac clawing its way under the checkered flag for the win. In fact, the Valvoline-sponsored racecar started 23rd in the Winston Cup Series race and ended 25th. But NASCAR and Wildcat fans can preserve the memory of this rare partnership between NASCAR racing and Wildcat basketball by buying a replica of the 100 Years of Kentucky Basketball car. At a news conference before the race at which the special UK paint scheme was introduced, UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart praised Valvoline as a “great corporate citizen of Kentucky and an innovative marketer.” Barnhart called the race day partnership “a merger of two championship programs in one of America's hottest sports.” The 1/24th scale replica racecar produced - with the 100 years celebration insignia on the hood and familiar clawing Wildcat just over the rear wheel openings - was produced by the racing memorabilia company Racing Champions and will be available in December from Valvoline. The car sells for $19.99. On the Internet, go to store.valvoline.com. NAPA automobile parts stores also will offer for sale on special purchases a 1/64th scale model version of the UK anniversary car when they are available. Physician studies drug that may preserve insulin production in diabetes patientsA UK physician is evaluating an experimental drug that may preserve the ability to produce insulin for patients recently diagnosed with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). LADA is a disease like type I diabetes in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, decreasing the body's ability to produce insulin. The disease often presents as type II diabetes; up to 3.2 million American adults who think they are suffering from type II diabetes actually may have LADA. Dennis G. Karounos, associate professor, Division of Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine, UK College of Medicine and director of the Diabetes Program at UK, is a co-investigator in the multicenter Phase II clinical trial. UK is one of five centers - including Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.; University of Colorado in Denver; University of Alabama in Birmingham; and University of Washington in Seattle - to begin the study sponsored by the biopharmaceutical company Peptor. “We're hoping to prevent people from becoming dependent upon insulin therapy,” Karounos said. “Diabetes affects a person's quality of life, typically with shorter life spans. At this time, there is no cure for diabetes. But it is our hope, with new drugs, we can better control the disease.” Karounos will screen approximately 300 patients to recruit approximately 20 participants to receive the experimental drug DiaPep277™, a peptide-based drug, which has been shown in a previous study to stop the progression of type I diabetes. The study will be double blind, where neither the participant nor the physician will know whether the experimental drug is being administered. In a previous study, DiaPep277™ prevented further destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, which has the potential to reduce the need for injected insulin in newly diagnosed type I diabetes patients compared to control patients, Karounos said. Most LADA patients are diagnosed after age 40 with type II diabetes, a form of diabetes where the body produces insulin but is unable to use it. While type II diabetes patients many times can control their disease with medication, exercise, diet modification, weight control and ongoing blood sugar monitoring, most LADA patients require insulin injections. People with recently diagnosed type II diabetes will be tested for LADA with a blood test looking for antibodies to proteins known as glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and islet cell antibodies (ICA). Research shows the experimental drug triggers regulatory T cells, which secrete natural anti-inflammatory molecules cytokine hormones, which can turn off the misdirected immune cells and stop their attack on and destruction of healthy insulin-producing beta cells. For more information about the study, call (859) 257-4058. Upcoming Wellness Program offerings through DecemberIn addition to its fitness options, the UK Wellness Program will offer four upcoming events to help employees maintain a healthy lifestyle. Work-Life Seminars • “Parenting Your Parent: Resources for Caregivers” will be held from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, in 101 Sanders Brown Center on Aging. • “Choosing and Evaluating Childcare” will be held from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12., in 231 Student Center. These seminars are part of the Work-Life program, designed to address personal issues that affect employees’ work performance. The seminars are free, but registration is required by calling 257-WELL. Weight Management Classes • “Healthy Food Shopping and Label Reading” will be held from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in 231 Student Center. • “Eating Out and Eating Well” will be held from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in MN363 UK Medical Center. All classes are free and open to UK employees, retirees and spouses. Registration is required by calling 257-WELL. Nutrition Counseling UK employees, retirees and their spouses are eligible for free, unlimited visits with a registered dietician for nutrition counseling. The dietician will answer questions and provide a profile questionnaire. Nutrition counseling sessions take place at the Body Shop Fitness Center in Alumni Gym on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. and noon. Sessions are offered at the Seaton Center on a flexible schedule. A dietician also is available to visit campus offices. To register, call 257-5159 or e-mail kybryl2@uky.edu. Fitness Schedule Body Shop Fitness Center spring operation begins Jan. 2, 2003, and ends May 10, 2003. Body Shop physical movement and mind/body classes begin Jan. 6, 2003, and end May 9, 2003. Wellness Program