January 2023

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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News from Partners

EPSCoR & IDeA News Established Program for Stimulating Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and Institutional Development Award (IDeA), including federal funding opportunities and more! EPSCoR is a program serving states such as Kentucky, to build capacity for federally funded scientific research.

Ky- INBRE Recent News  KY IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence supports biomedical researchers and educators within the Commonwealth. The purpose of the network is to develop infrastructure and capacity for biomedical research and training in the state. Their newsletter  has training events, funding leads, and job opportunities.  You can also subscribe at the above link.

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.

 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

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.

Publish in the KAS Journal

The Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science publishes work in the Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences.
Digital issues are published as Issues-in-Progress which expedites publication for authors.

 

The year ahead...

Happy New Year!

Last year was a good year for the Kentucky Academy of Science and we look forward to more activities and outreach in the coming year. Looking ahead, we are very excited to announce that the 2023 KAS Annual Meeting will be in November 3rd and 4th at the Northern Kentucky University. We are also delighted to have the Institute for Student Research and Creative Activity as one of our partners. Mark your calendars and plan to join us there!



In the meantime, there is a lot already happening as we roll into 2023 -- a full newsletter to start the year! -- and it is bound to be another exciting year of science in Kentucky. Watch our social media and newsletters for additional details. 

KAS highlighting students selected to attend national meeting

Rob Weber

What was it about the seven high school students selected to serve as Kentucky delegates to the 2023 National Junior Academy of Science meeting that made them stand out to the panel of scientists that judged their research presentations?
 
You can see for yourself on a new KAS web page that includes info, photos, and videos about the students and their research. Follow this link! 



Students selected to serve as delegates are: Rishabh Ranjan (duPont Manual High School);  Joshua Zyzak (Beechwood High School); Justin Huang  (duPont Manual High School); Leah Groves (Bowling Green High School); Kathryn Harris (Bowling Green High School); Elek Olson (Bowling Green High School); and Sierra Durkee (Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science).

 

Click here to read full story.

Demystifying the Journal of the KAS

Curious to know more about publishing your research in the Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science?


Click here to learn more about JKAS. 

Some highlights about the journal and the submission process:
  • JKAS provides rigorous peer-review in physical/natural sciences, social sciences, and STEM education.
  • ​Manuscripts are indexed in BioOne.
  • Editors are committed to helping authors in publishing -- not just rejecting or accepting submissions.
  • Articles are published online as soon as they are accepted minimizing the time from submission to publication, typically within 3-4 months.

 

Continue reading to learn more about our review process and publishing!

KAS to offer advocacy workshops for college students

Rob Weber

KAS will once again offer Science Advocacy Workshops to help college students pursuing science degrees learn how they can use their expertise to improve public policy.
 
The workshops are being developed in collaboration with the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition and the University of Louisville’s Science and Policy Outreach Group. It’s likely another group or two will join as collaborators in the days to come.


 
The workshops are tentatively scheduled for Feb. 3 and 17 from 12– 1:30 p.m. EST.  Registration for the free online workshops will open in mid-January.
 
This is the second year for the workshops. The sessions will feature discussions on science policy, an overview of the Kentucky General Assembly, and tips on having an impact when public policy issues are under consideration. Speakers will include lawmakers, policy experts, and students who will share their advocacy experiences. The goal is to give Kentucky’s science community a stronger voice when public policy decisions are made.
 
Students who complete both workshops will receive “Kentucky Science Advocate” certificates from KAS. 

Mentorship opportunity: "Meet the Scientists" Feb 16

Meet the Scientists
Feb 16th, 9:30 am / 3:30 pm ET

The American Junior Academy of Science is looking for scientists for a virtual "Meet the Scientists" program on Thursday, February 16th. Scientists like you are volunteering for a 70-minute session, talking about your career path, and what you love about being a scientist. You'll be talking to small groups of high school students in either a morning (9:30 ET) or afternoon session (3:30 ET) and answering their questions.



Organizers are looking for scientists from all over the country for this VIRTUAL mentorship event. Please specify your time of day preference and send RSVP's to Philip Winchell, Acting Director, American Junior Academy of Science.

