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

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Stauffer-Flint Hall to be home of Kansas Media Hall of Fame
LAWRENCE — Stauffer-Flint Hall at the University of Kansas will serve as the new home for the Kansas Media Hall of Fame, featuring inductees in the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame, Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame and Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame, effective May 19. Portraits of the recent inductees will be displayed throughout the year along with an interactive touchscreen featuring the previous inductees. Each January, portraits of the new induction class will be installed, and the previous year’s class will transition to the digital display.

Understanding what democracy means proves key to supporting it, study finds
LAWRENCE — A new article from a University of Kansas professor, titled “Under the Veil of Democracy: What Do People Mean When They Say They Support Democracy?,” uses global cross-national survey data that demonstrates individual variation in the understanding of democracy is linked to democratic support across countries and regime contexts. The results suggest one must consider divergent conceptualizations when analyzing opinions of democracy.

Tsvetan Tsvetanov to give Shutz Lecture May 4
LAWRENCE — A decorated University of Kansas economics professor will offer an inside look into his energy and environmental economics research and how it influences his teaching goals and approach in the classroom. Tsvetan Tsvetanov will deliver “Understanding and Teaching the Fundamentals of Decision-Making” for the annual Shutz Lecture series at 3:30 p.m. May 4.

School of Social Welfare center will host 2023 LGBTQ Research Symposium
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy will host its annual LGBTQ Research Symposium as a virtual event June 1-2. This year’s program will build on traditions established over the past 10 years, providing researchers and advocates opportunities to present their work, discuss challenges and opportunities, and network with others conducting LGBTQ+ research across disciplines.

Six students receive Kansas Biological Survey Student Research Awards for 2023
LAWRENCE — The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research at the University of Kansas has awarded $6,500 in funding this spring for graduate student research to be conducted this year. Their work covers subjects such as the effect of microbes on native plant adaptation and drought tolerance, the effect of wildflower seeding density in a prairie restoration and the effect of roots on the structure of deep soil. Recipients include Annalise Guthrie, of Kansas City, Missouri.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Steve Rottinghaus, School of Journalism, 785-864-7644, [email protected], @KUJournalism
Stauffer-Flint Hall to be home of Kansas Media Hall of Fame
LAWRENCE — Stauffer-Flint Hall at the University of Kansas will serve as the new home for the Kansas Media Hall of Fame, featuring inductees in the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame, Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame and Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame, effective May 19.
Portraits of the recent inductees will be displayed throughout the year along with an interactive touchscreen featuring the previous inductees. Each January, portraits of the new induction class will be installed, and the previous year’s class will transition to the digital display.
“The William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications is honored to showcase the rich legacy of Kansas media,” said Ann Brill, dean of the journalism school. “We look forward to partnering with Kansas Press Association and Kansas Association of Broadcasters throughout the years to celebrate the individuals who have excelled in their careers. We hope this inspires the next generation of storytellers.”
Inductees from the Class of 2022, their family members and former inductees are invited to the dedication and ribbon cutting May 19, on the KU Lawrence campus. Festivities will begin with a social and remarks at 3 p.m. at the Jayhawk Welcome Center and Adams Alumni Center before the ribbon cutting at Stauffer-Flint.
The KAB, which has been honoring outstanding broadcasters for more than 50 years, currently has 103 inductees in its hall.
“The Kansas Association of Broadcasters is thrilled to have created the Kansas Media Hall of Fame along with our great partners at the Kansas Press Association,” said Allison Mazzei, KAB president. “The KAB has been honoring outstanding broadcasters since 1969 with our Distinguished Service Award and in the year 2000 created the Hall of Fame — our highest distinction. Each year we induct one to three legacy broadcasters who have made significant contributions to the industry into these prestigious categories. We are incredibly grateful to the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications for providing this physical space to honor our members and inspire the next generation of broadcasters.”
Since 1931, the KPA has inducted 142 journalists who have made outstanding contributions to their profession.
“We are grateful to Dean Ann Brill and many others that helped bring the new Kansas Media Hall of Fame to the University of Kansas,” said Emily Bradbury, KPA executive director. “The William Allen White School of Journalism has played such a pivotal role in the journalism industry in Kansas that it is fitting that the Hall of Fame would find a permanent home here. Working with Allison and the Kansas Association of Broadcasters is always a pleasure, and we are proud to partner with them on this project.”
The inaugural Photojournalism Hall of Fame was announced last fall.
The Kansas Press Association and Kansas Association of Broadcasters will announce their 2023 Hall of Fame classes in October.
Here are the 2022 HOF inductees:
Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame
Murrel Bland, Jean Hays, John Marshall and Bill Roy
Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame
Don Free, Jack Oliver and Wyatt Thompson
Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame
Rich Clarkson, Carl Davaz, Jeff Jacobsen, Chris Johns, Brian Lanker, Sandra Milburn, Gordon Parks, Jim Richardson, Charlie Riedel, Gary Settle, Bill Snead and Pete Souza.

