Department News

Ph.D. candidate receives scholarship dedicated to clean water access

The Kentucky-Tennessee section of the American Water Works Association awarded George Fordjour, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Civil Engineering, with the Dr. Rengao Song Water Research Scholarship at the Water Professionals Conference in Lexington on July 21.

UK, State Researchers Seek to Understand Teen Driver Crash Risk in Kentucky

Energy and Infrastructure, Human Health and Safety

Researchers at the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Transportation Center are collaborating to better understand the crash risks for teen drivers in the Commonwealth, with the goal of developing new strategies to improve driving safety. Working alongside state highway safety partners, the team is examining teen driver crash patterns to support Kentucky’s long-term safety goals. Fatal teen driver crashes are a complex, multi-layered problem, which requires expertise from an interdisciplinary team.

Spring 2026 Dean's List includes 1,085 Pigman College of Engineering students

The Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering is proud to announce 1,085 engineering and computer science students included on the University of Kentucky Spring 2026 Dean's List. Students are eligible for the Dean’s List by meeting these requirements during the fall or spring semester:

2026 Pigman College of Engineering Faculty Awards

On April 30, the Pigman College of Engineering gathered at the Manchester Fountain Hall to honor its 2026 Faculty Awards recipients for their outstanding contributions to the college and beyond. Awards were given in the areas of research, service and education. This year, in addition to individual research awards, the college added a new award category to honor the work of a research team. The winners in each area are listed below.

Civil students co-host the American Society of Civil Engineers Indiana-Kentucky Student Symposium

Energy and Infrastructure

Last week, the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers Indiana-Kentucky Student Symposium was co-hosted in Lexington by the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville chapters. Twelve ASCE student chapters from Indiana and Kentucky, including Western Kentucky University, Notre Dame and Purdue University, traveled to Lexington to compete.

UK researcher addresses water sustainability challenges through workforce-focused engineering solutions

Human Health and Safety, Energy and Infrastructure

Access to safe drinking water depends not only on infrastructure, but on the people who operate and maintain it. At the University of Kentucky, Diana Byrne, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, is addressing long-standing challenges facing small water utilities. Byrne received the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award with $547,471 over five years for her work.

UK Teaching Excellence Symposium marks 15 years of CELT

Computing, Networks, and AI

Last fall, more than 300 faculty, staff and students gathered in the Gatton Student Center for the second University of Kentucky Teaching Excellence Symposium, a university-wide event organized and hosted by the UK Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT).

Byrne wins best reviewer award

Energy and Infrastructure

Diana M. Byrne, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, has been honored with the 2026 Best Reviewer Award for the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. The Best Reviewer Award is selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) awards committee and Byrne will be honored at the 2026 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress in Mobile, Alabama in April.

Pennell named editor-in-chief of Reviews on Environmental Health

Human Health and Safety

Kelly G. Pennell, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and director of engineering research endowments in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, has been named editor-in-chief of Reviews on Environmental Health.

Fall 2025 Dean's List includes 1,141 engineering and computer science students

The Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering is proud to announce 1,141 engineering and computer science students included on the University of Kentucky Fall 2025 Dean's List. Students are eligible for the Dean’s List by meeting these requirements during the fall or spring semester: