Step inside the creative research process with ‘Inside the Lab’ event series
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 29, 2025) — The University of Kentucky community experienced research and creative scholarship in a new and interactive way through a recent installment of the “Inside the Lab: Works in Progress” event series. Hosted by the Sustainable Futures Design Lab and supported by the Research Leadership Academy and the Office of the Vice President for Research, this series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the workspaces of researchers, designers, artists and scholars engaged in groundbreaking projects.
Inside the Lab provides an opportunity to visit different research labs, studios and creative spaces, where participants can engage directly with scholars and creators as they explore new ideas. The event highlights the connections between design, science, technology and the humanities, offering a deeper understanding of how research takes shape across disciplines. Through these open lab experiences, attendees will gain insights into the collaborative processes that drive innovation at UK.
The Sustainable Futures Design Lab is collective of scholars who meet regularly to discuss ongoing work, cultivate new collaborative projects and to share resources to advance community-engaged creative scholarship in Kentucky. This group is committed to socially responsible design research that is connected, critically engaged and a catalyst for positive societal impact in the state to address pressing global issues.
The first event in the lab’s event series, “Inside the Lab: Natural Dyeing and Transdisciplinary Collaboration,” explored the intersection of fiber arts and plant sciences. Featuring Crystal Gregory, a fiber artist from the School of Art and Visual Studies, Shari Dutton, a researcher in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, and Anne Frances Miller, a biochemist from the College of Arts and Sciences, this session offered attendees the opportunity to witness the dyeing process in action and learn about the chemistry and artistry of natural dyes. Participants also had the chance to take home their own color sample as part of the hands-on experience.
Future “Inside the Lab” events will feature additional disciplines and projects, providing continued insight into the diverse and dynamic research happening at UK. The Sustainable Futures Design Lab is planning the next “Inside the Lab” event for the fall and in the meantime, invites faculty from across campus to attend its end-of-year-gathering 10 a.m. Thursday, May 1, in Room 109 of the Gray Design Building.
Light refreshments will be provided.
This gathering will serve as an opportunity to share brief updates on current research, partnerships and initiatives, reflect on key takeaways from this year’s work, identify opportunities for future collaboration and begin planning for the next academic year.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.