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Contact: Jon Niccum, KU News Service, 785-864-7633, [email protected]
Understanding what democracy means proves key to supporting it, study finds
LAWRENCE — Winston Churchill famously said, “Democracy is the worst form of government — except for all those other forms that have been tried.”
However, that presumes people agree on what the term actually means.
“Not everybody understands what democracy is, and understanding of democracy is tied to support for it,” said Valery Dzutsati, visiting assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas.
“Moreover, misunderstanding is also tied to not supporting it.”
His new article, titled “Under the Veil of Democracy: What Do People Mean When They Say They Support Democracy?,” uses global cross-national survey data that demonstrates individual variation in the understanding of democracy is linked to democratic support across countries and regime contexts. The results suggest one must consider divergent conceptualizations when analyzing opinions of democracy. It’s published in Perspectives on Politics.
Co-written by Hannah Chapman of the University of Oklahoma, Margaret Hanson of Arizona State University and Paul DeBell of Fort Lewis College, the article notes there is no such thing as a perfect democracy.
“There cannot be because we as humans are not perfect,” Dzutsati said.
So what country is closest to the textbook definition of this system of government?
“That’s a controversial question because specialists also have very different views on what is a democracy, how to define it and how to rank it,” he said.
Dzutsati points out, for example, how some of the most celebrated democracies (the U.S. included) often end up with a two-party system. And, theoretically, these should be less effective since they feature limited choices.
“But at the same time, we do see multiparty systems in Europe which are so multiparty that they become dysfunctional,” he said.
“Coalitions are hard to build because there are so many parties and each of them holds a small share of votes, so it is easy to block decisions. It is perhaps a ‘better’ democracy in a way, but it’s not functional. You want to live in a functional society because roads need to be built and things need to be kept in order.”
The researchers based their findings on the last three waves of the World Values Survey, including the most recent one from 2017-2022. The analyzed data encompasses 85 countries. According to their conclusions, an individual’s knowledge of democracy is fairly low on average.
“A significant proportion of respondents conflate things like army rule or religious cleric rule with manifestations of democracy,” Dzutsati said.
“What it means for us as educators is we need better education so that people understand what a democratic political system is. And, by the way, the U.S. is not an exception. A lot of Americans who say they support democracy also say they support a strong man’s rule — a strong man who is a man of action who does things no matter what, disregarding the legislature and elections if needed.”
Then should America still be deemed a democracy?
“With a fair amount of confidence, I would say yes. Why? Because voting still matters,” he said. “You can disagree with a variety of things, but you cannot disagree with the fact that this country can change very significantly through voting.”
Dzutsati was raised in North Ossetia (in the southwest of European Russia). As part of the former Soviet Union, his country’s official system of government described itself as “democratic centralism.” Interestingly, he said the Soviet Union had voting but didn’t actually have elections.
“That was because for every electable position there was only one candidate,” he said.
“You did go to voting booths, and it was made like a public holiday held usually on Sundays. There would be events and food. People would come and cast their ballot, which didn’t mean anything. It was simply a confirmation of the existing order.”
Contemporary Russia is in a very similar situation absent the Communist ideology, he said. Many Russians do not see a better alternative to Vladimir Putin’s regime, which vigorously promotes the belief of Putin’s indispensability along with the idea that no true democracy exists anywhere. Incidentally, support for democracy is among the lowest in Russia according to World Values Survey data.
Dzutsati earned his doctorate in political science from Arizona State University. He is an expert in politics and conflict of Eurasia and Eastern Europe, and his past work includes “Secessionist conflict as diversion from inequality: The missing link between grievance and repression” and “Russia’s Syria War: A Strategic Trap?” (co-written with Emil Souleimanov).
He said the last decade has been quite insightful when researching the ebbs and flows of democracies, particularly in the U.S.
“One big error we had a few years ago is we had this kind of linear view of development. The world and this country are becoming more and more democratic. Everything is fine. You don’t have to do anything. Sit and relax. That’s not the case,” Dzutsati said. “I hope we have learned this lesson.”
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Contact: Evan Riggs, Office of the Provost, 785-864-1085, [email protected], @KUProvost
Tsvetan Tsvetanov to give Shutz Lecture May 4
LAWRENCE — A decorated University of Kansas economics professor will offer an inside look into his energy and environmental economics research and how it influences his teaching goals and approach in the classroom.
Tsvetan Tsvetanov, De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Associate Professor of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, will deliver the annual Shutz Lecture at 3:30 p.m. May 4. A reception in his honor will immediately follow. The lecture, “Understanding and Teaching the Fundamentals of Decision-Making,” will take place in the Beren Petroleum Conference Center, Slawson Hall G192.
Tsvetanov was recently honored with the Byron T. Shutz Award for Excellence in Teaching and is KU’s 36th recipient of the award. In his research, Tsvetanov has explored topics related to renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency investments, resource conservation and climate change effects.
“My research is in the area of energy and environmental economics,” Tsvetanov said. “I aim to gain a better understanding of the factors that drive individuals in their energy-related decisions and utilize my findings to derive recommendations for policies that can be used to influence these individuals’ decisions.”
At KU, he teaches courses in microeconomics, energy economics and environmental economics. He has taught at various levels, ranging from introductory undergraduate courses to the doctoral level.
The environmental and energy economist joined KU in 2015 and held the distinction of Oswald Scholar for the first six years after his arrival. Tsvetanov received the Charles W. Oswald Teaching Award from the Department of Economics in 2018 and served a one-year term as the director of graduate programs and associate chair in the department that ended in the spring of 2022. He received the De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Award in 2022. The award honors excellence among associate professors in the Department of Economics.
Tsvetanov has a courtesy appointment with the KU Environmental Studies Program and is an affiliated faculty member for the Institute for Policy & Social Research, the Center for Environmental Policy and the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies. Before joining KU, he was a postdoctoral associate at Yale University.
Tsvetanov has published more than a dozen scholarly articles in various peer-reviewed journals, including the top field journals Journal of Environmental Economics and Management and Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
Tsvetanov obtained his bachelor’s degree at Vassar College in New York with a double major in economics and German studies. He obtained his master’s degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in agricultural and resource economics from the University of Connecticut.
KU established the Byron T. Shutz Award in 1978 to recognize distinguished teaching by a KU faculty member. Each year the award alternates between honoring outstanding teaching in any discipline and teaching in the fields of economics and business. The award’s namesake received the Distinguished Service Citation in 1963, KU’s highest recognition.

