Global Kentucky An International Center newsletter that celebrates the University of Kentucky’s international leadership.
Stories you Don’t want to misS Supporting International Student Success in the Era of Travel Bans - Pg. 13 UK Student Receives Award Abroad for Outstanding Community Engagement - Pg. 8 Shoulder to Shoulder Global Celebrates its 10th Anniversary in Ecuador - Pg. 5 Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
IN THIS ISSUE... TOP EVENTS Nicholas Kristof Inspires UK Students to Change the World UK Celebrated Global Confucius Institute Status
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Shoulder to Shoulder Global Celebrated its 10th Anniversary in Ecuador
Research in Progress 7 8
UK Researchers Discover Archaic Greek Sites in Southern Italy UK Entomologists to Study Insect in Antarctica
Student Highlights 9 10
UK Student Receives Award Abroad for Outstanding Community Engagement Internship Program Abroad Inspires UK Alum to Teach in Saudi Arabia
Faculty spotlight UK Biologist Continues Research in Kenya on Regeneration & Immunity in Rodents
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UKIC UPDATES 12 12 13 14
The Department of Psychology’s First Time on a STSG Brigade UKIC Welcomes Tim Barnes: New Executive Director for Intl. Parnterships & Research UK’s Office of China Initiatives Hits its Stride Supporting International Student Success in the Era of Travel Bans
Save the date DECEmbeR
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January Grad Gathering 2017 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Rupp Arena Thoroughbred Rooms 5-7
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UK Education Abroad Fair 3-6 p.m., William T. Young Library The Hub
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International Student Orientation 9 a.m., Bradley Hall
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Global Health Case Competition 8 a.m., Gatton College of Business & Economics
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
Welcome A Letter from the Associate Provost for Internationalization Dear friends, I came back from a business trip in January and caught the last Delta flight that evening from Detroit into Lexington. I sat next to a Toyota employee who had grown up in Kentucky. He was on his way home from Japan where he had been trained to work with the latest robotic technology being installed in Toyota’s Georgetown plant. As I waited for my suitcase at the baggage carousel, I looked around. Almost every person waiting for their luggage was connected to the University of Kentucky. Most of them were travel-weary students who had been home to China and other parts of Asia for winter break, and had journeyed halfway around the world, back to Lexington, to dive into the Spring semester. It takes a lot of courage to leave one’s family, one’s home, and familiar language, to pursue an education in another country. The last year has been a challenging one for international students in the US. The travel bans, and publicly expressed anti-immigrant positions, have meant that students and their families are wondering if they are truly welcome, and if they will be treated respectfully. The UK International Center, and especially our office of International Student and Scholar Services, has worked diligently to make certain that everyone at UK understands the importance, not just of welcoming our international students, but also of recognizing that they face some new worries and concerns, and of supporting them in big and small ways. At the same time, UK students who embark on education abroad adventures face concerns about their safety and about
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whether they will be welcomed in their destinations. Again, the UK International Center has been there, supporting students with realistic risk management advice, and working diligently to ensure UK students from all colleges are well-prepared to leave their comfort zones and learn through encountering difference. UKIC’s Education Abroad and Exchanges office has proactively built a portfolio of meaningful opportunities to explore other parts of the world in ways that connect with and deepen students’ on–campus learning. Beyond the international movement of students to and from UK, the UKIC has also been busy supporting research and collaboration. This work in China has been greatly enhanced by the Confucius Institute and the Office of China Initiatives who have leveraged existing
connections and their specialist cultural knowledge for the advancement of UK faculty and students. So, this has been a challenging year, but also one in which we have had the opportunity to explain clearly the importance of engaging globally. We have found that students, their families, faculty, staff, and university leaders, all “get” our message. They know that a major research university cannot thrive when it closes its doors to talent, and that globalization’s uneven trajectory demands we help our students prepare to understand how to interact with people and ideas coming from very different parts of the world. With best wishes,
Sue Roberts
Associate Provost for Internationalization
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TOP EVENTS Nicholas Kristof inspires uk students to change the world By Sydney Sparks
“Anything we do is just a drop in the bucket, but all of those drops eventually fill the bucket,” said award winning New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof to University of Kentucky students during his October talk at the Kincaid Auditorium in the Gatton College of Business & Economics. Kristof ’s talk, A Path Appears: How Students Can Change the World, addressed major global problems such as lack of education for girls, sex trafficking, teen pregnancy, drug addiction and poverty as well as problems in the U.S. such as the opioid crisis.
Kristof speaks to students, faculty, staff and community about bringing change to the world.
