Huang-Ge Zhang, a professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology and endowed chair in cancer research at the Brown Cancer Center, and Jun Yan, chief of the Division of Immunotherapy within the Department of Surgery, are included in the 2025 report. Clarivate provides data, insights and analytics for academia, life sciences, health care and other fields and has compiled listings of the top 1% of researchers annually since 2014.

Citations, when one researcher references and builds on another’s work, are an important measure of success for academics. Typically, citations mean the researcher made a meaningful and original contribution to the world’s knowledge — and that their peers agree.

In a separate published list, more than 100 UofL researchers are listed among the top 2% most-cited in their fields in 2024, according to an updated list . The list spans researchers in 22 disciplines, from business to basic science, engineering and medicine, whose journal articles were the most referenced by other researchers in their works in 2024.

UofL researchers on the Elsevier list represent eight of the university’s schools and colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business, Dentistry, ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Public Health & Information Sciences.

“When a scholar’s work is cited by another scholar, it affirms the value of their work in the eyes of other researchers,â€� said Jon Klein, ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s executive vice president for research and innovation. “This recognition for so many UofL researchers highlights their impact in a wide variety of areas.â€�

The list, prepared by John P.A. Ioannidis of Stanford University, is based on data compiled by Elsevier, a publisher of academic scientific and medical journals.ÌıA separate table linked in the article recognizes top-cited researchers based on career-long impact and is calculated based on publications dating to 1995. That list also includes more than 100 UofL researchers.

UofL researchers among the top-cited in their fields in 2024:

• Thomas Abell, School of Medicine
• David Adamkin, School of MedicineÌı
• Manju Ahuja, College of BusinessÌı
• Bahaaldin Alsoufi, School of Medicine
• Farrukh Aqil, School of Medicine
• Ronald Atlas, School of Medicine
• Swagato Banerjee, College of Arts & Sciences
• Richard Baumgartner, School of Public Health and Information Sciences
• Harold Bays, School of Medicine
• Aruni Bhatnagar, School of Medicine (AHA)
• Kunwar Bhatnagar, School of Medicine
• Roberto Bolli, School of MedicineÌı
• Douglas Borchman, School of MedicineÌı
• Konrad Bresin, College of Arts & Sciences
• Lu Cai, School of Medicine
• Jeffrey Callen, School of Medicine
• Manuel Fernando Casanova, School of Medicine
• Matthew Cave, School of Medicine
• Jonathan Chaires, School of Medicine
• Andrew Chamblin, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• William Cheadle, School of Medicine
• Jason Chesney, School of Medicine
• Kevin Chou, J.B. Speed School of EngineeringÌı
• Daniel Conklin, School of Medicine
• Toru Deguchi, School of Dentistry
• ZhongBin Deng, School of Medicine
• Gill Diamond, School of Dentistry
• Dale Ding, School of Medicine
• Lee Dugatkin, College of Arts & Sciences
• John Eaton, School of Medicine
• Ronald Elin, School of Medicine
• Adel Elmaghraby, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Andreas Elpidorou, College of Arts & Sciences
• Adam Enders, College of Arts & Sciences
• Paul Ewald, College of Arts & SciencesÌı
• Mary Fallat, School of MedicineÌı
• Minghong Fang, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Allan Farman, School of Dentistry
• Eugene Fletcher, School of Medicine
• Gary Foulks, School of Medicine
• Joseph Fowler, School of Medicine
• Per Fredriksson, College of Business
• Robert P. Friedland, School of Medicine
• Susan Galandiuk, School of Medicine
• Sachin Handa, College of Arts & Sciences
• Brian Harbrecht, School of Medicine
• David Hein, School of Medicine
• George Higgins, College of Arts & SciencesÌı
• Bradford Hill, School of Medicine
• Steven Jones, School of Medicine
• Dinesh Kalra, School of Medicine
• Seyed Karimi, School of Public Health and Information Sciences
• Mohsen Bahmani Kashkouli, School of Medicine
• Karen Kayser, Kent School of Social Work
• Carolyn Klinge, School of MedicineÌı
• Charles Kodner, School of Medicine
• Richard Lamont, School of Dentistry
• Rainer Lenhardt, School of Medicine
• Cheri Levinson, College of Arts & Sciences
• Ying Li, College of Arts & Sciences
• Bert Little, School of Public Health and Information SciencesÌı
• Yiyan Liu, School of Medicine
• Igor Lukashevich, School of Medicine
• Vija Lusebrink, College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ & Human Development
• Robert Malina, School of Public Health & Information Sciences
• Arthur Malkani, School of Medicine
• Gary Marshall, School of Medicine
• Robert C.G. Martin, School of Medicine
• Craig McClain, School of Medicine
• Stephen McClave, School of Medicine
• Kelly McMasters, School of Medicine
• Suzanne Meeks, College of Arts & Sciences
• Michael Merchant, School of Medicine
• Carolyn Mervis, College of Arts & Sciences
• Donald Miller, School of Medicine
• Jingyao Mu, School of Medicine
• John Nyland, School of Medicine
• Hiram Polk, School of Medicine
• Jan Potempa, School of Dentistry
• Janina Ratajczak, School of Medicine
• Robert Reilly, School of Public Health & Information Sciences
• J. David Richardson, School of Medicine
• Mark Rothstein, Brandeis School of Law
• William Scarfe, School of Dentistry
• Charles Scoggins, School of Medicine
• Brad Shuck, College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ & Human Development
• Ashwani Singal, School of Medicine
• Leah Siskind, School of Medicine
• Mark Slaughter, School of Medicine
• Sanjay Srivastava, School of Medicine
• Christopher States, School of Medicine
• Yi Tan, School of Medicine
• Douglas Taylor, School of Medicine
• Yun Teng, School of Medicine
• Richard Tewksbury, College of Arts & Sciences
• Neetu Tyagi, School of Medicine
• Suresh Tyagi, School of Medicine
• Teruo Umemoto, College of Arts & Sciences
• Jeffrey Valentine, College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ & Human Development
• Václav VÄ›tviÄ�ka, School of Medicine
• Banrida Wahlang, School of Medicine
• Eugenia Wang, School of Medicine
• Hui Wang, J.B. Speed School of Engineering
• Frederic Wightman, School of Medicine
• John Pierce Wise Sr., School of Medicine
• Jun Yan, School of Medicine
• Pavel Zahorik, College of Arts & Sciences
• Huang-Ge Zhang, School of Medicine (VA)
• Jacek Å»urada, J.B. Speed School of Engineering

Innovation at the University of Louisville generates a forward momentum that fuels a thriving culture of opportunity and excellence. But every so often, it’s worth looking back at where UofL and its community was to know how it’s doing now – to see how yesterday’s news continues to make an impact today.

