From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Contact: Vince Munoz, 785-864-2254, [email protected]

Experts in language promotion, structural biology and extinction receive KU Research Achievement Awards
LAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers expanding knowledge of language acquisition, protein structures and extinction have received this year’s Steven F. Warren Research Achievement Award and the KU Research Staff & Postdoctoral Achievement Awards.

The annual awards recognize outstanding unclassified academic staff, unclassified professional staff and postdoctoral fellows whose research significantly influenced their fields and expanded intellectual or societal insights. This year’s recipients:

Kathryn Bigelow, associate research professor, Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, Steven F. Warren Research Achievement Award

Scott Lovell, director, Protein Structure and X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory, Research Staff Achievement Award

James Saulsbury, postdoctoral researcher, KU Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum and ecology & evolutionary biology, Postdoctoral Achievement Award.

The three will be recognized at a ceremony this spring along with recipients of other major KU research awards.

The Office of Research established the Steven F. Warren Research Achievement Award in 2006 to honor unclassified academic staff researchers. Winners receive $10,000 in research funds. The KU Research Staff & Postdoctoral Achievement Awards were established in 2018, with honorees receiving $5,000 for approved research or professional development activities.

Kathryn Bigelow

Bigelow is an associate research professor at the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, a community-based translational research center under the KU Life Span Institute. Her work focuses on developing and evaluating technology and practices that support children’s language skills and social-emotional development.

Her efforts touch numerous disciplines, which is evident by the wide range of agencies that have funded her work. Bigelow has received grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. She has also been funded by state governments and private foundations. Bigelow has been a principal investigator or co-PI on 20 projects and has published over 40 articles, co-edited three books and is the lead author on the Teaching Pyramid Infant-Toddler Observation Scale (TPITOS), one of the few tools that measures the quality of classroom environments as they relate to social-emotional development.

Bigelow is committed to translating her research into practice. While TPITOS is primarily aimed at educators, Bigelow has developed tools that can be employed easily by parents and caregivers. One tool is called Promoting Communication Tools for Advancing Language in Kids, an intervention that supports parents and caregivers in their interactions with infants and toddlers.

Another tool co-created by Bigelow is Talk Around Town. This mobile app uses the GPS on a parent or caregiver’s phone to deliver location-specific prompts with ways to increase language-learning opportunities for infants and toddlers.

Bigelow earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University and a doctorate from the University of Kansas.

Scott Lovell

Lovell is the director of the Protein Structure and X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory, which is a core lab that determines the three-dimensional structures of proteins for academic and private-sector researchers. He has been the director since 2008.

Lovell’s collaborative mindset has led to a highly prolific career. He has contributed to the work of more than 100 different researchers and experimentally determined over 700 protein structures during the past 15 years. Lovell has written more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and served as either a co-investigator or principal investigator on 13 different federally funded projects totaling over $6 million.

One example of Lovell’s collaborations includes a 12-year partnership with William Groutas, distinguished professor of chemistry & biochemistry at Wichita State University, and Kyeong-Ok Chang, professor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. Together they have used structural biology to guide the design of inhibitors that target proteins called proteases, which are a key component in viral propagation. Identifying how inhibitors interact with proteases has helped develop potential antiviral treatments for diseases, such as noroviruses and coronaviruses.

Beyond directly helping colleagues with their work, Lovell has contributed to the education of future scientists. He has trained more than 20 postdoctoral researchers and 60 graduate students on X-ray crystallography and protein analysis.

Lovell earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a doctorate in organic chemistry from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

James Saulsbury

Saulsbury is a postdoctoral researcher in the KU Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum and the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. His work sheds light on how species adapt or succumb to extinction, especially in the context of environmental change.

Saulsbury is an early career researcher whose published work in the field of paleobiology include contributions on topics such as the evolution of skeletons in marine invertebrates, long-term changes in the global center of species diversity, reconstructions of the biology and ecology of extinct animals, and the population dynamics leading to extinction. Saulsbury’s research contributions have also earned him a position as associate editor of Paleobiology, an esteemed peer-reviewed publication, as well as invitations to speak at institutions such as the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.

While scientists typically evaluate patterns in the fossil record at the level of species, Saulsbury’s recent work attempts to go deeper by explaining and predicting paleontological phenomena from processes affecting populations of individuals. He recently led a study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in which he showed younger species are more likely to go extinct. While it was previously thought this would only be possible if there were intrinsic differences in species’ ability to resist extinction, Saulsbury showed how it happens through simple population dynamics: Species originate at low abundance and either go extinct or become abundant enough to resist future extinction.