Ultimately, Kristof ’s message to students was to use their own voice to create change and to help address the challenges people face.
“Some of the best ways to bring about change in the world is to invest in women,” said Kristof.
“Use your own spotlight to shine a light on these issues because if we don’t shine a light on them then they will never get addressed,” Kristof said. Kristof shone a light on the challenges that women face all over the world and shared personal stories of how small “drops” or actions were able to greatly impact women’s lives and bring change to their communities. Kristof shared how his article about girls in a small Chinese village struggling to pay for education prompted a donation of $10,000 which allowed all the girls in the village to attend school. Kristof said the entire village benefited from all the girls getting an education and changed the way the village viewed the importance of girls’ education. Another example Kristof gave in his talk pertained to his first encounter with human trafficking in Cambodia. He told how he paid $200 each for two girls from a brothel in Cambodia and returned them to their families. Kristof made the
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point that small actions like these that help women will eventually lead to greater change.
After touching on global problems women face, Kristof narrowed his focus closer to home and spoke about the challenges women face in the U.S. Kristof spoke about the issues of teen pregnancy, how 30 percent of U.S. girls become pregnant by the age of 19 and that they become pregnant at a rate three times higher than girls in Europe. Kristof also talked about how young teen girls in the U.S. are victims of sex trafficking and have a higher rate of getting arrested than customers or “pimps” do. Due to this, Kristof explained that victims of sex trafficking have a higher chance to get addicted to drugs which leads to another criminal offense if they are arrested. Even though problems like sex trafficking and drug addiction are very prevalent in the U.S., Kristof expressed that there is an empathy gap in the U.S. in which people lack empathy to want to help fix these issues. “The issue leads to narratives in which poverty is a moral failure, not just an economic issue,” Kristof said about the
empathy gap issue. Kristof said everyone has the human tendency to “otherize” and categorize individuals who are different than us. For example, Kristof said that some people have less empathy for individuals with an addiction if they are of color than those who are Caucasian. Even though the empathy gap exists, Kristof told students that we can bridge the gap by holding ourselves and others accountable for our actions and our lack of a desire to help others who are different than ourselves. “Accountability is hugely important in changing behavior,” said Kristof to students when asked how they could evoke change. “If we hold ourselves accountable for treating others fairly then we can start to change our behavior and help make the world a better place.” After his talk, students had the opportunity to ask Kristof any remaining questions they had about the issues he addressed during a Q&A session. Kristof ’s talk was sponsored by the UK International Center, the Office of the Provost, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Gatton College of Business and Economics, and the School of Journalism and Media. Kristof is a two time Pulitzer Prize winner and has written for the New York Times since 2001.
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Top events UK CELEBRATEs GLOBAL CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE STATUS By Whitney Hale
The University of Kentucky officially opened its Global Model Confucius Institute. The dedication ceremony took place on Monday, Sept. 25, froom 3-5 p.m., at the Lucille Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center ground floor. UK leaders and presidents of Shanghai University, Jilin University and Beijing Language and Culture University were present to officially dedicate the newly renovated space, which has been designed to be a welcoming and functional base for UK’s Confucius Institute. There are fewer than 10 Global Model Confucius Institutes among the 514 Confucius Institutes in 134 countries today. The University of Kentucky Confucius Institute (UKCI) is the youngest institute awarded this prestigious title after being in operation for just five years. This is not only a great honor, but most importantly it is a recognition of what the UK Confucius Institute has achieved and how the institute’s programming and work can be inspirational and exemplary for other Confucius Institutes in the world. “For the UK Confucius Institute, the Global Model CI status not only brought the UK institute funding to renovate a brand new space for the CI, but it also will bring more funding in the future to do bigger projects and programs that make a higher impact on campus and in the Commonwealth,” said Huajing Maske, director of the Confucius Institute and executive director of the Office of China Initiatives. Following UK’s Global Confucius Institute ribbon cutting, a celebratory performance of Inner Mongolian Dances and Music was held at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, in the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. The event was free and open to the public. During the same week, the UK Confucius Institute also inaugurated the Shanghai University Education Week at UK where
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
Leaders from UK, Lexington, Shanghai University and Jilin University participated in the ribbon cutting for UK’s Global Confucius Institute.
