Researchers at the University of Kentucky play a pivotal role in finding solutions to meet the needs of the Commonwealth and the nation.
Much of that work to advance science is done with funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Chad Risko, Ph.D., is the assistant vice president for research development and support and the faculty director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. He is also the John C. Hubbard Professor of Chemistry in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.
With significant support from these agencies, Risko studies how molecular building blocks of materials influence their formation and behavior, including electrical, optical and mechanical properties. His team develops computer models to better understand and predict these behaviors by combining ideas from chemistry, physics, data science and materials science.
"Funding from these agencies allows us to educate and train researchers as they develop new knowledge through the pursuit of answers to scientific questions. It also allows us to have staff who provide critical research support," said Risko. "My hope for the future is that we can expand on the incredible trajectories of the scientific, engineering and social innovations that are being built through the hard work and dedication of our students, staff and faculty to solve current and future challenges."
Risko and other members of our research community shared the importance of this federally funded research at UK. Learn more about the impactful work done in this video series from Research Communications.
Research in the news:
- CAER, chemistry researchers awarded US Department of Energy grant to develop biofuel technology
- UK researchers lead multidisciplinary project for next-generation organic semiconductors
- Computational chemist Chad Risko featured in 'I am a UK Innovator' series
