Research

KET to Air “Rise Above” Documentary on UK Aeronautics Research

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 2, 2014) — “Rise Above: A New Generation of Aeronautics Research,” a documentary exploring leading-edge research at the University of Kentucky, will air on KET during the month of January.

This half-hour documentary follows a team of UK College of Engineering faculty and students over the course of a year while they push the boundaries of engineering and mathematics to new levels. The documentary opens as a group of senior engineering students begin their attempt to design and build a remote-controlled aircraft capable of speeds up to 100 mph to collect research data.

As the story follows their yearlong attempt to fly this research plane, we meet other students who, along with their faculty mentors, are creating new solutions for practical problems in aeronautics.

The film features engineering faculty including Suzanne Weaver Smith, Sean Bailey, Jesse Hoag, and Michael Siegler, along with graduate students Michael Thamann (now UAV lab manager), Mark Miller, John Calhoun and B.J. Wellman.

The documentary was produced as a collaborative project between UK Research Communications and the Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments.

Producer Julie Martinez described the yearlong documentary effort as a unique challenge.

"Producing this type of a video focused on long-term research of highly technical material can be challenging," she said. "However, having the opportunity to follow these exciting stories gives us a chance to showcase the amazing research that is happening right here in Kentucky in the area of aeronautics."

Smith, director of the Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and NASA EPSCoR, and the Donald and Gertrude Lester Professor of Mechanical Engineering, provided the filmmakers with access to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laboratory along with other faculty members and students.

"The value of this project was in the opportunity to demonstrate how students at all levels are integrated into the UK research endeavor, benefitting both research and education," Smith said.

The documentary will air at the following times:

  • KETKY: Sunday, Jan. 5 at 11:30 a.m. EST
  • KET2: Monday, Jan. 6 at 9:30 p.m. EST
  • KETKY: Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9:00 p.m.EST
  • KETKY: Friday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 a.m. EST
  • KETKY: Friday, Jan. 10 at 2:30 p.m.EST
  • KETKY: Friday, Jan. 10 at 9:30 p.m.EST
  • KET2: Friday, Jan. 10 at 11:30 p.m.EST
  • KETKY: Saturday, Jan. 11 at 8:30 a.m. EST
  • KETKY: Monday, Jan. 13 at 1:30 a.m. EST
  • KETKY: Thursday, Jan. 23 at 3:30 a.m. EST

MEDIA CONTACT: Keith Hautala, (859) 323-2396; keith.hautala@uky.edu