university presidents and deans from multiple Chinese higher education institutions participated in a forum discussing “Opportunities and Challenges of Higher Education in the 21st Century” and Shanghai University faculty and deans engaged in discussions on research collaborations in their various colleges and departments. In addition, artisans of the Miao ethnicity conducted masterclasses for UK College of Fine Arts students and presented an art exhibition featuring Miao embroidery and bamboo sculpture, which has been UNESCO-designated Intangible Culture Heritage. The exhibition was on display in the new Confucius Institute space and in the UK School of Art and Visual Studies Bolivar Art Gallery located at 236 Bolivar St. The free public exhibition ran from Sept. 25-27. On Sept. 26, there was an open house at the new Confucius Institute space in the Little Fine Arts Library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday for UK students, faculty and staff. The esteemed UK Confucius Institute was awarded $1.7 million by the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) for the university to renovate the
ground floor space in the Little Fine Arts Library. Formerly unremarkable rooms and storage areas have been transformed into striking, modern and functional spaces for UK’s Model Confucius Institute. Associate Provost for Internationalization Sue Roberts said, “The beautiful new home for the Confucius Institute is centrally-located and very visible, so it can easily be a wonderful gathering place for students, faculty and staff to learn more about China and Chinese language and culture. It will also be an efficient base for the Confucius Institute executive director Huajing Maske and her staff, where they can further develop their many positive engagements with the university and the community.” Since it was founded in 2010, the UK Confucius Institute has served as a conduit for UK’s China initiatives. It provides leadership and support for Chinese language and culture programs in Kentucky’s K-12 classrooms, and it functions as a hub for Chinese culture by providing authentic Chinese cultural programs that educate and enhance understanding of China for audiences all across the Commonwealth.
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Top events Shoulder to Shoulder Global Celebrates its 10th anniversary in ecuador By Emanuel Hernandez
Celebrating 10 years of continued success and commitment to the Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas community in Ecuador, the University of Kentucky’s Shoulder to Shoulder Global (STSG) and the Hombro a Hombro Foundation hosted a health care brigade from May 12 to May 21 at their clinic in Santo Domingo, Ecuador. The brigade included students and professional staff who applied their skills and talents developed at UK to aid the Santo Domingo community. In addition, a delegation of UK leaders, including Provost Tim Tracy, college deans and UK administrators, visited the clinic during the brigade. The delegation also explored opportunities for collaboration with Ecuadorian partner institutions. Associate Provost for Internationalization Sue Roberts said she valued the visit to Ecuador and enjoyed celebrating the accomplishments of UK’s Shoulder to Shoulder program that was founded by UK pediatrician Dr. Thomas Young. Before tbe brigade, she said, “The 10th anniversary of the Shoulder to Shoulder clinic in Ecuador is a wonderful chance not just to celebrate this longstanding international outreach program and to recognize the achievements of Dr. Young and his colleagues, but also to assess opportunities for building deeper links between UK and Ecuador. While the UK delegation is in Ecuador, we also will be exploring options for research collaborations and for faculty and student exchanges with our colleagues at universities in Ecuador.” The anniversary celebration at the STSG clinic included a special dinner with STSG founders, the clinic staff, the UK delegation and Ecuadorian partners, including a representative from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health, leadership from Fundación Acción Social Cáritas in Ecuador, and the dean of Universidad de Las Americas’ College of Medicine.
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Dr. Young examines a patient during the 2017 May brigade visit to the Tsáchila indigenous community.
“It is so exciting to celebrate 10 years of delivering comprehensive health services in this community in Ecuador,” Young said. “STSG and our Ecuadorian partners have provided thousands of patients with services and learning opportunities for UK students, staff and faculty. We plan to continue to dream big.” STSG is one of the leading Global Health initiatives at UK, focusing on providing primary care for the Santo Domingo community. Aside from having rotations of health care students and interdisciplinary teams to provide care at the clinic, STSG seeks to improve education, public health, access to safe water and economic opportunities in the region. In 2002, Young led the first health brigade to Ecuador with a small group of six committed participants. Ten years ago, STSG partnered with the Hombro a Hombro Foundation to open the Centro de Salud Hombro a Hombro, a primary care clinic that serves the community year-round. During its 10 years of operation, the clinic has provided more than 58,000 medical consultations and 21,000 dental consultations. The brigades alone have seen approximately 20,000 patients. And now, the health brigades have about 150 participants each year.
A UK dentistry student examines a patient during the 2017 May brigade.
Group photo of the August 2017 brigade in Ecuador.
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
Research in Progress UK Researchers discover Archaic Greek Sites In Southern Italy By Jennifer Sciantarelli & Whitney Hale
Left: Classics student Drury Bell (left) & anthropologist George Crothers waiting for results as geophysical survey was in progress in Calabria. Right: Paolo Visoná maps presumed sanctuary site on recent dig in Southern Italy.
