Department News

Brock wins first place poster award at AFS FILTCON

May 28, 2026

Mattie Brock, a chemical engineering doctoral student in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, won first place in the student research poster competition at the American Filtration and Separation Society (AFS) FILTON in Pittsburgh. AFS FILTON, held annually, is the leading conference for filtration and separations professionals and brings together experts from industry and academia to explore solutions and innovations that shape the future of the field.

Spring 2026 Dean's List includes 1,085 Pigman College of Engineering students

May 21, 2026

The Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering is proud to announce 1,085 engineering and computer science students included on the University of Kentucky Spring 2026 Dean's List. Students are eligible for the Dean’s List by meeting these requirements during the fall or spring semester:

Chemical engineering student named Excellent Undergraduate Research Ambassador

May 8, 2026

Every year, the University of Kentucky’s Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) selects a new cohort of Undergraduate Research Ambassadors — a group of outstanding students who serve as advocates for undergraduate research at UK. Junior Kaydee Straw was one of four students selected for the award this year.

Chemical engineering graduate student selected in 1st cohort of Tracy Farmer Scholars

Grace Whitworth

May 7, 2026

The cohort includes eight graduate students and four undergraduate students who will each receive a $6,000 fellowship to support their research, either during the summer or the 2026-27 academic year.

2026 Pigman College of Engineering Faculty Awards

May 4, 2026

On April 30, the Pigman College of Engineering gathered at the Manchester Fountain Hall to honor its 2026 Faculty Awards recipients for their outstanding contributions to the college and beyond. Awards were given in the areas of research, service and education. This year, in addition to individual research awards, the college added a new award category to honor the work of a research team. The winners in each area are listed below.

UK researchers bridge Kentucky’s energy past with world’s energy future

Christian Honce

Apr 29, 2026

Coal has long been the fuel at the heart of energy production in the Commonwealth. Kentuckians often grow up with stories of their grandfather’s days in the mines. But researchers at the University of Kentucky are finding ways to repurpose coal for energy storage — in the form of lithium-ion batteries.

UK Pigman College of Engineering Dean Rudolph G. Buchheit named provost at University of Cincinnati

Lindsey Piercy

Apr 13, 2026

Rudolph G. Buchheit, Ph.D., is resigning his position as Rebecca Burchett Liebert Dean of the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky to serve as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Cincinnati (UC), effective June 1. Buchheit will serve as UC’s chief academic officer — overseeing colleges and academic operations, while helping to advance strategic priorities in teaching, research and student success.

21 Pigman College of Engineering researchers among top 2% of world’s most-cited

Mar 3, 2026

The University of Kentucky is well-represented on a list of the most-cited researchers in the world. In a database compiled by Stanford University in a partnership with Elsevier, 125 current UK scientists and scholars appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 disciplines. Of those 125 scientists and scholars, 21 are UK Pigman College of Engineering faculty.

2 engineering undergraduates to present at Posters-at-the-Capitol

Feb 19, 2026

Two engineering undergraduate researchers, Jacob Childress, Katelyn Straw, will present their work at the 24th annual Posters-at-the-Capitol on March 5.

Doctoral candidate honored with Leadership Legacy Award from MLK Center

Feb 3, 2026

Odianosen Ewah, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, was the 2026 recipient of the Leadership Legacy Award from the University of Kentucky Martin Luther King Center.