2023 KOFS Annual Meeting

Kentucky Organization of Field Stations
Annual Meeting

Please save the date for the upcoming annual meeting of the Kentucky Organization of Field Stations. The meeting will be held in collaboration with Kentucky State University. The general details are as follows:

 

 
  • Thursday, Feb 23rd – Any attendees wanting to arrive early can do so, for primitive camping. The location for attendees on the afternoon of this day (and evening) will be at KSU’s Environmental Education Research Center.
  • Friday, Feb 24th – The principal meeting for KOFS will be held at KSU’s Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm. The agenda will follow with the new year, but generally we’ll have a start time of ca. 9:30 AM and a wrap-up by 3:30 PM.

For questions or any programming ideas for the meeting, do not hesitate to email Luke Dodd (Web/Communications Offier) or Jenny Hubbard-Sanchez (KOFS President).

General Assembly’s 2023 session begins

Rob Weber

Kentucky lawmakers convened the General Assembly’s 2023 session on Jan. 3 and have already moved a measure to lower the state’s income tax through one legislative chamber. The speed at which the legislation advanced through the House of Representatives shows it’s a priority of legislative leaders.

 

There are numerous ways to stay in touch with legislative action and offer input to lawmakers. One of the most convenient ways to share your concerns is by calling the General Assembly’s toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181. You’ll find more ways to stay in touch with action at the State Capitol and provide feedback through the “Advocacy Toolkit” offered by KAS which you can access by following this link.

 

Click here to read the rest of the article.

National STEM Scholar Program

Applications are currently open for the National STEM Scholar Program for middle school science teachers with passion for creativity in teaching, collaboration, and networking. 

The program works to inspire the creativity and passion of middle school science teachers, ten of whom will be selected for the program. The next set of Scholars will be hosted by The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science and The Center for Gifted Studies from May 28 - June 3, 2023 at the Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. Applicants must be teachers from the United States who teach science classes majority of the day in grades 6, 7, and/or 8 and have at least two years of previous experience teaching science. Applications are due February 1.

Click here to learn more about the program and submit your application!

Carbonate short course in Bahamas May 13-20


For more details about this short course, contact Frank Ettensohn (fettens@uky.edu, 859-257-1401).

NASA University Days registration opens

NASA University Days



University Days are designed to inspire students interest in STEM fields. During the University Days students will learn how to apply for a National Aeronautics and Space Administration internship via a live workshop, take a virtual tour of a NASA Glenn facility, and engage in a Q&A intern panel with NASA interns and mentors. 



These will be held on February 1, 9, 15, 16, 2023. Registration is currently open. For more details, including eligibility, click here

Invitation to Apply: Smithsonian STEM Education Summit

STEM Education Summit: Building a Coalition for Attracting and Retaining a Diverse STEM Teaching Workforce
March 3 – March 5, 2023
Application Deadline: January 20th

The Smithsonian Science Education Center in collaboration with Shell USA, Inc. is hosting a STEM Education Summit on March 3-5, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana to engage leadership teams throughout the US who have identified problems of practice related to attracting and retaining a diverse STEM teaching workforce. This Summit is a highly interactive experience, with a clear outcome at the end – giving education systems the tools to develop district-specific “action plans” for attracting and retaining minority STEM teachers to leadership roles while remaining in the classroom. 



Learn more about the program by clicking here. For additional details on how you can participate and apply as a team or as a mentor, follow this link

2023 AAAS Annual Meeting

Attend the AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. or online!


 
The 2023 meeting will feature multi-disciplinary research that advances knowledge and responds to the needs of humanity. Follow the conversation online with #AAASmtg. Click here for additional details.

Summer Research Opportunities for Undergraduates



It's time to start thinking about summer research in 2023. Paid research opportunities are available across the country in many disciplines! Most application deadlines are in February. Start you research here:

Science Job Postings around KY



We have several new job postings this month that you can view at our jobs page. Please send any job announcements to executivedirector@kyscience.org and include contact information and closing date. 
KAS Newsletter - January 2023