Below, revisit a few stories from UofL News’ past to see how the promise of what-could-be became a promise kept.

June 29, 2020: UofL Kent School partners with Wellspring to aid homeless Louisvillians

In 2020, the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science announced their partnership with nonprofit organization Wellspring on a new five-year federal grant to offer a unified approach to help homeless people experiencing both mental health and substance abuse issues to find housing and recovery.

Bibhuti Sar, professor of social work and the grant’s lead investigator, noted that people having mental health and substance issues combined with housing insecurity was a major concern for Louisville. “The (Kent School and UofL) strongly support the wellbeing of the community. We welcome the partnership of Wellspring to enhance their efforts and experience to do that work,� he said.

“This will be a life-changing program� Wellspring CEO and Kent alumna Katharine Dobbins said at the time. “We will take a harm-reduction approach, but critical life experiences serve as opportunities to help individuals make positive changes.�

Five years later, the grant project has wrapped up and, according to Sar, produced positive results.

The partnership established the Program for Integrated Care (PIC), an intensive, multidisciplinary clinical treatment and outreach service for at-risk individuals. Comparing a baseline and six-month follow up, participant data shows a decreased use of substances, less depression, anxiety, hallucinations, fewer suicide attempts and increased satisfaction with personal relationships. Impressively, the percentage of participants who were living on the street/outdoors or in a shelter decreased by 27%.

The PIC program made a difference for “Simon,� 52, who was referred to the program in 2021 with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, PTSD and methamphetamine abuse after losing his apartment and returning to homelessness in late 2020. Simon developed a strong relationship with PIC’s full-time peer support specialist who was able to help him build recovery skills toward sobriety. Simon has now been through two successful lease renewals at his apartment, is in the beginning stages of Section 8’s homeownership program, has been sober for over a year and is learning to read and write to become a peer support specialist himself.

Though the grant-funded collaboration has concluded, Wellspring leadership are currently engaged in efforts to sustain the program to continue serving the community.Ìı

March 31, 2022: UofL expands its reach to Shelbyville, providing dental care for the underserved

In 2022, ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s School of Dentistry expanded its footprint with a new clinical site in Shelbyville, Kentucky, just south of U.S. 60 East. The new practice opened to further fulfill the dental school’s mission of improving the oral health of all Kentuckians by providing close-to-home access for those in need.

The new site also offered dental students a community location near Louisville to learn alongside a full-time licensed dentist. At the time, now School of Dentistry Dean Margaret Hill highlighted the importance of students growing their skills in a variety of settings. “As our students travel to other parts of Kentucky, they are maturing into culturally competent dental practitioners,� Hill said. “We build service into the educational experience – not just on a volunteer level but as part of the curriculum.�

The office’s inaugural full-time dentist was alumna Pallavi Patil, who emphasized the importance of establishing a good patient-doctor rapport to help motivate patients to seek out comprehensive dental care.

The Shelbyville location’s current full-time dentist, alumna Rhonda Swanson, echoed Patil’s patient-focused mission while celebrating the clinic’s community-focused achievements.

“±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s outreach clinics are such a blessing to the communities they serve,â€� said Swanson. “Since (opening) in 2022, we’ve served thousands of patients, including many who have Medicaid or no dental insurance. As a shortage of Medicaid providers continues to limit care for so many people, our clinic provides access to care for those who may not otherwise have a provider, thus promoting better oral health outcomes in this community.â€�

Additionally, Swanson said that the clinic now partners with Shelbyville’s Veterans Rural Outreach program to provide oral care for select veterans, made possible through ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s fund.

Aug. 11, 2022: UofL employee launches equine therapy organization, Cope’s Hope

In 2021, College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development staff member Eric Wright and his wife, Debbie, turned their personal journey into a community service geared toward helping children and families with their founding of Cope’s Hope Equine Assisted Services.

Inspired by the needs of their daughters, Ella and Elsie, Cope’s Hope was created to fill a care void Wright and his family naturally found themselves in during the COVID-19 pandemic when their weekly equine assisted therapy sessions were no longer available. Rather than wait for things to return to normal, Wright took the reins and purchased his uncle’s farm, became a licensed counselor through ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s and started his family’s own organization, named for his grandfather and Brandeis School of Law alumnus Arthur Coaplen.

“We’ve just had a flurry of people wrap themselves around this project and this vision,� Wright said at the time. “To be able to offer even a small percentage of people the opportunity to work with horses, whether it be for mental health or for therapeutic services, is so rewarding.�

Three years later, Cope’s Hope continues to grow, serving clients weekly from its Fisherville, Kentucky, location and through partnerships with organizations including the Kentucky School for the Blind, North Star Achievement Center, the Dream Factory of Louisville and even the U.S. Secret Service. These collaborations reflect their commitment to creating safe and supportive environments for healing through a connection with horses.

This summer, the WHAS Crusade for Children awarded the organization a generous grant to expand their therapeutic riding sessions over the next three seasons. Another grant from the American Heart Association allowed them to install emergency preparedness equipment onsite to boost safety for clients, volunteers and their rural neighbors. Other neighborly efforts have included community outreach such as the Hats, Hooves for Hope Parade in the spring and their recent 4th Annual Barn Dance to celebrate persons with different needs.

What began as a response to their own family’s needs has naturally grown into a sanctuary of healing for many.

“We’ve built more than a service,� Wright said. “We’ve built a community.�

Savannah Harper contributed to this story.

“These past two years have simply flown by,” Schatzel said, expressing her appreciation to the UofL community and the city of Louisville as she begins her third year as president.

Schatzel then highlighted a series of accomplishments from 2024 and the collective effort that made them possible:

• Historic Records: UofL had a record enrollment of 24,123 students, representing 117 Kentucky counties, 54 states and U.S. territories and 90 countries. The university also celebrated historic highs in fall-to-fall retention and fall-to-spring persistence all pointing to a soon-to-be-realized 70% six-year graduation rate.
• Redefining Student Success: Schatzel highlighted the university’s commitment to access, noting increased enrollment for Pell-eligible, first-generation and underserved students for the past three years, as well as a 10% increase in military-connected student enrollment. The president credited these achievements to innovative best practices such as strengthened support services, expanded transfer pathways (including the new partnership with KCTCS), the 15 to Finish program, enhanced bordering states benefit programs, the Cardinal Commitment grant and the Comeback Cards program. Schatzel also mentioned UofL’s significant jump in U.S. News & World Report rankings and recognition as a top 100 public university. “These incredible – yes, historic – results were achieved via implementing and investing in numerous innovative best practices,” she said.
• Research & Innovation: UofL had several significant achievements in research in 2024, most notably the internationally recognized Green Heart project. Schatzel also celebrated the launch of the ÌıLouisville Clinical and Translational Research Center made possible by the single largest investment in clinical research in the university’s history –$24 million to train clinical researchers. Other research highlights included record research expenditures of $188.4 million, nearly $67 million from the National Institutes of Health, a $6.75 million grant from the Humana Foundation for health equity research and the ongoing research computing initiative.
• Athletic Momentum: Schatzel celebrated the achievements of UofL’s athletic programs, from national runners-up in volleyball to a Sun Bowl championship in football and the revival of the men’s basketball program.
• Legislative Partnership:Ìı UofL received unprecedented support during the 2024 legislative session, securing over half a billion dollars in support for the university. This included $260 million for a simulation center and collaboration hub, over $90 million for physical plant renovations and continued progress on the new engineering building.
• Community Engagement: Schatzel reaffirmed UofL’s commitment to Louisville and Kentucky, highlighting the expansion of University Hospital, the establishment of a rural cancer center in Bullitt County, the opening of a School of Dentistry practiceÌıat the Goodwill Opportunity Center in west Louisville, and the launch of an immigration law clinic by the Brandeis School of Law. “Our community impact is strong, and it is growing even stronger,” she said.

Schatzel also recognized outstanding individuals within the UofL community, including Fulbright Scholars, 2024 Trustees Award winner Jennifer Brueckner-Collins and 2024 George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award recipient Angela Taylor. She emphasized the university’s commitment to its employees, highlighting investments in compensation studies and market adjustments.

Looking ahead to 2025, Schatzel outlined several key priorities including:

• Beginning a five-year strategic plan for 2026-2030;
• Finalizing the university leadership team;
• Launching the Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan and the submission for reaffirmation of the Community Engaged University designation; and
• Developing Belknap Campus with a recent acquisition of the Cardinal Center property by the UofL Foundation, with initial plans to create green space and then determine the best permanent use.

Schatzel concluded her address with a message of momentum and pride.

“I am so proud of all that is happening right now at the University of Louisville,” she said. “I think you’ll agree that there has been no better time to be a Cardinal.â€�

. Ìı

With this funding, UofL will launch the Louisville Clinical and Translational Research Center (LCTRC) — a statewide effort that will transform the university’s clinical research infrastructure and find meaningful solutions to combat chronic conditions like cardiac disease, stroke and cancer that disproportionately affect Kentuckians in urban and rural areas alike. The goal is to foster the seamless transition of research findings from the laboratory to patient care.

“UofL has a long-standing commitment to improving the lives of Kentuckians,� said UofL President Kim Schatzel. “This grant represents significant progress toward that commitment, engaging researchers and community members in developing new treatments and training the next generation of experts who will improve lives for years to come.�

LTCRC is funded through the , meant to help institutions build research expertise and infrastructure to support research on diseases and health challenges faced by the populations they serve. CTR-D grants are considered highly competitive.

“CTR grants are a unique resource that are awarded to only a small number of institutions,â€� said Jon Klein, ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s interim executive vice president for research and innovation, a Bucks for Brains endowed researcher and LCTRC’s principal investigator. “±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s success in securing this award shows our strength as a research institution and academic medical center, and will drive significant, positive impact throughout the Commonwealth.â€�

That impact will be far-reaching. LCTRC will enable UofL to launch a series of $75,000 to $125,000 research grants aimed at kickstarting new research projects that help early career and established researchers gather the data needed to secure more NIH or other agency investment.

To train highly competitive, next generation clinical and translational researchers, LCTRC will develop two key programs: Dean’s Scholars, which will pay medical students to spend a full year doing research, and Presidential Scholars, which buys six months of faculty members’ time to do research. These programs will also provide them with additional professional development opportunities, including partnering those researchers with experienced mentors who can help them take their work to the next level.

“The work that this funding will allow us to do is truly transformative,� said Jiapeng Huang, a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine and deputy director for the LCTRC. “LCTRC will develop top notch clinical and translational researchers who cannot only secure more NIH funding, but also develop new therapies and technologies which will benefit our patients and communities in Kentucky. They will shape the future of Kentucky in a very meaningful way. “

LCTRC will also work to expand clinical and translational research infrastructures and develop essential research tools. This includes enhanced research relationships with major health systems, including UofL Health in Louisville and Owensboro Health in western Kentucky. UofL has a long-standing academic partnership with the latter, including a ACGME accelerated family medicine residency program based at Owensboro Health, and an Accelerated Second-Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, where UofL resident physicians and students engage in hands-on clinical experiences in Owensboro.

The new LCTRC funding will double ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s clinical trials staff, enabling the university to support more clinical trials at UofL Health, its Owensboro Health rural affiliate, the Louisville Robley Rex VA Medical Center and Norton Healthcare. It also will support ‘citizen science’ projects, giving regular people an opportunity to engage in research backed by grant funding and with mentorship from academic experts.