fitness options will expand next semester due to the recent addition of the Seaton Center conditioning room to the program's offerings. The Bernard J. Johnson Student Recreational Facility is anticipated to open during the spring 2003 semester. Campus Recreation will continue to operate the Seaton Center conditioning room through December. Beginning Jan. 3, 2003, Wellness Program Body Shop Fitness will manage the conditioning room as the Body Shop, a supervised, university employee, spouse and retiree membership fitness facility. The Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion will continue to use the conditioning room for educational purposes. Beginning Jan. 2, 2003, all continuing users of the Seaton conditioning room must be a UK Wellness Program Body Shop member by completing the following: • Health and Fitness Consultation (HFC), Body Shop's health risk assessment procedure consisting of resting heart rate and resting blood pressure measurement, a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) that measures for health risks, and a signed physician clearance form. Current Body Shop members do not need to repeat the HFC process. • Completion of Body Shop registration form and payment of a $20 semester fee to UK Wellness Program, 116A Seaton Building, Lexington, KY 40506-0219. During the week of November 18-22, 2002, the $5 HFC fee will be waived for those UK employees, spouses and retirees interested in joining the Wellness Program. A shortened version of the HFC consultation will be offered from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, through Friday, Nov. 22. They also will be given from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18; Wednesday, Nov. 20; and Friday, Nov. 22. Future information regarding the management transition of the conditioning room will be posted via memos and UK News articles. For information regarding the UK Wellness Program Body Shop Fitness, call 257-3772 or visit www.uky.edu/HR/wellness. For information regarding the Bernard J. Johnson Student Recreational Facility, call 257-2898. Doherty addresses CongressDennis Doherty, chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UK College of Medicine, delivered a Congressional briefing on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on Oct. 9 in Washington, D.C. Doherty, co-chairman of the National Lung Health Education Program and member of the United States COPD Coalition board, presented the clinician, academician and researcher perspectives on COPD in hopes that Congress will declare November as National COPD Awareness Month in perpetuity. President George W. Bush declared November as COPD Awareness Month last year. “COPD, better known as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is often not diagnosed early enough to prevent significant damage to the lung,” Doherty said. “This is largely due to a lack of awareness of the early signs of the disease: cough, mucus production, shortness of breath on mild exertion and wheeze. Many associate these signs as part of smoking but do not realize that they are warning signs of imminent lung damage.” Anyone who is a current or former smoker with these symptoms should see their doctor and have their lungs tested with a simple test called spirometry in order to see if they do have COPD and can be helped. COPD, the fourth leading cause of death in the nation, is the only disease of the top 10 killers in the United States to increase in incidence over the past two decades. It has increased more than 175 percent. Doherty also is co-chairing, with the head of the lung division of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health, a conference in November 2003 in Washington, D.C., to bring together health care workers, media, patient groups, insurance and others in an effort to raise public and professional awareness of the disease. Study investigates use of implant as treatment for diabetic macular edemaDiabetes is often termed a silent killer. One silent, possible complication of the disease is blindness. The results of a multi-center study, led by the UK Department of Ophthalmology, offer hope in combating this devastating aspect of diabetes. Andrew Pearson, chairperson, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, is investigating the safety and effectiveness of an ophthalmic implant for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), a condition that occurs when damaged blood vessels leak and cause blurring of central vision. The implant is a tiny drug reservoir implanted into the back of the eye. It uses technology developed by Pearson and his colleagues at Envision TD to enable the delivery of sustained and consistent levels of drug directly to the affected area of the eye for up to three years. In this controlled and masked clinical trial, 80 patients were randomized to receive standard of care or drug implant. After six months of treatment, patients were evaluated for changes in DME. Patients receiving the implant showed a statistically significant improvement in DME and a greater improvement in the severity of their diabetic retinopathy compared to those receiving standard of care. Further, 80 percent of patients receiving the implant had improved or stable visual acuity, compared to 50 percent of those treated with standard of care. The patients will be followed for an additional 3.5 years to continue to monitor the safety of the implant over time. Pearson, the lead investigator of the study, presented the findings at the 2002 Retina Congress this past September. The promising results of earlier, related studies have warranted a fast track designation for the implant from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The data from this trial, together with the results of a second, ongoing study, will serve as the basis for a new drug application to be filed with the FDA as early as next year. This news is most welcome to patients suffering from DME. Sandra Sparkman of Pikeville, Ky., has experienced a vast improvement in her vision as a result of the treatment. “My vision is so much better now, and I am so grateful for the study,” she said. Sparkman is one of the millions worldwide afflicted with DME. Current treatments are limited and can generally only slow disease progression. There is a great need for more effective treatment options; the results of this study may bring us one step closer to fulfilling that need and eradicating blinding complications of diabetes. Patients create holiday cards to benefit UK Children’s Hospital