Last summer, a team of University of Kentucky archeologists explored two previously unknown archaic Greek sites in Calabria, Italy’s southernmost region, one of which may be the largest Greek mountain fort yet uncovered in this area of the country.
Based on pottery shards, roof tiles and bronze arrow points found at the site, the fort has been tentatively dated to circa 500-300 B.C. This was a period of Greek expansion and cultural achievement in southern Italy, Sicily and elsewhere in the Western Mediterranean.
These findings deepen scholarly understanding of Greek territorial organization in the toe of Italy, and of the interstate conflicts that occurred across the region throughout the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.
Built with boulders and roughly hewn blocks of local granite at 3,192 feet above sea level and at nearly nine miles from the Ionian seacoast, the fort appears to have had a rectangular plan covering about 30.000 square feet. It probably guarded the main overland route between the Greek city of Locri Epizephyrii and its sub-colonies of Medma and Hipponion on the western coast of Italy.
The team of researchers, directed by George Crothers, associate professor of anthropology and director of the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology at UK’s Department of Anthropology, and Paolo Visonà, adjunct associate professor of art history in UK’s School of Art and Visual Studies, investigated the sites using terrestrial remote sensing and test excavations. Funding for this project was provided by The Foundation for Calabrian Archaeology, a Colorado and Kentucky-based nonprofit organization. Both sites had been located during reconnaissance missions led by Visonà in 2014 and 2015.
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
The identity of an adjacent building discovered by the UK team is still uncertain. Its location, architectural plan and smaller dimensions, do not preclude the possibility that it may be a frontier sanctuary. The south Italian Greeks often built sanctuaries to mark the boundaries of their territories, but no Locrian frontier sanctuary has been found thus far. This building has a square plan covering an area of at least 17,000 square
feet and seems to be earlier than the fort. It has been dated to 550-400 B.C. by the ceramic finds. “Although we have not yet found evidence of votive offerings (i.e. terracotta figurines, miniature pottery, bronze objects, etc.), that would confirm the presence of a sanctuary, we only sampled less than 1 percent of this site,” Visonà explained. “But we still have a significant quantity of fineware, especially wine cups, from our test units. It could be a clue that this is a special type of building.” The team plans to continue digging in the coming year. Visonà hopes that the identity and functions of the smaller site will be confirmed through more extensive excavations. Visonà notes that no other American team has conducted this kind of mountain archaeology in Calabria, and that this fieldwork is essential to understanding the region’s past. “Our research is changing the history of Magna Graecia,” Visonà said. The findings will be discussed in more detail in “A Greek Battleground in Southern Italy.”
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Research in Progress UK Entomologists to study insect in antarctica By Katie Pratt
Nick Teets steers boat in Antarctica during one of his research trips.
Nick Teets, left, and Leslie Potts in research lab running ELIZA test for adult midge insects.
University of Kentucky researchers from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment will soon travel to Antarctica to study an insect that can tolerate a wide range of extreme environments. The Antarctic midge is the only insect endemic to the continent, and it is the largest terrestrial animal that spends its entire life there. Nick Teets, UK assistant professor of entomology, and Leslie Potts, UK doctoral student in entomology, will travel to Antarctica as part of a group that also includes researchers from Miami University in Ohio and Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. Researchers from Ohio State University and Miami received a National Science Foundation grant that will fund the trip.
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A sample of an adult midge insect, the subject of Teets’ and Potts’ research studies.
Teets is specifically interested in how the insect handles extreme environmental stressors, including brutally cold winter temperatures and lack of water. He is also interested in how changes in the continent’s climate are affecting the insect. This will be his third trip to Antarctica. He went with the same group of researchers as a graduate student at Ohio State. “This tiny midge spends nine months a year frozen solid, and we want to figure out how that works,” he said. “There are over 1 million described species of insects in the world, yet only one is uniquely adapted to Antarctica’s harsh climate,” he continued. Potts will study the midges’ role in the ecosystem.
“I will be studying the midge’s influence in the environment and how the environment influences its survival.” “I’ll also be seeking to understand how it affects other organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, and vice versa,” Potts said. While at Palmer Station, a U.S. research facility in Antarctica, Teets and Potts will conduct physiological experiments on the midges. They will collect insects to bring back to their lab in UK’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. They will also engage young people at Lexington’s Living Arts and Science Center Monday, Jan. 15, through a live remote from Antarctica. They will offer additional educational opportunities to Kentuckians upon their return from Antarctica.
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
Student highlights UK Student receives award abroad for outstanding community engagement By Amaya DeVicente & Gail Hairston
Nicole Funk (second from left) with Universidad San Francisco de Quito faculty and staff.