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a KU News Service podcast hosted by Kansas Public Radio.

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Contact: Elizabeth Barton, School of Social Welfare, [email protected], @KUSocialWelfare
School of Social Welfare center will host 2023 LGBTQ Research Symposium
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy will host its annual LGBTQ Research Symposium next month. This virtual event will take place June 1-2, offering live sessions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I’m so excited to continue offering this symposium through the CLRA at KU,” said Meg Paceley, associate professor and co-director of the Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy. “Providing this resource in an accessible online format allows us to collaborate and network with more queer scholars and reach practitioners and advocates who need research to promote equity and justice in their work.”
This year’s program builds on traditions established over the past 10 years, providing researchers and advocates opportunities to present their work, discuss challenges and opportunities, and network with others conducting LGBTQ+ research across disciplines. This year’s theme of “Queering Community & Kinship” emphasizes constructing and maintaining queer connections through the continuation of LGBTQ+ narratives and research.
The fully online, digital format of the 2023 symposium presents unique and creative opportunities to enhance accessibility and integrate digital humanities ideas and concepts. The format of presentations will include live presentations, panel discussions, roundtables, workshops and innovative technological presentations. Pre-recorded presentations, posters and creative submissions will also be available on demand during the conference. The opportunity to earn continuing education units (CEUs) is available for many of these sessions.
“While this conference has its roots in the Midwest, it is wonderful to be able to virtually convene such an incredible group of scholars, advocates and community partners from across the country,” said Briana McGeough, assistant professor and center co-director. “I’m continually inspired by the ways that LGBTQ individuals show up to support each other, and it’s an honor to witness a microcosm of that support during the symposium.”
The conference will feature three awards for Outstanding Community Organization, Outstanding Emerging Scholar Paper and Outstanding Student Paper. Awardees will be announced during the keynote session June 1. Award nomination materials should be emailed to [email protected] by May 12 to be considered. Find more event, registration and award details visit the 2023 LBGTQ Research Symposium website.

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Contact: Kirsten Bosnak, KU Field Station, 785-864-6267, [email protected], @KUFieldStation
Six students receive Kansas Biological Survey Student Research Awards for 2023
LAWRENCE — The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research at the University of Kansas has awarded $6,500 in funding this spring for student research to be conducted this year. The research center’s 2023 Student Research Awards are providing six graduate students with funding in support of their ecological research.
Their work covers subjects such as the effect of microbes on native plant adaptation and drought tolerance, the effect of wildflower seeding density in a prairie restoration and the effect of roots on the structure of deep soil. During the 2023–2024 academic year, each student will present their research during one of the center’s Friday Ecology Seminars, which went online in 2020.
The research center houses a diverse group of ecological research and remote sensing/GIS programs. It also manages the 3,300-acre KU Field Station, a resource for study across the university.
“We’re excited about the important work these students are doing in various areas of terrestrial ecology and are glad to be in a position to provide support,” said Bryan Foster, who chairs the awards committee. Foster is a KU professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, a senior scientist at the research center and director of the KU Field Station.
The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research has presented several different named awards, listed below. Each is funded through KU Endowment, the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU.
The Director’s Award provides support for research conducted by a graduate student. Ceyda Kural, Houston doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, was awarded $1,500 in funding for her project, “Tripsacum dactyloides: a native plant model to study microbial contributions to local adaptation and drought tolerance.” Her adviser is Maggie Wagner, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and assistant scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
The Kenneth B. Armitage Award provides support for research conducted by an undergraduate or graduate student at the KU Field Station. Brooke Bernhardt, Minneapolis, Minnesota, graduate student in ecology & evolutionary biology, was awarded $1,000 in funding for her project, “The role of species identity and species richness on physiological responses to precipitation.” Her adviser is Jim Bever, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
In addition, four students received funding through the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research Awards, which provide support for research conducted by either undergraduate or graduate students. In 2023, four students were awarded $1,000 each.
1. Naomi Betson, Nashville, Indiana, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, received the award for her project, “Effects of forb seeding density on community structure and development over the first eight years of a prairie restoration.” Her adviser is Bryan Foster, professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
2. Reb Bryant, Shreveport, Louisiana, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, received the award for their project, “Native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and prairie restoration success at Nachusa Grasslands.” Their adviser is Jim Bever, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
3. Annalise Guthrie, Kansas City, Missouri, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, received the award for her project, “Evidence for rapid and wide-spread root-induced soil structural changes in deep soils.” Her adviser is Sharon Billings, University Distinguished Professor, Dean’s Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
4. Yufan Zhou, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, from Urumqi, Xinjiang province, China, received the award for his project, “Comparing plant-soil feedback between perennial and annual species.” His advisers are Maggie Wagner, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and assistant scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, and Jim Bever, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.