“Just because you’re not in a lab doesn’t mean you’re not a scientist,� Klein said. “By working collaboratively with our neighbors — with the people who actually live and experience the health problems we’re trying to solve — we can build a bright new future for everyone.�

While the LCTRC builds a bright future for Kentucky, Klein said it wouldn’t be possible without a strong foundation. UofL has been working to secure clinical translational research center funding since 2008, with efforts first being led by Craig McClain, associate vice president for health affairs and research, who worked with Klein to submit this successful proposal. Both are endowed through the Bucks for Brains program, which brings world-class researchers to UofL.Ìı

“The conditions for this grant had to be just right — we had to have an outstanding academic medical center, experience translating research into medical treatments and the talented people who could bring this to life,â€� McClain said. “With LCTRC, we want to pass the torch. We will use this funding to build the infrastructure and next generation of talent that will help bring even more success to Kentucky researchers and drive new technologies that will save and improve lives.â€�Ìı

These reports can help them secure grants, justify public services, raise funds or improve public opinion. If a company wants to build a new facility, for example, knowing the economic value of jobs and tax revenue the facility will produce may help them secure building permits or tax incentives.

“If you have a vision and you want to estimate what type of splash something is going to have, whether it’s building a new factory site or it’s a new gaming center, a report like this can help,â€� Lambert said.

As a faculty member for the College of Business’s Equine Business Program, Lambert has prepared reports on the horse racing industry, the impact of parimutuel wagering, historical horse racing machines and the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs for many years. Taxes on wagering help fund ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s Equine Business Program, the equine program at University of Kentucky and other organizations that support Kentucky’s horse industry.

“If you’re showing that the spending and attendance at the tracks are generating enough revenue, then you’re justifying the attention that the equine industry gets because it is one of the signature industries here in Kentucky,â€� Lambert said.

Lambert’s reports, such as the he recently prepared for Humana Inc., go beyond examining payroll and the business’s spending to document additional jobs, tax revenue, supplier earnings and spending, philanthropy and more.

Laurie Young, director of industry partnerships for the UofL Office of Research and Innovation, has tapped into Lambert’s expertise, connecting him with Humana and other organizations such as Anthem, the metals industry consortium MI2 and the Kentucky Derby Festival (KDF) to provide economic impact reports for those groups.

Lambert’s ability to ferret out less obvious areas of impact adds value to his reports. For example, Humana’s report included the value of volunteer hours and tuition reimbursement spent at local colleges and universities. For KDF, Lambert is calculating money spent by visitors at restaurants and hotels.

With these additional calculations, Lambert’s reports reveal the ripple effects of payroll and spending through the local economy, known as multipliers.

“When a company pays their employees, those employees turn around and spend that money at restaurants and pay their mortgage or rent. So, these other enterprises receive a share of that pay. Then they’re going to turn around and pay their employees, their suppliers, etcetera,â€� Lambert said.

Understanding this downstream impact can magnify the understanding of the organization’s value substantially.

To calculate these multipliers, Lambert uses the computer modeling program IMPLAN, which is provided to UofL with state funding. Using it in this way returns benefit to the state by helping Kentucky businesses grow and attract talent to the commonwealth.

Facilitating economic impact reports is just one way with UofL for research and other services, from business to engineering and beyond.

“I go out and listen to what the companies need and then I collaborate on campus. We’re trying to grow industry work across campus and highlight all that UofL has to offer businesses,â€� Young said.

One collaboration can lead to another. In preparing the economic impact study for KDF, it occurred to Young the group also may benefit from marketing consultation, leading to a project by Henrietta Pepper’s marketing class. The students’ presentation impressed KDF, as well as their consulting firm.

“We’re trying to change companies’ perception of UofL,â€� Young said. “In addition to providing talent, we can do so much more for our community.â€�

Part of the growth in numbers comes as the result of major strides in the areas of affordability, access and equity, meaning Cardinals from a variety of backgrounds can take advantage of learning opportunities and experiences with reduced financial burden. This academic year, UofL announced theÌıexpansion of its Border Benefit AwardÌıthat allows students from some neighboring states to attend UofL at in-state tuition rates, along with the investment of $2.4 millionÌıtoward the Cardinal Commitment Grant for in-state residents.

UofL jumped 15 places in the 2023-24 U.S. News and World ReportÌıÌıranking, from No. 146 to No. 131, and also topped the list of “best valuesâ€� among national universities in Kentucky.ÌıIn the past few years, Cardinals have graduated with the second-lowest student debt among all Kentucky four-year public universities.

New leadership helps guide the way

Taking the helm in early 2023, ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s 19^th president, Kim Schatzel, spent six months in some 40 listening sessions to learn what was important to ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s students, staff and faculty, as well as community and government leaders.

She outlinedÌıher first eight prioritiesÌıin September, and those priorities became the basis for a new 2023-2025Ìı. Schatzel wasÌıofficially inauguratedÌıon Sept. 29 in a joyous ceremony filled with music and tradition that was held on The Oval outside Grawemeyer Hall. The historic event took place during ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s yearlong celebration of itsÌı225th anniversary.ÌıIn recognition of her leadership, Schatzel was named among LouisvilleÌıBusiness First’s Power 50Ìıfor 2024, which identifies the city’s most influential people in business and related communities. The Louisville Defender Newspaper also named Schatzel as one of the “Women Who Choose to Challengeâ€� in the publication’s women’s history recognition edition.ÌıÌı

In spring 2024, the university chose Gerry Bradley as permanent executive vice president and university provost. No stranger to the Cardinal community, Bradley had served as dean of theÌıÌısince 2016 and as interim provost since July 2023. He previously held that same role from January 2022 to February 2023.

Several other top leadership positions have been filled throughout 2023 and 2024, including: Karlis Kaugars, vice provost for information technology services and chief information officer; Dayna Touron, dean, ;ÌıJohn W. Miller Jr., dean, ; and Kathryn (Katie) Cardarelli,Ìıdean, . This summer, Whitney Nash becomes dean of the , which celebrates 50 years of educating and preparing nurses for distinctive careers.