In addition to research, Saulsbury also helps educate the next generation of scientists. He has taught several biology courses and started a new journal club in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, which helps graduate students stay up-to-date on the most recent findings in their fields.

Saulsbury earned a bachelor’s degree in integrative biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate in earth & environmental sciences from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

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Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

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From the Office of Public Affairs | https://www.news.ku.edu

Headlines

Program will train high schoolers to write code and develop microelectronics for artificial intelligence

LAWRENCE — Public high school students in Kansas and two other states will receive training in the cutting-edge field of artificial intelligence, learning to create both code that underpins AI and the microelectronics to run it, as part of the United States’ push to keep the lead in microchip manufacturing and AI software development. A KU research team, funded by the National Science Foundation, will partner with Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park.

Large-format photographer gets below the surface in new KC group show

LAWRENCE – Three works referring both to the Midwest and the idea of liminality from a University of Kansas associate professor of photography are featured in a group show, “Strange and Familiar Places,” that runs now through July 20 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

KU students receive awards at Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Regional Competition

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas Department of Theatre & Dance students received several commendations and awards in January at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region V Festival in Des Moines, Iowa. Honorees include students from Maize, Overland Park, Shawnee, Topeka and Wichita.

New Kansas Geological Survey publication explores geology of eastern Kansas

LAWRENCE — A new publication from the Kansas Geological Survey integrates data drawn from scientific observations and detailed oil and gas industry well logs to modernize understanding of the geology of eastern Kansas and create a framework to support identification and management of the state’s vital natural resources. Understanding rock layers and their characteristics helps individuals and industry decide where to drill a water or oil well, where to find building stone and where to quarry the raw materials used to pave roads, among many other uses.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Brendan Lynch, KU News Service, 785-864-8855, [email protected]

Program will train high schoolers to write code and develop microelectronics for artificial intelligence

LAWRENCE — Public high school students in Kansas and two other states will receive training in the cutting-edge field of artificial intelligence, learning to create both code that underpins AI and the microelectronics to run it — as part of the United States’ push to keep the lead in microchip manufacturing and AI software development.

Researchers at the University of Kansas, along with the University of Florida and the University of North Texas, will partner with regional high schools to engage about 500 students and 25 teachers in real-world projects to build interest in the technology as a career path. The work is enabled by a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Of that, about $350,000 will come to KU.

The research at KU is headed by Tamzidul Hoque, assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science. His team in Lawrence will partner with Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, where computer science teacher Mark Lange will implement the curriculum.

A vital part of the training will allow students to run their code on Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) devices — basic low-power machines that enable AI processing directly on hardware.

“This will be a small device performing AI tasks at the user end without connecting to the cloud,” Hoque said. “TinyML is one application that allows a large AI model to be converted into a smaller one that can run on a small device.”

These so-called “edge devices” process data with their own microelectronics rather than relying on a centralized cloud or data center.

“We want to demonstrate to students the wide range of edge AI applications available,” Hoque said. “By working with edge AI, they’ll not only learn about AI but also gain knowledge of microelectronics because it involves low-level hardware. Our curriculum addresses both of these important areas — microelectronics and AI.”

Hoque’s team at KU is developing the edge devices to be used by students in classes nationwide, work informed by his earlier NSF-funded research into training students in computing-hardware fundamentals though gamified learning.

The design of the edge devices will consider strapped budgets faced by many high schools, particularly in low-income communities, according to Hoque.

“We’re developing a hardware platform that includes microprocessors, various sensors and communication components,” he said. “We’ll collaborate with the University of Florida to develop the platform, with a key challenge being cost-effectiveness. While many existing platforms can be used for programming AI, they are not affordable. Our goal is to create a device costing less than $45, equipped with at least 10 different sensors, making it accessible even for high schools with limited resources.”

Part of the project involves measuring and honing effectiveness of the instruction. Hoque and his colleagues will focus the training on altruistic, community-centered projects so students understand how engineering helps people.

“When we try to motivate students about engineering, we often highlight high-paying salaries or the lucrative aspects of the jobs — but engineering is not only about those things, and many students may not feel motivated solely by them,” the KU researcher said. “Integrating the concept of altruism — how engineering can help their community — can be a stronger motivator. For example, developing an AI application for fire detection or supporting farmers through novel technologies gives students a sense of altruism and community support, inspiring them to pursue careers in those directions.”

Nonetheless, according to Hoque, the curriculum should provide access to high-paying jobs in AI and microelectronics for individual students. By developing this workforce, Kansas and other states in the project could succeed in drawing more high-tech companies as students qualify to specialize in the sector. To ensure this, the researchers have teamed with AI-industry partners to match workforce needs of those employers with the training.