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KU News Service
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Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
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KU researchers and collaborators developing new technologies for recycling solar panels
LAWRENCE — As solar panels reach the end of their working lives, many end up in landfills. University of Kansas scientists are poised to avert this looming waste crisis with help from a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. In collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory and First Solar Inc., researchers at KU’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis are developing a low-cost method to separate and reuse components from used solar panels for recycling.

Project awarded $250K to increase inclusion in research for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
LAWRENCE — A team at the University of Kansas has been approved for a $250,000 funding award by the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Awards program, an initiative of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The project will begin by connecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their family members with clinicians, policymakers, researchers and other interested groups in a new network titled Kansas Health and Research Partnership.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Mindie Paget, Office of Research, 785-864-0013, [email protected], @ResearchAtKU
KU researchers and collaborators developing new technologies for recycling solar panels
LAWRENCE — Solar power is growing at an astonishing rate, providing almost 4% of the world’s electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. But as solar panels reach the end of their working lives, many end up in landfills.
University of Kansas scientists are poised to avert this looming waste crisis with help from a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. In collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory and First Solar Inc., researchers at KU’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis are developing a low-cost method to separate and reuse components from used solar panels for recycling.
“Our goal is to demonstrate a recycling technology that can be easily scaled up and is also green,” said Bala Subramaniam, Dan F. Servey Distinguished Professor of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering and director of the CEBC. “Efficient recycling of solar panels will be essential as the industry grows, to ensure the availability of critical materials, minimize waste and limit costs. Solving this problem now is essential to avoid the type and scale of pollution that we currently face with waste plastics. This project is an example of the forward-thinking research that the KU CEBC and its collaborators undertake to promote the sustainability of our planet.”
Solar panels are constructed from several layers of materials, including glass, adhesives, metals and semiconductors. Recovering rare and costly metals from end-of-life panels is expensive, slow, destructive and requires harsh chemical conditions. According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, less than 10% of the country’s decommissioned panels are recycled.
The research team will tackle this problem by developing a new technology to easily separate the layers, then use ozone to recover the valuable metals. They will design the process under laboratory conditions, then employ economic and environmental modeling to scale the solution for industry use.
The resulting process is expected to be faster, cleaner and more cost-effective — potentially solving an industrywide recycling challenge.
“First Solar has long been committed to sustainability, with a particular emphasis on recycling that dates back over 15 years, when we launched the industry’s first commercial recycling program. Partnerships with institutions such as the University of Kansas are invaluable as we continue to evolve our recycling technology to both scale recycling facilities and optimize recovery rates,” said Pat Buehler, chief product officer at First Solar, KU’s industry research partner on this grant.
KU was selected as a part of the SETO Fiscal Year 2022 Photovoltaics Research & Development (PVRD) funding program, an effort to reduce costs and supply chain vulnerabilities, further develop durable and recyclable solar technologies, and advance more environmentally friendly PV technologies toward commercialization.
The Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis is a multi-departmental research center focused on protecting the planet, promoting prosperity and enriching scholarship through diversity.
This project highlights KU’s strength in research focused on earth, energy & environment, which is one of the university’s five strategic research themes. Research in this area increases understanding of the various dimensions and impacts of climate change on human and natural systems, developing new technologies and mitigation strategies with an ultimate goal of sustaining the life of the planet and its inhabitants.