Nicole Funk, a junior from Lexington majoring in natural resources and environmental science with a Spanish minor, participated in an Education Abroad semester-long direct exchange program at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in Quito, Ecuador. It was through a community internship that Funk received recognition for best of “Pasantía en la Comunidad” (PASEC) work at USFQ. All USFQ students must complete this program in order to graduate, and international students also have the opportunity to complete a PASEC program if they wish.
Cristo Rey showed me that even in such a seemingly wealthy area, there is poverty. There are many people who lack opportunities and resources, and those people’s voices need to be heard.”
For Funk’s PASEC service program, she completed a service-learning experience at Instituto Educativo Fiscomisional Hogar Cristo Rey, a middle/high school located about 10 minutes from USFQ’s campus. It was at Cristo Rey where Funk, with no prior experience, excelled at teaching English to students.
Her interest in education abroad was sparked in high school when she participated in the Lexington Sister Cities exchange program. Funk spent 10 days in Ireland with an Irish-Moldovan family, and shortly after, her host brother traveled to Lexington. Since then, she knew she wanted to participate in an education abroad program in college.
“I think engaging in the community is important because it allows you to do something good for the community that is hosting you and welcoming you in,” Funk said. “Secondly, it gives you a more wellrounded view of the community where you are living. Volunteering at Hogar
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Funk completed 80 hours during the semester teaching at Hogar Cristo Rey. Faculty and staff at USFQ were exceptionally impressed with Funk’s service. “We know Nicole had a great semester and made a great impact in our community,” said Alexandra Velasco, director of International Programs at USFQ.
These intercultural experiences are essential in Funk’s eyes. “Beauty, kindness and happiness can be found everywhere in the world,” she said. “I love gaining wisdom from and hearing
the stories of people who come from backgrounds different than my own.” Funk also maintains her involvement here at UK by participating on the International Student Leadership Team (ISLT), a program under International Student and Scholar Services. While part of ISLT, Funk assisted in planning social, cultural and academic events to support student success, wellness and belonging of international students on campus. “Nicole is always willing to help out whenever she can and is genuine when learning more about others. I think these two qualities make her a valuable asset to any organization,” said Grace Kim, member of ISLT. Funk participated in a direct exchange program, allowing her to pay nearly the same tuition she would have paid for a semester at UK. UK Education Abroad has more than 460 programs available in over 70 countries. In addition to study abroad opportunities, students can participate in internship, service, research and teaching programs abroad. Students interested in learning more about education abroad opportunities can visit http://international. uky.edu/ea or 315 Bradley Hall.
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Student highlights Internship Abroad Inspires UK Alum to Teach in Saudi Arabia By Laura Brower
Milinda Gray riding a camel while in Saudi Arabia, where she taught English to speakers of different languages (TESOL).
With traveling comes the thrills of adventure, experiencing new cultures and opportunities. After participating in International Student Volunteers in Australia as a UK student, UK alum Milinda Gray knew she wanted to see more of the world. As a result, she followed her passion through the UK Education Abroad Program at Maejo University in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand which eventually led to her current teaching position in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “I really love experiencing new cultures and thought interning abroad would be a great way to do so and gain valuable information,” Gray said. At Maejo University, she worked in the Business and Administration department, working very closely with students as they performed marketing work for campus events. After completing the internship, Gray stayed in Southeast Asia to explore and learn about new cultures. She considers this time in her life “a blessing” as she left her comfort zone and pushed herself to try new things. She recalls feeling nervous and excited all at once when she began traveling; however, she learned to handle her emotions and view every moment, whether good or bad, as a learning experience. While touring Tibet, Gray made friends who teach English as a second language (ESL)
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around the world. “Their stories seemed too good to be true. I wanted to experience what they had,” Gray said. Gray took action and received her TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of different Languages) certification in Thailand. Shortly after, she moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and has been teaching there since 2012. She continues to embrace the lifestyle of her surroundings, treating each day as an opportunity to meet new people and appreciate a culture very different from her own. “I’ve made life-long friendships with both Saudi Arabians and expatriates like myself,” Gray said. “I’ve been lucky enough to meet people from all walks of life. I love experiencing the Saudi Arabian culture and sharing these experiences with American expats,” Gray added. Gray is currently completing her master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication through West Virginia University. After completing her degree in February, Gray will begin to plan a trip to South America where she will backpack and work as a traveling teacher for a year. Gray is not entirely sure about her next step after South America. However, one thing is for sure: This
Gray at a sacred temple in Thailand.
Wildcat plans to take in life day-by-day and enjoy every single moment of it. “I wish everyone could travel and experience a passion similar to mine,” Gray said. The UK alumna also touched on anxieties students might feel when traveling to a new country. “Since you have a job to perform, you will be busy and your mind will be so caught up that before you know it, the new environment will feel completely normal.” Visit Education Abroad and Exchanges website to learn more about the wide variety of opportunities provided to all UK students who want to #seeblueabroad. No doubt that new journeys, friendships and experiences await!
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
Faculty Spotlight UK biologist CONTINUES RESEARCH IN KENYA ON REGENERATION & Immunity in rodents By Laura Brower
Seifert’s trapping group in Kenya, accompanying the researcher as he pursues his work on regeneration and immunity in rodents.
Starting in 2009, Ashley W. Seifert, assistant professor of biology at University of Kentucky, began what would become an ongoing project in Kenya to investigate a possible link between regeneration and immunity in wild rodents. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as a collaborative project with colleagues at the University of Georgia and the University of Nairobi (UON), Seifert established a small molecular lab at the University of Nairobi where he has deepened his understanding of how the inflammatory and immune response can regulate tissue regeneration in mammals. While Seifert and his colleagues strive to understand the basic biology underpinning how diverse vertebrates are capable of re-growing complex tissues, they also hope that their knowledge will inform new therapies to address human healing. “Generally speaking, we’ve operated
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
under this idea that, unlike salamanders and fish that are capable of regenerating tissues, warm-blooded animals heal by producing scar tissue,” Seifert said. “This assumption may be true, but we also haven’t looked very hard across the natural diversity of vertebrates, especially within mammals.” Seifert has already shown that at least one mammal, the African spiny mouse, can respond to injury by regenerating complex tissues including skin, hair and cartilage. Seifert’s work includes trapping rodents in the Kenyan savannah and transporting them back to his lab at UON.
the injury. Specifically, they examine the different immune molecules and cells which are expressed during the injury response. Seifert is a big proponent of international research and urges students to take part. He views the experience as a great opportunity to broaden horizons and interact with different cultures. “In our case, going to a place like Kenya allows us to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds,” Seifert said.
There, Seifert and his collaborators make small holes in the rodents’ ears to induce regeneration.
“In doing so, we engage in all kinds of discourse, be it politics, research, education, science and the like. Growth is measured in experience and this type of discourse will ultimately enhance a student’s worldview.”
They collect tissue and blood during healing in an attempt to discover how different genes control the regenerative response to
To learn more about Seifert’s research developments, visit the biologist’s site at: www.ashleyseifert.com.
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UKIC Updates The department of psychology’s first time on THE shoulder to shoulder global brigade By Sydney Sparks
University Kentucky’s Clinical psychologist Dr. Mary Beth McGavran, from the Department of Psychology, participated in a Shoulder to Shoulder Global health brigade for the very first time in August. McGavran traveled to Santo Domingo, Ecuador and attended the brigade Aug. 3-12. Throughout the brigade, McGavran and her partners discovered a few major findings regarding psychological issues and needs in Ecuador.
During clinical days, McGavran explained that they found an immense need for psychological resources due to the large number of stressors poorer Ecuadorians face daily. These stressors include violence, trauma, financial issues, physical pain, lack of clean water and infrastructure problems. Unfortunately, this community severely lacks psychological services and education for its inhabitants.
During the brigade, McGavran visited a school for children with disabilities called “Fe y Luz,” a local church called “Plan de Vivienda” and the Centro de Salud Hombro a Hombro clinic (CSHH). McGavran said her experience on the brigade greatly exceeded her initial expectations.
McGavran said she wants to do a more formal needs assessment in order to address sustainable efforts for the people of Ecuador. McGavran knew about the STSG brigades for years, but didn’t get involved until her friend Hartley Feld, a faculty member in the College of Nursing, mentioned the need for psychological care in Santo Domingo, Ecuador. McGavran met with Dr. Tom Young, pediatrician and founder of STSG, and Craig Borie, STSG program coordinator, to talk about how psychology could be added as another specialty to the other four that are already represented.
“I had some of the busiest clinical days I’ve ever had in my entire career as a psychologist,” McGavran said. “I found people there to be more trusting, and they had an easier time opening up about their problems than people in the U.S.”
Dr. McGavran (middle) with Fe y Luz staff and UK students while on the Ecuador brigade.
McGavran said she is planning to go back to Ecuador on the 2018 August brigade and hopes to bring graduate and undergraduate psychology students with her. Craig Borie, STSG director, said he is thrilled about the psychology department’s involvement and that STSG has plans to increase the number of psychology students participating in the brigades.
