UK Sustainability

09/02/2026

♻️ SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH POSTER COMPETITION

‼️ Calling for Posters!

🗓️ Deadline: October 5

07/07/2026

Applications for the 2026-2027 Sustainability Challenge Grant cycle are now open! A maximum award of $50,000 is available per project. Apply by September 4, 2026.

This year, we encourage proposals that align with one or more of our five guiding principles:

1. Make the pursuit of sustainability an integral part of the UK student experience
2. Reinforce the University’s commitment to our people
3. Reduce Campus Emissions
4. Become a zero-waste campus
5. Model environmental excellence

https://research.uky.edu/tfise/sustainability-challenge-grants

06/15/2026

There are many water refill stations located throughout campus, and we even have a hydration station available to rent for outdoor events through UK Recycling! Learn more here: https://facilities.uky.edu/campus/facilities-services/recycling/hydration-station

Nothing feels better on a hot summer day than a nice, cold drink. It’s easy to grab a reusable bottle before heading out — and even easier to pick up a bottle of water on the go. But does that convenience come with a cost?

Plastic water bottles contain chemicals like bisphenol A and phthalates that make the bottles more flexible and pliable, but are so small that they can be absorbed into the body’s cells and tissues. Prolonged exposure to sunlight, or UV light and elevated temperatures — such as when plastic bottles are left in cars during the warm, sunny months — can speed up that chemical leaching process.

What’s the harm? Bisphenol A, phthalates and certain micro- and nanoplastics are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which means they can interfere with hormone actions throughout the endocrine system. Exposure has been linked to adverse health outcomes in humans. These include reproductive, developmental, neurological, immune and metabolic disorders.

Although exposure is potentially harmful to everyone, infants, children, pregnant people and older adults are especially at risk. Reusable stainless-steel and glass bottles not only help eliminate waste from plastic water bottles, but also help mitigate risks from the chemicals in plastic.

06/08/2026

♻️ 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellow Spotlight

MEET SOPHIA BOWDEN

Sophia is a Junior in Biology. As one of six UK undergraduates selected for the 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellowship, Sophia will be spending the summer conducting research under Robbie Burger in the College of Arts & Sciences' Department of Biology.

Project Title: "Scaling Mammalian Organ Sizes and their Connection to Functional Roles in Ecology"

06/08/2026

♻️ 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellow Spotlight

MEET KATY BRANDT

Katy is a senior in Dietetics. As one of six UK undergraduates selected for the 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellowship, Katy will be spending the summer conducting research under Courtney Luecking in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment's Department of Dietetics & Human Nutrition.

Project Title: "Supporting Perinatal Women with Lived Experiences of Substance Use Through Community Nutrition Education"

06/08/2026

♻️ 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellow Spotlight

MEET MD HIMEL AHAMED JOY

MD Himel Ahamed is a freshman in Ag & Medical Biotechnology. As one of six UK undergraduates selected for the 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellowship, MD Himel Ahamed will be spending the summer conducting research under Manoj Sapkota in the Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment's Department of Horticulture.

Project Title: "Water-Smart Tomatoes: Seedling-to-Fruit Responses to Drought Across Wild and Cultivated Tomato Diversity"

06/08/2026

♻️ 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellow Spotlight

MEET ELLA SHIELDS

Ella is a senior in horticulture. As one of six UK undergraduates selected for the 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellowship, Ella will be spending the summer conducting research under Manoj Sapkota in the Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment's Department of Horticulture.

Project Title: "Screening Strawberry Germplasm for Resistance to Neopestalotiopsis to Support Sustainable Strawberry Production in Kentucky"

06/08/2026

♻️ 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellow Spotlight

MEET MWAJUMA ALEXANDRE

Mwajuma is a sophomore in Mechanical Engineering. As one of six UK undergraduates selected for the 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellowship, Mwajuma will be spending the summer conducting research under Diana Byrne in the Pigman College of Engineering's Department of Civil Engineering.

Project Title: "Examining the Sustainability of a Mobile Water Treatment System for Emergency Response in Kentucky via Comparative Life Cycle Assessment"

University of Kentucky Pigman College of Engineering UK Sustainability

06/08/2026

♻️ 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellow Spotlight

MEET AYUSMA KARKI

Ayusma is a sophomore in Architecture. As one of six UK undergraduates selected for the 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellowship, Ayusma will be spending the summer conducting research under Leen Katrib in the College of Design's Department of Architecture.

Project Title: "A Material Investigation into Kudzu as a Building Material for Post-Disaster Shelters"

University of Kentucky College of Design UK Sustainability

05/15/2026

Exciting news for sustainability-focused undergraduate research!

In the News!

6 students selected as 2026 Sustainability Summer Research Fellows

Read now: our.uky.edu/news

UK Sustainability
University of Kentucky Pigman College of Engineering UK College of Arts and Sciences UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment University of Kentucky College of Design