Donate to KAS
KAS has been standing up for Science in Kentucky since 1914! We encourage aspiring scientists, promote science literacy, give science a voice in policymaking, and recognize those who make the future brighter through scientific discovery.
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EPSCoR&Idea Funding, Training, & News
Check out news this month from Established Program for Stimulating Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and Institutional Development Award (IDeA), including federal funding opportunities and more!
EPSCoR & IDeA Newsletter
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Share your news with KAS members
If you have something to share in the monthly KAS newsletter, get in touch with our Newsletter editor, Mark dela Cerna.
How to Join the KAS Listserv
KAS has set up a listserv so our members can talk to each other, to share science-related news & announcements, offers, requests, questions and answers. We are excited about fostering more conversations within our scientific community!
Opt In to the listserv:
Log In at the KAS website ( https://kyscience.org/)
In the Member Menu, go to Communication / Message Boards
Click to Opt In to the KAS Member Listserv (and choose the Daily Digest option if you prefer)
To post to the listserv, send a message to kyscience@memberleap.com |
KAS Member Survey: What do you think KAS should be doing?
What do you think the Kentucky Academy of Science should be doing? We would like to hear from you!
If you have not yet done so, please take a few minutes to tell us what you value about KAS and how we can serve you better.
The KAS Governing Board is undertaking Strategic Planning over the summer and we want to hear your input. The survey is for members only. You may access the survey by clicking this link or logging into your KAS account. The survey is located in the Member Menu under Engagements. Please complete the survey by Wednesday, July 13th.
Waldron Shale Project helps students learn through discovery
Rob Weber There are wonders to be found in a bucket of rocks.
That was obvious among a gathering of teachers who spent a recent afternoon sorting through rocks and scrubbing them with toothbrushes, their faces lighting up as they discovered brachiopods, trilobites, crinoids, and other fossils that offer glimpses of life from millions of years ago.
The Waldron Shale Project gives teachers guidance and materials to offer hands-on paleontology lessons to students.
The teachers came to Bellarmine University on June 22 for a workshop that introduced them to the Waldron Shale Project, a program that gives K-12 educators training and the tools to provide hands-on paleontological activities to students.
“We’ve heard great feedback that the students just love the chance to get their hands dirty, quite literally, and make their own discoveries and get excited about science,” said Kate Bulinski, a KAS member and associate professor in Bellarmine’s Department of Environmental Studies. “It feels purposeful and it’s also a really fun way to encounter geology and paleontology in the classroom.”
KAS Seeking Board nominations by July 30
The Kentucky Academy of Science is seeking to fill 2 board vacancies, filling out terms until the end of 2023 . Any member may nominate another member for a board position. The KAS Governing Board meets quarterly. KAS members interested in nominating themselves or a colleague for these vacant positions should forward the name, e-mail address/phone number for each candidate, and indicate the leadership position of interest to the KAS Past President Trent Garrison at trent.garrison@kctcs.edu Please send nominations with a 200 word bio by July 30th 2022.
We are seeking nominations for the following offices:
- Treasurer - finishing a 3-year term ending in 2023 and eligible for re-election.
- At-Large Representative - finishing a 4-year term ending in 2023 and eligible for re-election.
For a description of responsibilities, see the KAS Bylaws.
Thank you!
Trent Garrison, KAS Past President
KAS Fundraiser Update
KAS member Tim Darst was the first recipient of a new KAS baseball cap, which was presented to him after he hosted a KAS fundraiser on his Facebook page. Thank you, Tim!
We will continue contacting members in each KAS section in the weeks to come about how they can support KAS through online fundraisers that are convenient to host. We started in June with fundraisers in the Ecology and Environmental Science sections.
We hope you’ll join ongoing efforts to build support for scientific discovery and understanding in Kentucky. Participants will have opportunities to win prizes while helping to ensure that the voice of science grows stronger in Kentucky.
KAS Member Update
Daniel Phelps, a KAS member and President of the Kentucky Paleontological Society, recently shared his extensive fossil collection with an audience at the Paris-Bourbon County Library. Fossils were passed around while Phelps gave a compelling talk about life forms that existed in Kentucky millions of years ago.
“Paleontology is sort of a gateway science and introduces people to being scientists,” Phelps said. “It seems like every rock and every fossil ends up telling a story if you know how to investigate nature and the history of the Earth.”
KAS YouTube channel focuses on members and science
Rob Weber Have you checked out the KAS YouTube channel lately? We’ve been posting more content, including recent videos about the science behind an unusual occurrence in a Western Kentucky creek, the Waldron Shale Project, and the most recent Kentucky area designated as a Distinguished Geologic Site.
We're on YouTube! Don't forget to subscribe.
Check out the channel by clicking here or going to YouTube and searching “Kentucky Academy of Science.”
More compelling videos about science in Kentucky are in the works, including a video series about the PFAS “forever chemicals” that we want policymakers and people across the state to know about. Please consider subscribing to the channel so you don’t miss future videos!
Got an idea for a video you’d like to see? We’re always eager to tell stories about KAS members and share info about science in Kentucky. If you’ve got a tip, please send it to policy@kyscience.org!
Public Comment on Kentucky Academic Standards for Science
National Academies: Call to Action for Science Education
Preview of KAS Annual Meeting in Morehead
We are currently planning for the 2022 Annual Meeting at Morehead State University November 10-12. KAS Staff and Board members had a great site visit May 23 with other members of our Local Arrangements team.
 This year, we are incorporating the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science into the 2022 KAS Annual Meeting. Our partners at the Center for STEM+ eXcellence are helping us produce a terrific experience for our young scientists in middle and high schools. Stay tuned!
 We are also very excited for our 2022 Keynote Speaker. Professor Andrea Armani is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Southern California where she is developing novel nonlinear materials and integrated optical devices that can be used in understanding disease progression and in quantum optics. Her research crosses disciplinary boundaries and we're excited to have her with us! Catch her Keynote on Saturday November 12.
We're looking forward to an evening at the Space Science Center. We got a full tour and we think you're going to like it! Below is a peek inside the anechoic chamber.
For those who are travelling and need lodging, KAS has room blocks at two hotels in Morehead. Click here for more details on local hotel discounts.
Go Eagles! See you in Morehead in November!
Be a Sponsor Exhibitor or Advertiser for the KAS Annual Meeting
Ohio River Restoration Plan Listening Session August 10
The National Wildlife Federation, Ohio River Basin Alliance, and partners in the 14-state Ohio River region are hosting a series of public listening sessions this summer to get community input into a regional plan to restore and protect the Ohio River, its tributaries, and surrounding habitat for fish and wildlife – and for people – in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Please consider attending a listening session to help shape a regional plan to address water pollution issues and drinking water contamination in the 14-state Ohio River region. Click here to register for any of the listening sessions. The sessions, in-person and online, are free.
Community input is essential. Participation from local community residents, advocates, and organizations will be important so that local conservation and clean water priorities are reflected in the plan. We want to make sure we stand up for communities big and small – and that we put forward solutions that ensure all of the communities in the region have access to clean, safe, and affordable water.
Science Job Postings around KY
If you're looking for a job or if you're hiring, pop over to our jobs page. Please send any job announcements to executivedirector@kyscience.org and include contact information and closing date. We have several new job postings this month that you can view by clicking here. |