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Contact: Christina Knott, Life Span Institute, [email protected], @kulifespan
Project awarded $250K to increase inclusion in research for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
LAWRENCE — A team at the University of Kansas has been approved for a $250,000 funding award by the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Awards program, an initiative of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The funds will support a project designed to expand inclusion in research for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Led by researcher Karrie Shogren, director of the KU Life Span Institute’s Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD), the project aims to enable opportunities for people with IDD to engage in research that affects them.
“I have been privileged to partner with people with disabilities to develop interventions and supports to enable people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to challenge the biases that they face, identify the futures they want and the goals and supports that will get them there,” Shogren said.
Recently named Ross and Marianna Beach Distinguished Professor of Special Education in the KU School of Education & Human Sciences, Shogren is a senior scientist at the Life Span Institute and associate director of the Beach Center on Disability.
The PCORI-funded project, with additional support from KUCDD, will begin by connecting people with IDD and their family members with clinicians, policymakers, researchers and other interested groups in a new network titled Kansas Health and Research Partnership.
Activities of the network will include recruiting, hosting monthly meetings and a learning series for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities on inclusive research, developing a plain language report, distributing project materials and creating a research agenda that targets participation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as researchers.
Shogren’s research is part of a portfolio of projects that PCORI has funded to help develop a community of patients and other stakeholders equipped to participate as partners in comparative clinical effectiveness research and disseminate PCORI-funded study results. PCORI is an independent organization that funds research to provide patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better informed health care decisions.
“This project was selected for Engagement Award funding because it will build a community equipped to participate as partners in CER and develop partnerships and infrastructure to disseminate PCORI-funded research results,” said Greg Martin, PCORI’s acting chief engagement and dissemination officer. “We look forward to working with the University of Kansas throughout the course of the 24 months of the project.”
According to PCORI, Shogren’s project was selected through a highly competitive review process in which applications were assessed for their ability to meet PCORI’s engagement goals and objectives, as well as program criteria.
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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://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

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TRIO SES celebrates 50 years of student support at KU
LAWRENCE — On May 2, TRIO Supportive Educational Services will celebrate 50 years of continuous federal funding at the University of Kansas. The reception from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom is a celebration of both the end of the semester as well as decades of student success and achievement. TRIO SES is a student support service program that provides first-generation, low-income and disabled students with comprehensive and personalized support during their time at KU.

KU announces new 2023-2027 Self Graduate Fellows
LAWRENCE — Fifteen doctoral students have been selected to receive the University of Kansas’ Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year. The total value of each prestigious four-year doctoral fellowship exceeds $200,000. Kansas recipients include scholars from Lenexa, Olathe, Overland Park, Shawnee and Wichita. Missouri recipients include scholars from Fulton, Kansas City, Lee’s Summit and Lone Jack.

School of Music announces new director of orchestral activities
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Music has announced the appointment of KU alumnus Creston Herron as its new director of orchestral activities. Herron, director of fine arts for the Klein Independent School District and conductor of Rice University’s Campanile Orchestra in Texas, will join the School of Music in fall 2023.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Alicia Marksberry, Achievement & Assessment Institute, [email protected], @AAI_at_KU
TRIO SES celebrates 50 years of student support at KU

LAWRENCE — On May 2, TRIO Supportive Educational Services (TRIO SES) will celebrate 50 years of continuous federal funding at the University of Kansas. Taking place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Kansas Union Ballroom, the reception is a chance to celebrate both the end of the semester and decades of student success and achievement. TRIO SES is a student support service program that provides first-generation, low-income and disabled students with comprehensive and personalized support during their time at KU. Over the last half-century, TRIO SES has built a robust community and team dedicated to student success.