Four UK Children's Hospital patients have created artwork for the 2002 limited edition holiday cards being sold to benefit UK Children's Hospital. Kaylee Maze, 6, daughter of Sandra and Marty Maze of Fleming County; Madison Hines, 5, daughter of Jennifer Palmer and Mitchell Hines of Lexington; Derek McClellan, 9, son of Teresa and Dana McClellan of Barbourville; and MacKenzie Burus, 8, daughter of Royce Burus and Paul Holland of Lexington, created the artwork selected for this year's cards. Drawings include a tree made from presents, a snowman and snow people. Cards will be available throughout the holiday season at all Kroger stores in Lexington, Nicholasville, Georgetown, Winchester, Richmond and other Central Kentucky locations. Last year's cards featuring artwork by Kaylee Maze; Whitley Goins, 10, daughter of Toni Goins and Larry Goins of Lexington; and Marisa Sterlene Miller, 12, daughter of Roxanne Miller of Jackson County, will be sold at Wal-Marts throughout Kentucky. Artwork on the 2001 cards includes a snowman, a Santa Claus and reindeer and a gingerbread man. The cards also will be available for purchase through the UK Children's Hospital Fund Development office by calling 257-1121. The cards are sold in packages of 14 for $5.99. Proceeds fund pediatric research, and new equipment and program enhancement for the UK Children's Hospital. New salon series focuses on women in research at UKKathi Kern, a University of Kentucky associate professor of history, was the first lecturer Oct. 17 in a new salon lecture series sponsored by the President's Commission on Women (PCW). The lecture was hosted at Maxwell Place by President Lee T. Todd Jr. and Mrs. Patsy Todd. Carolyn Bratt, a UK law professor and chairperson of the PCW, said the purpose of the new salon series, titled “Conversations With and About Women,” is to spotlight women in research at UK. Kern's remarks, titled “Women's Rights and the Righting of History,” were based on material she used to write her new book, “Mrs. Stanton's Bible” that was published by Cornell University Press in March 2001. “Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the most prominent woman in women's rights activities of the 19th century, yet the question remains: Why do we know so little about her?” Kern said. Something that is said often of Stanton, Kern added, is that, “If women could have held public office, she would have been the first woman U.S. senator.” Mrs. Stanton died in 1902. One reviewer of Kern's book about Stanton said, “After reading this book, it will be impossible for any historian to sidestep religious radicalism as the pivotal element in Stanton's gendered vision of the church, state and family.” Bratt said the President's Commission on Women is planning more lectures for the spring of 2003. “Women's research has been undervalued in the past at UK,” Bratt commented, “but this administration has shown a real commitment to looking at remedying that problem.” Contact Kathi Kern at kern@uky.edu and visit the President's Commission on Women's Web site at www.uky.edu/PCW. Special to UK News Gill Heart Institute hosts research dayCardiovascular disease, which includes high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and stroke, is the most common cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths related to heart complications continues to rise. Physicians and researchers at the UK Linda and Jack Gill Heart Institute are working to find ways to prevent and repair cardiovascular disease damage. In support of regional research in cardiovascular disease and physiology, the Gill Heart Institute hosted the fifth annual Cardiovascular Research Day on Nov. 1 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Lexington. Activities included poster presentations, seminars and lectures on cardiovascular disease and treatment. Prizes of $750 and $250 were given for the best poster presentations in the Staff, Fellow and Student categories. Special events included a lecture by the recipient of the 2002 Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cardiovas-cular Research, Eric J. Topol, provost and chief academic officer, Cleveland Clinic Heart Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, The Ohio State University School of Medicine. Topol, a specialist in intervention treatment and research, is one of the premier cardiologists in the nation. The day concluded with an awards presentation, reception and dinner. Such support of cardiovascular research is vitally important in Kentucky and surrounding states. People living in the nine states in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys have a higher risk of dying from coronary artery disease than people in the rest of the United States. “The Institute is dedicated to the mission of providing excellent cardiovascular care, educating cardiovascular professionals and advancing knowledge of cardiovascular disease for the purpose of identification, treatment and prevention,” said Alan Daugherty, professor of internal medicine and physiology and associate chair of medicine, UK College of Medicine. Active areas of cardiovascular research at the Chandler Medical Center include atherosclerosis (narrowing and hardening of the arteries), clinical trials of treatments for heart failure and studies of devices for treating heart arrhythmias. For more information on the mission of the Gill Heart Institute visit www.mc.uky.edu/ghi or call 323-3996. |