“Our goal is to ensure the curriculum we develop is well aligned with the industry,” Hoque said. “We have an advisory board made up of industry members who provide feedback on whether the topics we have chosen are suitable for the field and whether learning these technical skills will help students secure jobs in the long run.”

Along these lines, the researchers will hold conferences where high school teachers in the project and industry partners will trade ideas on curriculum and teaching methods to ensure the training is industry focused.

The work at KU is enabled by the CHIPS and Science Act, passed by Congress in 2022, a law designed to support domestic production of semiconductors and strengthen national security.

“After COVID, we realized how dependent we are on external supply chains, prompting the government to provide significant incentives for developing domestic manufacturing facilities,” Hoque said. “This issue impacts not only consumers but also national security, as microelectronics used in mission-critical systems must be developed in secure facilities with no possibility of malicious alterations or security threats. For national security reasons, it’s essential to have domestic capabilities to design and fabricate our own microchips. But it’s not enough to develop these facilities — we also need people to work in them. Programs like this will motivate students to explore hardware and pursue careers in microelectronics.”

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Contact: Rick Hellman, KU News Service, 785-864-8852, [email protected]

Large-format photographer gets below the surface in new KC group show

LAWRENCE — Elise Kirk learned a lot from her time as a documentary producer for clients like National Geographic. But now, the University of Kansas associate professor of photography finds herself drawn to an expanded documentary style of working.

Three of Kirk’s photos resulting from that kind of deep dive into a specific place are featured in a group photography show, “Strange and Familiar Places,” that runs now through July 20 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The museum acquired the three photos in the show, plus one more, for its permanent collection.

“It’s a group of photographers exploring the notion of place from some sort of insider perspective, whether that’s having grown up there or having spent a lot of time there,” Kirk said. “In my case, I’m exploring the Midwest from the perspective of having grown up here, having left for close to 20 years and then returned.”

As can be seen at her website, Kirk likes to work in series, and the shots in the Nelson show come from a series she calls “Mid—” referring both to the Midwest and the idea of liminality.

“The work ‘Mid—’ is all about a kind of personal tension between restlessness and rootedness, wanting to grow roots or be free,” Kirk said. “I gravitate towards making photographs that express that kind of internal tension.”

She cites a shot of a mobile home camped on the bank of the Missouri River.

“I like the idea that the van is this thing that gives you freedom to travel and move,” Kirk said. “But they’ve also set up decorative holiday string lights. They have bicycles out. So they are still building home; they’re building place. But they also are kind of riding this line.”

The “Mid—” photos were made with a large-format film camera (the negative is 4 by 5 inches) that Kirk lugged through small-town streets, backyards and into people’s homes. The camera’s tripod, bellows and hood — not to mention the $5 cost of each negative — meant no spur-of-the-moment, anonymous shots.

“My early documentary influence was Frederick Wiseman, who gets labeled as this direct-cinema filmmaker, always trying to make himself as invisible as possible,” Kirk said. “And so, to my old-school, filmmaking brain, that’s what documentary means — an act of pure observation and little interjection outside of authorial choices made in framing and editing. And I think, through my photographic practice, I’m acknowledging my own presence and subjectivity more.”

Doing so, Kirk said, “opened up a lot of possibility for me, in terms of working with other people. … It really forces you to slow down and engage with the subject matter and your relationship to it.”

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Contact: Lisa Coble-Krings, Department of Theatre & Dance, 785-864-5685, [email protected], @KUTheatre

KU students receive awards at Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Regional Competition

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas Department of Theatre & Dance students received several commendations and awards in January at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region V Festival in Des Moines, Iowa.

Outstanding work from the department was recognized through a national honorable mention, top regional costume design award and several regional commendations, most of which were tied to fully realized productions of KU’s University Theatre in 2024. Elliot Bowman, a senior in theatre and math from Topeka, earned a Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America/KCACTF National Dramaturgy Honorable Mention for their outstanding work on “Indecent,” the 2024-25 KU Theatre & Dance season opener. Katie Cooley, MFA student in scenography, earned distinction as the Sharon Sobel Regional Costume Design Award recipient.