“This celebration is about the students. We want to recognize their achievements, tenacity and success,” said TRIO SES director Gretchen Heasty. “That is central to what we do here.”
TRIO SES is part of a national network of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The USDE currently funds 1,162 SSS projects, serving more than 209,200 college students. Although federal TRIO SSS programs have existed in the United States since the authorization of the Higher Education Amendments in 1968, TRIO SES didn’t become KU’s first TRIO program until 1973.
At KU, the effort to recruit and support low-income and minority students was initiated by the Black Student Union in the late 1960s through protests calling for better support and inclusivity. In response, councils and departments across campus founded the SES program and the Office of Minority Affairs as well as created new faculty and staff positions to address inequality at the university.
Fifty years later, TRIO SES continues to provide supports from tutoring and advising to scholarships and study abroad opportunities. Based on a long record of success, KU received a second SSS grant through a competitive national competition in 2015 to expand SES’s reach from 250 students served annually to 370 students. The new funding allowed staff to enhance services for TRIO students majoring in science, technology, engineering, math and health care, and the program is now known at KU as TRIO SES & STEM.
TRIO SES goes beyond advising and financial support. SES staff function like phone operators, connecting students to resources and departments on the campus switchboard to find a solution to the problem. Student success coordinators work as a team to help students with whatever they need, whether it be enrolling in classes, paying a late fee, finding an apartment or job, or obtaining disability accommodations.
“I think everybody in the office believes that whatever the students need, that’s what we’re going to do,” said Julie Hamel, the TRIO SES assistant director for student programming. “When a student comes in the office, they’re not always going to fit under one of the categories of services. We all try to respond in the moment and get students to where they need to go.”
Exceeding student outcomes is required for continued funding through the competitive grant awarding process. During the last 20 years, TRIO SES & STEM students have persisted at KU at a rate of 90% or higher and have a six-year graduation rate between 65% and 70%. For TRIO-eligible students who have disproportionately lower retention rates due to economic, social and other systemic barriers, this commitment to student success is paramount. Emily Costner, a TRIO SES ambassador and scholarship recipient, said that TRIO SES has been instrumental in ensuring her success at KU.
“I think that people like me that meet all three of the TRIO criteria are further behind than many other students. Having that extra support, even if it’s just emotionally there for you, has a huge impact,” Costner said. “To have someone in a place where we all can connect and where we all understand what it’s like is incredible.”
Costner said that because of TRIO SES she was able to find on-campus child care for her son, change her major, pass her classes and save money. For other students like her, TRIO SES isn’t just a resource, it’s a community of people with similar backgrounds that help them feel like they belong at KU.
“Coming to college I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in or meet people who had the same experiences that I had growing up and who are dealing with the same issues as me,” said TRIO student, tutor and ambassador Morgan Weir. “I didn’t realize that this program that helps you find your place in this community existed until I came to KU, and it’s been really great.”
The TRIO ambassador program began this year after being paused during the pandemic as a way for SES students to help reach other students who would benefit from the services. Ten students volunteered this year to join the outreach program.
“I decided to become an ambassador because I got so much help from TRIO my freshman year, and without it, I don’t know where I would have ended up,” SES student Carolina Frausto said.
TRIO SES plans to continue providing innovative programming and services to support TRIO student success at KU and beyond. Recent TRIO initiatives involve reaching out to KU TRIO alumni to build a more intentional network of TRIO Jayhawks, prioritizing strategies to make study abroad and global learning available for KU TRIO students and continuing to be part of KU’s First Forward committee to better serve first-generation college students.
“Over the next 50 years we want to continue to advocate for students on campus and listen to our students about where they want to see us go and where their strengths and gaps are. I think these are the foundational pieces,” Heasty said. “Fifty years from now, SES will continue to hold those foundations of advocacy and individual and personalized support.”
