The University Research Professorships were established by the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees in 1976 to recognize excellence across the full spectrum of research, scholarship, and creative endeavors at the University of Kentucky. One $10,000 award (research funding) can be made each year to a faculty member within the College of Fine Arts to further their research/creative activity. Recipients of this award may use the title "University of Kentucky Research Professor" for as long as they remain faculty at the University of Kentucky. The applicants seeking nomination for the UK Research Professorship must perform well above benchmarks and demonstrate sustained performance in their research/creative activities.

Recent Awardees

• 2025-26: Donna Lee Kwon, School of Music
• 2024-25: Olivia (Liv) Yinger, School of Music
• 2023-24: Dieter Hennings Yeomans, School of Music
• 2022-23: Yuha Jung, Department of Arts Administration
• 2021-22: Jonathan McFadden: School of Art and Visual Studies
• 2020-21: Rae Goodwin, School of Art and Visual Studies
• 2019-18: Hunter Stamps, School of Art and Visual Studies
• 2018-19: Herman Daniel Farrell III, Department of Theatre and Dance
• 2017-18: Ebony G. Patterson, School of Art and Visual Studies
• 2016-17: Diana R. Hallman: School of Music

CURATE Grants demonstrate the wide ranging and tremendous achievements of our esteemed faculty. The research funds are used for a wide variety of research endeavors. The CFA Research/Creative Activity Committee, the ADR and the Dean review grant proposals for these awards in the College. The generous funds are provided by UK's Office of the Vice President for Research in coordination with the University wide CURATE Committee, as a strategic initiative to support faculty research where less external funding is available.

Current Awardees

• John Birdwell, “From Albeniz to Alarcón”: Exploring The Use of Traditional Spanish Dance Music in Contemporary Wind Band Literature Through the Cultivation, Creation and Dissemination of Luis Serrano Alarcon’s Spanish Dances, funding for Travel to Spain to attend and conduct performances with composer Luis Serrano Alarcón
• Nancy Jones, Field work for the development and writing of Dr. Jones' book on Molière’s navigation of censorship and suppression, and his anticipation of the contemporary comic landscape
• Bradley Kerns, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue Recording Project, funding to produce a globally distributed recording
• Forest Kelley, Implied Objects/Sublime Forms, funding for a mixed media exhibition
• Jody Stokes-Casey, Oral Histories of Art Education in Kentucky: Research Assistant, funding to conduct and collect interviews for ongoing Oral Histories of Art Education in Kentucky project
• Susie Thiel, Training for Impact: Developing Training Materials for Extension Agents to Lead Creative Movement Intergenerational Programs, funding will be used to create program materials including photographs, videos, and discussion prompts of creative movement that can be followed by intergenerational groups held in Kentucky extension offices

• David Wischer, Innovation Through Collaboration Panel presentation at the Mid America Print Council Conference
• Garrett Hansen, materials to finish and crate work for a series titled The Missing Piece, exploring gun supply and culture in the US
• Hunter Stamps, Toward A New Ceramic Aesthetic, artist residency to begin a new series of ceramic sculptures
• Jonathan McFadden, Transnational Collaborative Drawing And Animations Utilizing Mesh Networks For Real Time Events with universities in Poland, Belgium and South Africa.
• Rachel Shane and Jalessa Wells, Women's Oral Histories of Arts Administration
• Scott Wright, Allison Nicotera, and Toni Marie Marchioni, "Maribo Miniatures" Woodwind Trio Commission for new works by a contemporary composer
• Timothy Moyers, Immersive Sonic Snapshots: Exploring Cultural, Religious, And Natural Diversity through Sound, sound recordings created in Europe for use in future compositions

2023-2024 Awardees

• Revel Carr: archive and field work for Seaport Soundscapes: Musical and Cultural Crossroads in a New England Village, 1700-1900
• Herman Daniel Farrell, III: Completion of Research at Yale; Commencement of Research at University of Pittsburgh for Way of Life: A Biography of Lloyd Richards
• Crystal Gregory: Dye Garden Research Assistant, a collaboration with the UK Arboretum focused on sustainable local color
• Jennifer Campbell: notations needed for A Critical Edition of Alex North’s Revue for Clarinet publication
• Doreen Maloney and Ruth Adams: materials for Twin Spirit House installation
• Timothy Moyers: Data Driven Sound Spatialization field work and tour in Europe
• Bobby Scroggins: Clay Doctors, a prestigious invitation to present at NCECA conference
• Nancy Jones: Triggered: field work and for presentations and articles towards, How Molière Battled His Critics and the Effect of Censorship on Comedy
• Garrett Hansen: materials to create work for a series titled The Missing Piece, exploring gun supply and culture in the US