Commendations

For the production of “Indecent” by Paula Vogel:

Elliot Bowman for dramaturgy
Rana Esfandiary, assistant professor of design & technology in the department and freelance designer, for scenic design
Josh Gilpin, MFA student in scenography, for lighting design
Olly G. Mitchell, senior theatre student from Maize, for choreography
Kennedy Tolar, a senior theatre student from Tulsa, Oklahoma, for stage management

For the production of “Hookman” by Lauren Yee:

Bella Black, junior in math student from Overland Park; Sean Ingram, sophomore in theatre design student from Shawnee; and Olivia Laycock, student in theatre design from Wichita, received the Don Childs Design Technology & Management Cross-Discipline Collaboration Award.
Sean Ingram for lighting design

For the production of “SWEAT” by Lynn Nottage:

Ensemble for Ensemble Work
Elliot Bowman, a Heart of the Art recognition for lighting design

For academic project work on “Blood Wedding” by Federico Garcia Lorca:

Katie Cooley for representation, equity and diversity principles in design

For the University Dance Company Fall Concert:

Elliot Bowman, a Heart of the Art recognition for lighting design.

“The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival provides critical support and recognition for the talents of emerging theatre artists nationwide,” said Henry Bial, department chair. “The annual regional festival is a highlight for our production program, and we are pleased to have had so many of our students honored.”

“I’m glad to be able to spend the time with my students as they build confidence and skills during this conference and appreciate the opportunity to reconnect with some of our alumni who lead theatre programs in our region,” said Kelly Vogel, head of scenography and associate teaching professor in the department.

The KCACTF-Region V annual conference and awards took place in Des Moines, Iowa. Region V includes Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. At various times during 2024, representatives of KCACTF came to Lawrence to judge the submitted plays and provide responses. KCACTF is a national theatre program created through the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which celebrates excellence in university and college theatre programs.

The University Theatre is a production wing of KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance, offering public productions throughout the academic year. Productions are funded in part by KU Student Senate fees with additional support from Truity Credit Union.

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Don’t miss new episodes of “When Experts Attack!,”

a KU News Service podcast hosted by Kansas Public Radio.

https://kansaspublicradio.org/podcast/when-experts-attack

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Contact: Stephan Oborny, Kansas Geological Survey, 785-864-1376, [email protected]

New Kansas Geological Survey publication explores geology of eastern Kansas

LAWRENCE — A new publication from the Kansas Geological Survey integrates data drawn from scientific observations and detailed oil and gas industry well logs to modernize understanding of the geology of eastern Kansas and create a framework to support identification and management of the state’s vital natural resources.

“The long history of stratigraphic studies in Kansas has produced a vast body of literature, resulting in complexity and confusion in nomenclature and correlation,” said Stephan Oborny, lead author of KGS Bulletin 265 and KGS assistant scientist. “This is particularly evident in the Middle Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) strata of eastern Kansas, where the definition, usage and stratigraphic positioning of many units have changed over time.”

Understanding rock layers and their characteristics helps individuals and industry decide where to drill a water or oil well, where to find building stone and where to quarry the raw materials used to pave roads, among many other uses.

“Improved stratigraphic frameworks support the exploration and management of valuable natural resources, such as critical minerals, aggregates, coal, oil, gas, salt and groundwater,” Oborny said. “Additionally, enhancing regional rock unit correlations allows stratigraphers to more accurately reconstruct Earth’s geological history, including ancient sea-level fluctuations, past environmental conditions, tectonic activity and mass extinction events.”

Among the challenges today’s geologists face are the loss of key rock outcrops that scientists of the past used in interpreting the geology of the state and past studies that prioritized outcrop observations over subsurface data or vice versa, leading to incomplete or imprecise interpretations.

The new publication seeks to reconcile these historical and recent discrepancies by integrating new observations both above and below ground. Researchers revisited key outcrops where Pennsylvanian rock units were originally defined in eastern Kansas and examined oil and gas industry well log data to better understand rock layers in the subsurface. Based on what they learned from these activities, they constructed nine stratigraphic cross sections that trace rock units through the subsurface in 28 counties in eastern Kansas, two in western Missouri and one in northern Oklahoma.

“Whether applied in industry, environmental conservation or academic research, stratigraphy remains a fundamental discipline in earth sciences, providing essential insights into the past while helping to anticipate future geological changes,” Oborny said.

Bulletin 265 is available online. Printed copies are available in Lawrence through KGS Publications Sales, [email protected], 785-864-3965, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS 66047-3724. In Wichita, copies are available from Kansas Geologic Sample Repository, [email protected], 316-943-2343, 4150 W. Monroe St, Wichita, KS 67209-2640. Supplemental files are available online only.

The KGS is a nonregulatory research and service division of the University of Kansas. KGS researchers study and provide information about the state’s geologic resources and hazards, including groundwater, oil and natural gas, critical materials and earthquakes.

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KU News Service

1450 Jayhawk Blvd.

Lawrence KS 66045

[email protected]

https://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs