SWAP - Sharing Work on Appalachia in Progress 2025-2026 Schedule
Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. at the Appalachian Center NS virtually via Zoom on the following dates:
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2025-2026 SWAP Presentations:
Megan Hall, Sociology, 2025 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research in Appalachia, "Interlocking Disasters: A Western North Carolina Case Study."
Dan Hayes, Rural Physician Leadership Program, 2025 UK Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award, "Development of a Low-Cost 3D-Printed Two-Point Discrimination Tool."
Holden Dillman, Social Work, 2025 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "RITE to Belong: Phenomenological Insights into Self-Esteem, Identity, and Support Among Appalachian SGM Youth."
Jimmy Robinson, Sociology, 2025 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, Collaboration and Control: Some Insights on "Let's Grow Together."
Nicole Marks, Anthropology, 2025 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research in Appalachia, "and the Creek Don’t Rise: Disasters, Climate and Resiliency in Appalachia."
Zach Hackworth, Forestry and Natural Resources, 2025 UK Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award, "Tuning a Generalized Ray-Tracing Forest Light Simulator for Kentucky Forests."
Morgan Gilbert, Arts Administration, 2025 UK Eller & Billings Student Research Award, "Berea College's Weaving Program."
Riccardo P. D'Amato, History, 2025 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research in Appalachia, "Solving Half the Problem: The Kentucky Water Pollution Control Commission."
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2024-2025 SWAP Presentations:
Musafumi Uchiumi, 2024 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Effects of Inadequate Sleep and Obesity on Plantar- and Dorsi-flexor Motor Unit Recruitment during Balance and Muscle Strength Testing."
Ruth Toole, 2024 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Effects of Agricultural Education on the Resilience of Rural Appalachian High School Students in Kentucky and West Virginia."
Maria Bareli, Liken Knowledge, Commons Governance Fellow, Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network
Kathryn Newfont, University of Kentucky Department of History, associate professor.
"A2A: Making Aegean Appalachian connections, building bridges of knowledge exchange and visions towards just futures."
Michelle Roberts, 2024 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "From Survival to Living Well: A Socioecological Approach to Understand Acquired Disability and Advance Health Equity in Rural Appalachia."
Grace Seymour, 2024 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Trauma, Alcohol Use, and Sleep Health in Appalachian Kentucky."
Chandana Mathur, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Maynooth University, “Reflections on struggles over water in India.”
Madoline Varias, 2024 UK Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award, "Avian Response to Legacy Coal Mine Reforestation in the Cumberland Plateau, Kentuck.y"
Jimmy Robinson, 2024 UK Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award, "In the Greenhouse: A Multispecies Analysis of Scale, Rationality, and Technology in Agriculture."
Courtney Martin, 2024 Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award, "The Role of Social Support in Diabetes Self Care Behaviors among Residents of Appalachia with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus."
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2023-2024 SWAP Presentations:
Trey Coburn, 2023 Eller and Billings Student Research Award, "The Future of Personalized Medicine: Improving Care in Appalachia and Beyond."
Maddie Duff, 2023 Eller and Billings Student Research Award, "Chronic Conditions with Heart and Ears in Appalachia Research Study (cchears)."
Michelle Roberts, 2024 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Webs of Care: Understanding Acquired Disability in Rural Appalachia."
Jimmy Robinson, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Taking the Rural with You: Rural Artists in the City."
Edward Lo, Appalachian Center Postdoctoral Fellow, "Supporting Indigenous Peoples and Their Role in a Sustainable Kentucky."
Kopana Terry, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Place, Identity, and Natural Disaster: The Storm That Changed a Town and Its People."
Mack Thompson, 2024 Symposium on Dis/Ability & Debility in Appalachia Coordinator, "Disabled, People, Disabled Places: Dialoguing toward Critical Appalachian Disability Studies"
London Orzolek, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Inclusion, Engagement, and Success: Appalachian Experiences in Higher Education."
Ryley Butler Modaff, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "The Impact of Stigma in Community Implementation of Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT)."
Arshiya Jeelani, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Mary Jane in the Mountains: The Social, Political, and Environmental Effects of Marijuana Growth in Eastern Kentucky."
Courtney Martin, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Examining Appalachian Patient Experiences among those with and/or Post Critical Illness."
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Trey Coburn, 2023 Eller and Billings Student Research Award, "The Future of Personalized Medicine: Improving Care in Appalachia and Beyond."
Maddie Duff, 2023 Eller and Billings Student Research Award, "Chronic Conditions with Heart and Ears in Appalachia Research Study (cchears)."
Michelle Roberts, 2024 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Webs of Care: Understanding Acquired Disability in Rural Appalachia."
Jimmy Robinson, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Taking the Rural with You: Rural Artists in the City."
Edward Lo, Appalachian Center Postdoctoral Fellow, "Supporting Indigenous Peoples and Their Role in a Sustainable Kentucky."
Kopana Terry, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Place, Identity, and Natural Disaster: The Storm That Changed a Town and Its People."
Mack Thompson, 2024 Symposium on Dis/Ability & Debility in Appalachia Coordinator, "Disabled, People, Disabled Places: Dialoguing toward Critical Appalachian Disability Studies."
London Orzolek, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Inclusion, Engagement, and Success: Appalachian Experiences in Higher Education."
Ryley Butler Modaff, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "The Impact of Stigma in Community Implementation of Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT)."
Arshiya Jeelani, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Mary Jane in the Mountains: The Social, Political, and Environmental Effects of Marijuana Growth in Eastern Kentucky."
Courtney Martin, 2023 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia, "Examining Appalachian Patient Experiences among those with and/or Post Critical Illness."
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2022-2023 SWAP Presentations:
Nov. 30, 2022
Allen Fletcher, History, James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research "Women and Progressive-Era Education Reform: 1900-1940."
Jed DeBruin, Geography, James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research "Sifting Through the Past: Black Farming Archives in Appalachian Kentucky."
Feb. 1, 2023
Jennifer Cramer and Allison Burkette, Linguistics, "The Social Life of Appalachian Englishes: A Book Project."
Mack Thompson, Anthropology, "Disabled in Kentucky Oral History Project."
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, 11:00a.m.
Kathryn Engle, Sociology, Kathryn Newfont, History, Zada Komara, Honors, Lindsay Shade, Community and Leadership Development, "Reflections from the Teaching Mountains Conference: Forging International Connections in the French Alps."
March 29, 2023
Sarah Tomke, Forestry and Natural Resources, "Assessing Occupancy and the Current Distribution of Eastern Hellbenders in Kentucky using Environmental DNA."
Courtney Martin, Kinesiology and Health Promotion, "Assessing Cancer Literacy and Risk Behaviors among Appalachian Kentuckians through an Oral History Approach"
April 12, 2023
Bonnie Lewis, Curriculum and Instruction, James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research, "Doing the Work: Inquiry and Equity Based Social Studies in Charged Classrooms."
Megan Buland, Forestry and Natural Resources, Eller and Billings Student Research Award, "Exploration of the Plant-Fungal Symbiosis in White Fringeless Orchid - A Federally Threatened Species."
Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 11:00 am
Chandana Mathur, Maynooth University, Reflections on Transdisciplinary Research Collaboration on the Solar Disinfection of Water in the African and Indian Contexts.
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The Spring 2022 SWAP dates and student presenters/topics were:
Dec, 8, 2022 https://uky.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vYGoPMy8SZiV9rHEQs4grA
- KC Vick, Sociology, "Meaningful methods: Learning through community-based participatory action in a South Appalachian cancer cluster study"- 2021 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia.
- Courtney Martin, Biology (undergraduate), "Assessing Cancer Literacy and Risk Behaviors among Appalachian Kentuckians through an Oral History Approach"- 2021 Eller and Billings Student Research Award .
Feb. 16, 2022 https://uky.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kEqHiTPsShiL9QwTM356Nw
- Madeline Dunfee, Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, "The Influence of Social Networks on Appalachian Adults’ Type Two Diabetes Self-Management"- 2021 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research.
- Sarah Tomke, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, “Determining the Distribution of Eastern Hellbenders in Kentucky using Environmental DNA (eDNA) Methods”- 2021 Eller and Billings Student Research Award.
March 2, 2022 https://uky.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t9HKdzhWRhiN6qDhtA38qQ
- Emma Kiser, Department of History, "Protecting Old-Growth Forests in the Mountain South”- 2021 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia.
- Benjamin Rhodes Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, “An Evaluation of Red Spruce Reforestation on Mined Lands and Old Field Sites in the West Virginia Highlands” - 2021 Eller and Billings Student Research Award.
March 30th, 2022 https://uky.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-4QK9veLSCqLeJjrjsI-SQ
- Magenta Palo, School of Art & Visual Studies, Curatorial Studies, "Women's Work: Redefining Appalachian Traditions."
- Forrest Yerman, Howard University, Department of English, "The Affrilachian Poets and An Affrilachian Renaissance."
April 13th, 2022 https://uky.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bqXpCGM2T-Ooe-C6WZ59tQ
- Zachary Hackworth, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, "A Five-Year Evaluation of Mammalian Herbivory Impacts on Surface Mine Reforestation Plantings in Southeastern Kentucky" - 2021 Eller and Billings Student Research Award.
- Briana Snyder, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, "Bat Foraging on West Virginia Mined Land Restored via the Forestry Reclamation Approach" - 2021 Eller and Billings Student Research Award.
April 20, 2022 https://uky.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gm7L1dC1RA-FGAWJrBUylg
- Jeri K. Howell, Department of Community & Leadership Development, "Significant Life Experiences of Kentucky Youth Climate Activists."
- Junyi Lv, USC Annenberg School for Communication, "How Places Argue: Coal Towns’ Multimodal Argumentation in Energy Transition."