UofL also welcomed Pat Kelsey to lead the men’s basketball program, infusing excitement and enthusiasm into Card Nation.

Renovations, new infrastructure boost student success

The university is updating facilities and building new infrastructure to ensure students have the physical space to unleash their potential.

TheÌıCenter for Military-Connected StudentsÌıdebuted its newly renovated offices in Brodschi Hall on Belknap Campus. The center focuses on meeting the needs of the more than 2,300 military-connected students enrolled at UofL. At the , construction of a new four-story, $90 million student success hub is underway. It will help us produce the next generation of engineers.

And thanks to a tremendously successful legislative session, the state budget appropriated $260 million toward a new Health Sciences Center Campus simulation center and collaboration hub. That’s the largest amount of funding for a single project in ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s history. It also is the largest project being funded in Louisville and represents the most general fund support for any single project among Kentucky’s colleges and universities this session. UofL also received about $69 million for needed repairs on some existing facilities.

±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s research and innovation powerhouse flourishes

Research and innovation continued to soar to new heights in academic year 2023-24. Just a few highlights were:

• More than $22 million in funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration was awarded to the Schools ofÌıMedicine ($16 million)andÌıNursing ($6.5 million)Ìıfor physician and nurse training to help increase Kentuckians’ access to health care, particularly in underserved rural and urban areas. Ìı
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded four grants totaling $11.6 million to researchers affiliated with ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™sÌıto study factors affecting heart health. Through these projects, they hope to better understand how environmental exposures and tobacco products can affect the cardiovascular system, as well as how remodeling takes place in the heart after a heart attack.
• UofL researcher Cheri Levinson has received an $11.5 million grant from the NIH to continue her work addressingÌıthe devastating effects of eating disorders.
• UofL researchers Susan Harkema, Charles Hubscher and collaborators recently won a $1 million grant from the NIH aimed at helping spinal cord injury patients regain function. They are now among four teams exclusively invited to participate in another competition with a potential prize pool of $5 million.
• More than 100 UofL researchers are among the top 2% most-cited in the world, according to a newÌıcompiled by Stanford University and Elsevier. Citations show the value other researchers around the globe place on UofL research.
• Research conducted in ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s Micro/Nano Technology Center is investigating whether the antibacterial properties ofÌıcicada wingsÌıcan be turned into an antimicrobial for use in places like food service, health care facilities and medical devices.Ìı
• More than 80 of ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s top researchers, scholars and artistsÌıwere honoredÌıin October at the 2023 Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Awards ceremony.
• Four University of Louisville innovators have been selected by the prestigious National Academy of Inventors for its 2024 class of SeniorÌıMembers.ÌıThe four inventors selected from UofL–the only ones from Kentucky–are:ÌıThad Druffel, Nobuyuki Matoba, Thomas Roussel and Jagannadh Satyavolu.

Commitment to serve, transform the communityÌı

Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, Cardinals have utilized knowledge and resources to advance the mutual needs of the university and the community. Earlier this spring, more than 400 students danced for 18 hours at the annual raiseRED marathon.Ìı

The students raised more than $516,000 for Norton Children’s Cancer Institute and the . This is ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s largest student philanthropic effort. It has raised more than $5 million in its 11-year history.

In the mean time, former firefighter James Cripps was awarded one of the Ìıfor teaching firefighters throughout Kentucky about occupational cancer and mitigation strategies. A manufacturing administrator at the UofL HealthÌı, he hopes to eliminate some of those risks.

, meanwhile, celebrated a milestone:Ìı200 yearsÌıof compassionate care, medical innovation and serving the underserved. It was Kentucky’s first hospital, first admitting patients in a facility downtown in 1823. Now, to address a real need for citizens south and west of Louisville, UofL Health recently cut the ribbon on UofL Health – South Hospital in Bullitt County just off Interstate 65.

As part of ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s ongoing effort to collaborate with five K-12 schools in West Louisville, Central High School Pre-Medical Magnet Program students received white coats this spring, recognizing their hard work and encouraging them to stay focused on their goals. Students shadow UofL doctors and get to practice performing simpler procedures, like sutures, through this immersive curriculum.

Recently, ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s McConnell Scholars and others heard a presentation by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama, who spoke about the importance of respect and trust in building relationships to address the country’s most pressing issues. A guest of the McConnell Center, Britt spoke as part of its Distinguished Speaker Series. Celebrating its 30th year, the center also broughtÌıOksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, to Belknap Campus Oct. 30. She gave a public talk and met separately with the McConnell Scholars.

Students begin their next chapter at commencement

On May 11, more than 2,000 of the approximately 3,100 students who applied for degrees and certificates, will go across the stage at the KFC Yum! Center signifying their academic success.

This Commencement holds particular significance for the high school class of 2020, which graduated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, it will be their first chance to celebrate their educational achievement by taking part in a complete traditional ceremony.

UofL President Kim Schatzel will preside at both the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ceremonies. TheÌıÌıalso will host a doctoral hooding and graduation ceremony for more than 100 graduates at 2 p.m. Friday, May 10, on Belknap Campus in the Swain Student Activities Center (SAC) Ballroom, second floor. All of these ceremonies will be broadcast live atÌı.

“Research!Louisville is a great opportunity to explore the important role UofL research plays in our day-to-day lives,� said Kevin Gardner, executive vice president for research and innovation. “That work positively impacts our world, from creating meaningful educational experiences and career pathways for students to developing innovative new technologies and companies.�

This year, R!L highlighted 365 abstracts for presentation. Among the scientific poster competition participants represented were masters and doctoral engineering students, NCI R25 undergraduate students, cancer and health disparity Summer Bridge Program students, Brown Cancer Center high school scholars, dental students, masters and doctoral basic science students, medical students, distinction tract medical students, case reports, postdoctoral scholars, research associates, research staff, PharmDs, masters and doctoral public health students, nursing students, medical residents, clinical fellows and faculty.

A full list of award winners and their slide presentations, as well as photos/recording of the closing ceremony are available on the .

Richard Woychik, director of the National Institute of Environmental Science and the National Toxicology Program delivered the keynote address, “Looking to the Future of Environmental Health Sciences.� Woychik oversees federal funding for biomedical research to discover how the environment influences human health and disease. His lecture drew a full house and was preceded with an introduction by UofL President Kim Schatzel.

R!L’s symposium featured seminars, presentations and lectures on a variety of subjects, including nursing research, environmental health sciences, anti-racism research, IRB protocol and more.

The event schedule included a Q&A forum with renowned medical ethicist and author, Harriett Washington. The School of Nursing presented Imelda Wright, assistant professor of nursing, whose research focuses on the effects of perioperative nurse practice and the environment on patient safety in the operating room. ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s Social, ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥al and Behavioral IRB presented a workshop to provide an overview of the UofL SBE IRB and HSPP Office. The IRB also hosted a workshop geared toward biomedical researchers from the UofL Health Sciences and Shelby Campuses. The Research Integrity Office presented Leslie Hollie, a distinguished expert in health care fraud and economic crimes, including grant fraud with a concentration in foreign influence/interference and administrative conflict of interest investigations.

The Center for Integrative Environmental Health Sciences (CIEHS) hosted two forums of presentations by Pilot Project awardees and Research Voucher awardees highlighting their accomplishments from their third-year awards. The Office of HSC Diversity and Inclusion hosted a panel discussion, “The Past is Present: Slavery & Medicine in Louisville History� and an anti-racism program which supports anti-racism research occurring at the University of Louisville which encourages further research aimed at impacting racial inequities.

Juw Won Park, director of the Center for Integrative Environmental Health Sciences Biostatistics and Informatics Facility Core, director of Brown Cancer Center Bioinformatics Core, and colleagues discussed their research interest in bioinformatics and computational genomics which requires high-performance computing. Finally, R!L sponsored a seminar at the Kentucky Science Center for students in grades 7-12 with a biomedical focus. The day also included a “Pulse of Surgery� program, a real-time, open-heart surgery. The full schedule of 2023 events are on the .

The co-chairs of R!L, Jon Klein, vice dean for research, and Chris States, associate dean for research, along with the R!L Steering Committee, look forward to R!L 2024. Look for announcements of dates/agenda in UofL Today.

Filled with music and rich academic tradition, the investiture ceremony on The Oval outside Grawemeyer Hall and livestreamed was the highlight of a year that also commemorated the 225th anniversary of ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s founding.

“As the world looks for solutions, let the world look to the University of Louisville as a national research powerhouse that creates knowledge and inspires innovation to answer the grand challenges of our time and by doing great work that changes the world,â€� said Schatzel, who took office Feb. 1 as leader of the $1.6 billion university enterprise that includes the affiliated $2.5 billion UofL Health health care system.Ìı

She is one of only 2% of university presidents nationwide with extensive corporate and entrepreneurial C-suite experience. During her inaugural address, she noted she was the first in her family to go to college “like over 35% of UofL students.�

Dozens of her family members attended, including her husband, Trevor Iles, an entrepreneur and former business executive, and their children and grandchildren.

The presidential platform party included Gov. Andy Beshear, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, Robbin Taylor of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office, Board of Trustees members, and members of the administration.

McConnell, an alumnus of UofL, delivered remarks on the U.S. Senate floor Sept. 29, recognizing the inauguration of Schatzel.

“UofL is a special place. For me, it was the first place in Kentucky where I felt at home. And it’s somewhere I continue to find fulfillment in my personal and public life,� he said. “Throughout its 225-year history, UofL has hosted a long line of visionary leaders who have shaped its success, and today I’m proud to welcome President Schatzel to these ranks.�

Raymond Burse, vice chair of ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s Board of Trustees, invested Schatzel as president and presented the Presidential Medallion. The medallion features the UofL seal, a likeness of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom.

“She serves as an example for the thousands of students who attend the university in hope of gaining the knowledge and insight that will benefit them for the rest of their lives,� Burse said, noting that Minerva was also known as the goddess of trade, the arts, medicine, poetry and strategy in war, symbolizing fearlessness and strength.

“This combination of traits was unique among the gods. And it mirrors the strengths possessed by our president, Dr. Kim Schatzel,� he said.

2023 marks 225 years that UofL has been the higher education leader in Kentucky’s largest metropolitan area. It was April 3, 1798 when a group of Louisvillians declared their intention to establish an education institution called Jefferson Seminary and began raising funds for their plan. Today, more than 22,000 students attend UofL, which boasts three campuses.Ìı

This fall, UofL welcomed 3,130 incoming students, breaking a record for the second year in a row.

UofL researchers win hundreds of millions of dollars annually in competitive research funding. The school is among a small percentage of higher education institutions designated a Research 1 doctoral university with very high research activity by the prestigious Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥. The funding supports groundbreaking research in areas such as robotics, cybersecurity, climate change and social indicators of public health.

In addition, UofL has earned recognition as a university by the Carnegie Foundation. Of more than 4,000 universities in the country, UofL is one of only 80 that can claim both distinctions.

With 12 schools and colleges, the university offers professional certificates, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate programs in hundreds of disciplines, is a consistent leader in diversity and inclusion and is recognized nationally as a “Best Value� institution. It has more than 163,000 .

Earlier this month, Schatzel gave her first campus-wide address, outlining her initial eight priorities as president.Ìı

View photos for the event on .Ìı

“More than 1,200 people — students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors, business and community partners, legislative leaders in Frankfort and D.C. — participated in those sessions,â€� said Schatzel, who began her tenure at the university in February and will be . “I hope that you take away from my remarks that I did not just listen, but that I heard from you during my listening sessions and that I’m committed to these eight presidential priorities.â€�

The eight priorities are:

1. To improve communications on our campus and trust in our community;
2. To enhance ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s research and innovation enterprise;
3. To advance inclusion and institutional equity;
4. To realize student success inclusive of all students;
5. To establish “s²â²õ³Ù±ğ³¾²Ô±ğ²õ²õâ€� by standardizing and centralizing key systems and processes throughout the university;
6. To retell . “We are no longer a commuter school,� she said, calling UofL a “university with international impact and influence, an anchor institution for Louisville and Kentucky, and renown for our excellence in collegiate athletics.�
7. To create a coordinated community engagement plan to focus efforts for the best impact and become the foundation of ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s 2024 application for recertification as a .
8. To begin addressing concerns from the recently released faculty/staff compensation study. Reiterating that she is firmly committed to a deadline of Oct. 1 to present an initial plan that will address some concerns, she said, “Despite how we got there, addressing those concerns is now my responsibility.�

Schatzel also pointed to three items from the approved by the Board of Trustees earlier this year.