UKIC Welcomes tim barnes: New executive director intl. partnerships & research By Laura Brower
UK welcomes Tim Barnes, former Director of Illinois Strategic International Partnerships at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as the new Executive Director of International Partnerships and Research at the University of Kentucky International Center. “I am looking forward very much to Tim Barnes joining our team,” said Associate Provost for Internalization Sue Roberts, who leads UK’s International Center (UKIC), where International Partnerships and Research is located. “Tim is recognized as a national leader in the development of strategic inter-university partnerships that catalyze research and education and generate benefits for both partner institutions.” Barnes is excited to help UK faculty and students engage more actively on the global stage as he enhances and supports international research collaborations, and
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works to create a diverse portfolio of strategic partnerships with universities around the world. “I believe very strongly in a faculty-driven approach to comprehensive campus internationalization,” Barnes said. “I hope to start my tenure at UK by engaging with faculty, academic and research leadership across the campus to learn more about their vision for global engagement, their definitions of success, and their ideas about how UKIC can best assist them in achieving that success.” In particular, Barnes sees growth opportunities at UK for interdisciplinary, transnational collaborative research, sustained, multi-faceted institutional partnerships and unique cooperation in the bench-to-bedside biomedical enterprise. Such initiatives complement ongoing efforts focusing on internationalizing the undergraduate student experience at UK.
UKIC announces new executive director for intl. partnerships & research, Tim Barnes.
A New Jersey native, Barnes received his bachelor’s degree in Classical Guitar Pedagogy at Shenandoah University and furthered his education with graduate studies in Historical Musicology and Ethnomusicology at the University of Maryland of College park and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Global Kentucky | Fall 2017
UKIC Updates UK’s Office of China Initiatives Hits its stride By Andrea Gils
The University of Kentucky Office of China Initiatives (OCI) was established in 2014, as an outcome of strategic discussions within the UK International Center and a recommendation from UK’s International Advisory Council. The OCI’s mission is to provide leadership in identifying, cultivating, building and sustaining UK partnerships with Chinese institutions. Huajing Maske, the award-winning director of the UK Confucius Institute (UKCI), serves as the executive director of the OCI. This year, the OCI expanded its presence on campus and in China through the introduction of new programs and opportunities. Also this year, the OCI welcomed Kathryn T. Bliss as its first ever coordinator. Bliss oversees daily OCI operations from her office at 108 Bradley Hall in the International Center and works closely with Maske. Along with its efforts to advance UK’s research and scholarship about China, the OCI also provides customized support to Chinese students and scholars throughout their time at UK and beyond, to ensure their academic success, integration and belonging. Furthermore, the OCI will be developing new UK activities in China, such as graduation-related events and alumni programming, as well as pre-departure orientations in China for Chinese international students. To date, Bliss has collaborated with the UKCI to facilitate the UK Faculty Teach in China Program at Jilin University (JLU) and Qingdao University of Technology (QUT); served as lead organizer of the OCI and UKCI Summer Language Academy; coordinated a UK delegation visit to the Beijing Institute of Technology at Zhuhai (BIT Zhuhai); and worked with UK students interested in applying for the Chinese Government Scholarship. Summer 2017 saw the second largest number of UK faculty teach in China (29 UK faculty were sent to teach in China by UKCI in 2012). In collaboration with the
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UKCI, the OCI worked with 13 UK faculty members to facilitate their participation in UK Education Week @ Jilin University, a signature program for both JLU and UKCI. During this summer teaching program, UK faculty members from several academic disciplines taught classes for first-and secondyear JLU students, provided pedagogical workshops for JLU faculty, gave TED Talk-style presentations and participated in numerous cultural activities. Furthermore, in collaboration with the UKCI, the OCI facilitated another summer teaching experience for three UK instructors who travelled to QUT. While there, the UK instructors taught courses to help new QUT faculty members strengthen their English teaching skills and their knowledge of teaching methods. Both of these summer teaching experiences are part of the UK Faculty Teach in China Program jointly coordinated by the OCI and the UKCI. Also in the summer of 2017, 39 undergraduate students from BIT Zhuhai came to Lexington for the inaugural Summer Language Academy at UK, jointly hosted by the OCI and the UKCI. During the academy, the students took classes in English and in information technology taught by UK College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) instructors. The students also participated in cultural experiences in Lexington and surrounding cities. Following the academy, the group traveled to the East Coast to tour Ivy League schools that are well-known in China. The OCI plans to hold this academy annually, with proceeds going to support student success and faculty teaching and research in China. While the OCI helps bring students from BIT Zhuhai and other Chinese institutions to UK, it also supports UK students in making connections with China. The OCI coordinates application procedures for scholarship opportunities in China, such as the Chinese Government Scholarship, for
Undergraduate students from BIT Zhuhai enjoy the Summer Language Academy in Lexington.