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Contact: Daniel Rivera, Self Graduate Fellowship, 785-864-7249, [email protected], @Selfgraduate
KU announces new 2023-2027 Self Graduate Fellows
LAWRENCE — Fifteen doctoral students have been selected to receive the University of Kansas’ prestigious Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year. This incoming group of fellows is the largest cohort in over 20 years. Over 200 students have benefited from the Self Graduate Fellowship since it was established in 1989.
The Self Graduate Fellowship is a four-year package awarded to incoming or first-year doctoral students who demonstrate leadership, initiative and passion for achievement. The fellowship covers full tuition and fees, provides graduate research assistant support of $34,000 per year, a $5,500 professional development award, a $5,000 start-up award, $1,000 textbook and technology awards (years 2-4) and a unique professional development program. The Fellow Development Program provides general education and training in communication, management, innovation, policy and leadership to assist Self Graduate Fellows in preparation for future leadership roles. The role of the development program is to complement the specialized education and training provided in doctoral programs. The total value of the four-year doctoral fellowship exceeds $200,000.
The fellowship’s mission is to identify and recruit exceptional doctoral students who demonstrate the promise to make significant contributions to their fields and society as a whole.
The late Madison “Al” and Lila Self launched and permanently endowed the Self Graduate Fellowship in 1989, motivated by their strong belief in the vital importance of developing leadership for tomorrow. Madison Self was a 1943 KU graduate in chemical engineering. Lila Self attended KU with the Class of 1943.
The new Self Graduate Fellows for the 2023-2027 cohort:
1. Elizabeth Bartlett, of Eagan, Minnesota: bachelor’s degree in chemistry and minor in computer science from the College of Saint Benedict; first-year doctoral student in chemistry
2. Megan Carlson, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri: expected bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from KU; incoming doctoral student in aerospace engineering
3. Emily Daniel, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri: bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and applied critical thought and inquiry from William Jewell College; first-year doctoral student in the interdisciplinary graduate program in biomedical sciences, KU Medical Center
4. Gentry Totta-Griese, of Fulton, Missouri: bachelor’s degree in chemistry and bachelor’s degree in biology from MidAmerica Nazarene University; first-year doctoral student in the interdisciplinary graduate program in biomedical sciences, KU Medical Center
5. William Hauser, of Shawnee: bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience from KU; first-year doctoral student in the interdisciplinary graduate program in biomedical sciences, KU Medical Center
6. Lana Heslop, of Greer, South Carolina: bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences from the University of Kentucky; first-year doctoral student in the interdisciplinary graduate program in biomedical sciences, KU Medical Center
7. Carrie Lewis-Merritt, of Kansas City, Missouri: bachelor’s degree in environmental science and minor in mathematics from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, master’s degree in atmospheric science from KU; first-year doctoral student in atmospheric science
8. Ashley Lieber, of Wichita: bachelor’s degree in physics and minor in math and STEM education from the University of Arkansas; first-year doctoral student in physics & astronomy
9. Natalie Lind, of Longmont, Colorado: expected bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Fort Lewis College; incoming doctoral student in chemistry
10. Curtis McLennan, of Palatine, Illinois: expected bachelor’s degree in physics and expected bachelor’s in applied mathematics from Wheaton College; incoming doctoral student in physics & astronomy
11. Daniel Mongovin, of Olympia, Washington: bachelor’s degree in geology from Central Washington University and master’s degree in geology from KU; first-year doctoral student in geology
12. Jessica Pfannenstiel, of Lone Jack, Missouri: bachelor’s degree in microbiology from KU; first-year doctoral student in microbiology
13. Yezan Salamoun, of Overland Park: expected bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical studies from KU; incoming doctoral student in pharmaceutical chemistry
14. Sophia Terian, of Lenexa: expected bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from KU; incoming doctoral student in environmental and water resources engineering
15. Bailey Thompson, of Olathe: bachelor’s degree in accounting and master’s degree in accounting from KU; incoming doctoral student in accounting.