The first is the five-year Undergraduate Success Plan to advance inclusive student success and raise ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s six-year graduation rate from 62% to 70%. The plan also focuses on eliminating completion gaps for several demographic groups, such as Pell-eligible students who graduate approximately 10 percentage points below the overall student population.

The second is to complete and begin implementation of an Institutional Equity and Inclusion Plan that emphasizes ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s commitment “that all members of our community — inclusive of all identities, demographics, life experiences, abilities and ideologies — will be welcomed and supported so they can thrive and reach their fullest potential.â€�

Finally, she highlighted the new Five-year Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Plan. It is aimed at retaining ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s coveted status as a with very high research activity by using benchmarks from other members of the . The AAU is made of the nation’s 71 leading research institutions.

“This is indeed one of the greatest universities in our nation and has created tremendous opportunity for thousands of students through the transformative education UofL offers,â€� she said. “… UofL graduates teachers, police officers, doctors, legislative leaders, entrepreneurs, pastors, engineers, accountants, artists, musicians and farmers. All our neighbors. … There is much to be proud of here at UofL and working together, there is indeed further greatness in our future.â€�

View photos from the Sept. 5 campus update event on .

Watch the entire address:

Of course, we’ve since learned the COVID-19 pandemic, and all of the uncertainties that come with it, remains. Still, 2021 seemed a little different. We know a little more about this virus, for example, and can make better mitigation efforts.

For UofL, that has meant a return to in-person operations while maintaining some hybrid elements. It meant masks and pop-up vaccination sites and plenty of continued mindfulness about safety. It meant a non-traditional raiseRED dance marathon, a livestreamed International Fashion Show and a Commencement ceremony at Cardinal Stadium for the first time ever.

In other words, it meant we carried on as a community – carefully, collaboratively – understanding that time doesn’t stop and neither do we. Our Cardinal spirit was on full display during 2020. In 2021, we brought that spirit to the next levelÌı– achieving records and reaching milestones while illustrating that not even a lingering global pandemic can slow us down.

Here are just a few of the highlights from the past year to instill pride and to motivate us into 2022.

Pandemic-inspired

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S., UofL went to work with an all-hands-on-deck mentality, searching for solutions, helping others and creating effective workarounds. That mentality continued in 2021 and extended to our pedagogical efforts. Our online learning programs experienced a 40% growth in the face of the pandemic, for example, while our law and dental faculty received an international award for creating a novel online teaching method in these new times.

Outside of the classroom, when vaccinations became available in late 2020, our UofL Health team was the first to step up and get the injection to prove their safety and efficacy. And when the city rolled out mass vaccinations, our medical, nursing and public health students and faculty were on the front lines. Ìı

As new variants appear, our groundbreaking COVID-19 wastewater research continues to provide critical learnings and is now backed by a CDC grant for $8.6 million.

Our School of Medicine joined a handful of other organizations, including local activist Christopher 2X’s nonprofit Game Changers, to launch a new campaign with a goal of ensuring all children have access to a face mask.

Diversity wins

Of course, our focus extends well beyond the pandemic. During summer 2020, former president Neeli Bendapudi announced a plan for UofL to become the premier antiracist metropolitan research university in the country. Several major steps have been taken since, including new hires and courses.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. For the eighth year, UofL has been named a recipient of the Higher ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, for example.Ìı

Toyota invested $1.7 million this year to increase opportunities for underrepresented students and assist them in earning engineering degrees at UofL. Further, the inaugural class of graduates from the Louisville Teacher Residency Program began their teaching careers with JCPS. The program is a collaboration between JCPS and the UofL College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development to recruit more teachers of color. And, our Brandeis School of Law is addressing barriers to opportunities for lawyers of color in the underrepresented environmental law niche.

Notably, UofL recently opened a new Cultural and Equity Center, which brings together several offices that provide resources and create a sense of belonging for underrepresented students. The center is home to the Office of Diversity ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Inclusive Excellence, Cultural Center, LGBT Center, Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice and the Women’s Center. Ìı

Research 1 Institution

UofL especially lived up to its status as a Carnegie-designated Research 1 institution this year, garnering a record-breaking $201.5 million in research funding for the fiscal year. This is more than $30 million over the previous record set a year earlier and supports work addressing some of the biggest global problems of our time. Our research literally spans the cosmos, and has yielded opportunities for education, training and policy development to address child trafficking in Kentucky; realized the health benefits of living in areas of high greenness;Ìıand turned invasive plant species that threaten local ecosystems into art.

Further, a team of UofL researchers is developing a pilot program for the city that will divert a portion of 911 calls to health, behavioral health and ancillary services. In March, the National Institutes of Health provided a $7.8 million grant to fund work at ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, in collaboration with Medtronic, to develop and test software applications designed for spinal cord injury. Not long after that, the NIH also provided UofL with an $11.3 million grant to support research into liver-related illness.

Don’t expect anyone at UofL to rest on research laurels, either. The Louisville Automation and Robotics Research Institute (LARRI) just opened a 10,000-square-foot space dedicated to research, education and collaboration in robotics, for example.ÌıResearchers from UofL are also working with Eli Lilly and Company in a clinical trial to determine whether its monoclonal antibody treatment, bamlanivimab, can reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities.