UK undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students from a variety of academic disciplines. Moreover, the OCI offers programs for UK graduate students to teach at Gaoxin No. 1 High School in Xi’an, China, and at BIT Zhuhai. Initiatives currently in development will focus on enhancing and supporting UK Chinese students’ success, UK faculty in their China-related research and teaching, and UK student internship and research opportunities. The OCI is also working with UK colleges to expand the international Chinese student recruitment efforts through articulation agreements. For these reasons and more, 2017 has been a banner year for UK’s OCI. The seeds planted by Maske and the International Advisory Council, have borne fruit. Sue Roberts, associate provost for internationalization, reports that she is delighted to see the OCI hitting its stride. “It is wonderful to watch how effective the OCI is in supporting UK’s colleges as they seek to develop their networks with partners in China. It is a pleasure to see the results of the work of the OCI, together with the Confucius Institute, to take UK’s engagements with China to the next level.”
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UKIC Updates Supporting international student success in the era of travel bans By Andrea Gils
Students can be said to succeed when they are academically successful, financially stable, when they are healthy both mentally and physically, and when they have a sense of belonging to the community. These are the “Four Pillars” of student success that the University of Kentucky has been focusing on. For international students studying at UK, this year saw some changes in the political climate that impacted them and caused concern about their success. Specifically, the UK International Center, and especially the office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), found itself taking the lead in crafting a campus wide response to a series of Executive Orders known as “Travel Bans” restricting entry to the United States for persons from listed countries. The result was an outpouring of support for international students and, more generally, renewed attention to helping them succeed even in trying times. On January 27, 2017 President Trump signed an Executive Order “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” The executive order suspended the Syrian Refugee resettlement program, restricted refugee entry to the U.S., and suspended entry for visa holders from 7 named countries: Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. The roll out of the ban was chaotic, and there were multiple legal challenges that followed. From the very beginning the UK International Center and the office of International Student & Scholar Services proactively communicated with UK students and scholars from the affected, providing support and sharing information on available resources. Immediately after the first Executive Order was issued, Associate Provost for Internationalization Sue Roberts shared a similar message with the leadership of the university, including UK deans and the International Advisory Council, and met
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with concerned international students and student leaders. In addition, a campus-wide email expressing concern and support was shared by Provost Tim Tracy and President Capilouto. Meanwhile, the International Center developed a website to house all information related to immigration updates, including a question-and-answer section. This website has been updated regularly to reflect a subsequent Executive Order (March 6, 2017) and a follow-up Proclamation (September 24, 2017). The latest proclamation places restrictions on people from 8 countries: Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Somalia and Yemen. It too is being challenged in the courts. As of now, the situation remains confusing and unsettled. The situation has been, and continues to be, extremely distressing – especially for the UK students and scholars from countries named in the three versions of the ban, and for their families. The University of Kentucky has about 1597 international students - 1015 of them are graduate students, and 582 are undergraduates. The largest group of students directly impacted by the Executive Orders has been from Iran, but in total, there are 119 students at UK currently who are from the 8 countries listed in the most recent iteration of the Travel Ban. In addition to email communications and face-to-face meetings with students, ISSS staff at the UK International Center have been working with a wide range of units across campus to ensure these students and their families are supported. They have also developed programming to make available accurate information about immigration issues to everyone and they also hosted an immigration Q&A session with immigration attorneys for international students. These initiatives have happened alongside a wider
International Student Ambassadors gathered to send a positive message to all incoming and current UK students.
Provost-led program that has seen two “Campus Conversations on Immigration” events (one in the Spring 2017 semester and one in the Fall 2017 semester) where ISSS staff engaged with others from campus and the community to provide short information sessions on immigration-related topics. The impact of the two executive orders and the subsequent proclamation has been far-reaching for all US universities. In addition to causing distress for students and scholars already studying and researching at universities, those seeking to recruit the best students for their programs have noted a very real chilling effect. Talented students are looking to other English-speaking countries when they are considering where to pursue their education. Through it all, the UK International Center continues to be the campus’ reference point when it comes to accurate and timely information on immigration issues, and remains the central hub for international students, scholars and their families as they seek to concentrate on their studies and succeed here at the University of Kentucky.
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