Chemical and Materials Engineering

Ashland Lecture Series Piran R. Kidambi, University of Florida

Nov 19, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Dr. Piran R. Kidambi is an Associate Professor at the University of Florida. After receiving his PhD from the University of Cambridge, he pursued postdoctoral research at MIT through a Lindemann Trust Fellowship. Kidambi's research leverages the intersection between (i) nanomaterial synthesis, (ii) process engineering, and (iii) in situ meteorology, to enable bottom-up materials design for energy, separations, and healthcare applications. His research has been recognized via several awards and honors including ASME Rising Star (2024), 2024 Donald D.

Timothy N. Lambert, Sandia National Laboratories

Nov 11, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Dr. Timothy N. Lambert (Tim) is the Energy Storage Materials Thrust Lead in Sandia National Laboratories’ Grid Energy Storage Program and a Distinguished R&D staff scientist in the Department of Photovoltaics & Materials Technology at Sandia National Laboratories, where he engages in basic and applied research.

2026 Lighthouse Beacon Foundation Scholars announced

Nov 3, 2025

Thanks to the generous support of Stanley and Karen Pigman and Kentucky’s Research Challenge Trust Fund (RCTF), engineering researchers are receiving additional annual funding to enhance the research priorities and programs of the Pigman College of Engineering. Established in 2024, the Lighthouse Beacon Foundation Endowment supports faculty, research, graduate students, facilities and research infrastructure in the Pigman College of Engineering. This year, the endowment made $235,000 in funds available for distribution.

Chemical engineering students place first and second at 2025 UK Sustainability Showcase

Jesi Jones-Bowman

Oct 31, 2025

Katelyn Straw, junior, took first place in the undergraduate category and Odianosen Ewah, doctoral candidate, took second place in the graduate category.

UK Engineering - Paducah Campus recognizes its largest class

Sep 30, 2025

This fall semester, the University of Kentucky Pigman College of Engineering - Paducah Campus welcomed 54 new students — its largest class in program history. The Paducah Campus, which offers bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and computer engineering technology, was established 27 years ago to develop and retain engineering talent in the Western Kentucky region.

AI Usage – Professional Development Seminar

Oct 22, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Dr. Jill Abney is the associate director of the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching where she directs CELT’s Teaching Innovation Institute and serves as the associate director of the UK-JHF Holocaust Education Initiative. She also teaches courses for UK’s department of history such as history research methods and war and society. Dr. Abney’s pedagogical research interests include fostering belonging in the classroom and inclusive teaching. As a historian she has a background of research in gender, rhetoric, politics, and power.

Rationale Design of Functional Biomaterials to Address Public Health Challenges

Oct 15, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Abstract: Polymeric materials have found incredible use in the field of biomedical research. In the Simms Lab of Functional Biomaterials, we aim to design, synthesize, and characterize novel biomaterials with the goal of addressing some of the world’s most pressing public health challenges. Using our expertise in polymer synthesis, we are designing self-assembling polymeric structures for applications in drug delivery and wound healing.