Meanwhile, faculty in ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s College of ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Human Development are conducting research to help JCPS school leaders create systems and structures that allow for equitable experiences for students and staff, andÌıUofL andÌıLouisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)Ìıare collaborating on research that will enhance travelers’ experience and airport operations through innovation.ÌıÌı

This focus on research is reaping plenty of reward as evidenced by UofL-born startup Talaris Therapeutics’ $150 million initial public offering earlier this year. Expect this momentum to continue, as UofL recently opened a new office, called UofL New Ventures, to help launch and grow startup companies built on university research and technologies.

Business and community

Beyond startup support, UofL has proven time and time again that we are dynamically connected to our community as a premier metropolitan university. There were plenty of supporting examples of this connection in 2021. For instance, Kosair Charities granted UofL $6.6 million to support children’s health efforts, including $5.5 million to fund the Kosair Charities Pediatric Neurorecovery Center for another 5 years.

Louisville-based Yum! Brands, one of the largest restaurant companies in the world, partnered with the UofL College of Business to create the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence. The center provides education to future and existing franchising professionals, allowing underrepresented people of color and women to unlock opportunities to create generational wealth.

UofL received a five-year grant totaling $2 million to help minority-owned manufacturing businesses adopt additive manufacturing and 3D printing technology. The Plan Room, a new business accelerator created by OneWest to assist minority-owned construction companies in developing their businesses, began receiving support from theÌı.

Further, UofL and the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Security Innovation Network entered into an agreement that solidifies collaboration among DoD end-users, UofL students and faculty and Metro Louisville’s early-stage venture community.

And, UofL is one of 32 universities nationwide participating in a U.S. Department of Energy program to help manufacturers in the region improve their energy efficiency. UofL will receive $2.2 million of a $60 million investment in the current cohort of DOE Industrial Assessment Centers program.

Student success

Our students have also proved they’re exceptionally resilient this year, creating change, contributing to innovation and generally just kicking some you-know-what. UofL continued its track record as an institution rife with prestigious scholars, for example, generating more Fulbright scholars than all Kentucky public higher education institutions combined.

In addition, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, awarded to one college junior in Kentucky each year, went to triple-major Lexi Raikes (English, French, political science), who planned to use the $30,000 scholarship to attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Ten students in Professor Chris Reitz’s Art and Activism seminar created the “Promise, Witness, Remembrance� exhibition honoring Breonna Taylor. The exhibition was featured at the Speed Art Museum in the spring.

Two Speed students, Jorge Sanchez and Mercedes Pastor, finished second at an international simulation competition, while music major Benjamin Carter’s “A Winter Nightâ€� helped earn him the 2021 Kentucky Music Educators Association Composition Award, andÌıSophomore Rawan Saleh was recognized as a top 20 under 20 from the Arab American Foundation for her work to end racism.

A UofL student startup aimed at fighting cancer and led by MD/PhD student Jordan NoeÌı won the inaugural CardStart Innovation competition. The startup is developing a new cell-based therapy for the treatment of aggressive solid tumors.

±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s Cardinal Battalion Ranger Team finished in the top 10 at the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition. Additionally, nearly 50% of the class earned an “outstandingâ€� ranking at Cadet Summer Training, which means they’re ranked in the top 15% of cadets in the country.

A group of UofL undergraduate students is focused on closing what it calls “the perception gap� through the launch of a new, nonpartisan online magazine. The is modeled after the Harvard Political Review.

A UofL-based Unified Sports basketball team has been selected to represent the state as part of Team Kentucky at the 2022 Special Olympics Games in June. The team combines traditional Special Olympics athletes with teammates who do not have an intellectual disability. It is the first unified team that Special Olympics Kentucky has ever sent to a USA Games.

Our student-athletes achieved a 91% graduation rate this year, matching the Cardinals’ best mark in the Graduation Success Rate report developed 17 years ago by the NCAA. Outside of the classroom, we sent 10 athletes to the Tokyo Olympic Games; Catcher Henry Davis became overall draft pick in the Major League Baseball Draft; our spirit squad won its seventh consecutive national title; and our volleyball team has been ranked No. 1 for much of the season while remaining unbeaten and headed to the Final Four. Further, six of our student-athletes earned a Top 6 for Service award for their community service efforts and our entire athletics department finished second among all Division I NCAA institutions for the Team Works Service Challenge.

Accolades

The accolades certainly didn’t stop on the athletic field. In 2021, UofL was named one of the most “transfer-friendlyâ€� schools in the U.S., for example.Ìı

±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s fully online programs were also acknowledged by U.S. News & World Report to be among some of the top education opportunities for online students in 2021 across the following categories: Online Bachelor’s, Online Bachelor’s Psychology, Online Graduate Criminal Justice, Online Graduate ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ and Online Graduate Engineering.Ìı

For the 12th consecutive year, UofL was recognized for its commitment to serving military-connected students by earning “2021-2022 Military Friendly� institution designation. UofL was one of only 29 Carnegie Designated Tier 1 Research institutions in the nation to earn the designation.

And in September, UofL once again held onto its spot as the top-ranked Kentucky college or university in Sierra Magazine’s 15^th Annual “Cool Schools� rankings.

A bright future ahead

If we’re able to accomplish all of this in a global pandemic, imagine what’s next for UofL. The future is undoubtedly bright, particularly as the Belknap Campus continues its transformation and prepares for new residence halls to open soon. Designed with input from student advisors, the halls create a modern experience aimed at helping students achieve success and providing them with a great place to learn.

We’re also positioned well as a great place in which to invest. Raise Some L, ±«´Ç´Ú³¢â€™s annual day of giving, drew support this year from a record number of donors, including Cardinal fans in all 50 states for the first time. Together, these donors have pledged to fund education, research and community engagement efforts throughout the university.

And we’ve put in the work to ensure we’re a great place to work. UofL recently launched a new Employee Success Center, providing employees with professional development opportunities, onboarding, mentoring, workshops and other engaging initiatives and programs.

Bendapudi announced Dec. 9 that she was leaving to take the same role at Penn State University. Provost Lori Gonzalez has been named interim president, while Josh Heird has been named interim athletic director. We are starting the new year with new leadership and with that comes new opportunities. And, as we’ve especially proven these past two years, nothing can stop us.