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Contact: Fally Afani, School of Music, [email protected], @MusicKU
School of Music announces new director of orchestral activities
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Music has announced the appointment of Creston Herron as its new director of orchestral activities. Herron, a highly respected conductor and educator, will join the School of Music in fall 2023.
Herron is currently the director of fine arts for the Klein Independent School District and the conductor of Rice University’s Campanile Orchestra in Texas. He is also the former director of orchestras at Klein High School and the former director of strings for the Yes Prep Public Schools. With a career spanning over two decades, Herron has conducted regional and all-state ensembles in several states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Mexico, South Carolina and Texas.
“We are thrilled to welcome Creston Herron to the University of Kansas School of Music,” said Paul Popiel, interim dean of the School of Music. “His extensive experience as a conductor, educator and musician will be invaluable in leading our orchestral program and inspiring the next generation of musicians.”
As a dedicated pedagogue, Herron said he is passionate about working with young performers and future educators. He has presented master classes and guest lectures at several institutions, including Rice University, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and The Midwest Clinic. He also provides professional development workshops to educators locally and nationally. In addition to his work as an educator, Herron is an accomplished violinist and has performed with various symphonies, including the Houston Latin Philharmonic and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
“I cannot express how thrilled I am to join the University of Kansas faculty and be a part of the institution that helped develop me into the musician that I am today,” Herron said. “This is more than just a job opportunity for me. It’s a homecoming. I look forward to sharing the same passion instilled in me many years ago with the current and future students of this incredible university.”
Herron received his Bachelor of Music in Music Performance from KU, his Master of Music from Rice University, Shepherd School of Music in Houston, where he received his scholarship as a Provost Fellow and a Brown Scholar, and recently received a Master of Education in school leadership from Sam Houston State University.
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