UK Engineering Professor John Balk Wins SEC Faculty Achievement Award

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 11, 2017) — T. John Balk, professor of materials engineering in the University of Kentucky College of Engineering, has been named a 2017 SEC (Southeastern Conference) Faculty Achievement Award winner.

Now in their sixth year, these awards honor one individual from each SEC university who has excelled in teaching, research and scholarship. 

“I am honored to receive this award and to represent the University of Kentucky in the SEC this year," Balk said. "This is an especially meaningful award, as it recognizes achievement in both teaching and research. Both UK and the SEC foster and encourage these equally important endeavors that make the job of professor so fulfilling.”

In addition to teaching materials engineering, Balk is director of the college's Electron Microscopy Center and director of undergraduate studies for materials science and engineering in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering. His research areas include structure, deformation mechanisms and mechanical behavior of nanoporous metals; novel materials for thermionic electron sources; and high entropy alloys.

“Through the SEC Faculty Achievement Awards we have a unique opportunity each year to recognize and encourage the work of outstanding faculty members on our campuses,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “These 14 highly accomplished scholars represent more than 14,000 full-time, tenured professors in our conference, and we are delighted to honor them for decades of service to our students.” 

Balk will receive a $5,000 honorarium from the SEC and will become UK's nominee for the SEC Professor of the Year Award. The SEC Professor of the Year, to be named in April, receives an additional $15,000 honorarium. 

To be eligible for the SEC Faculty Achievement Award, the professor must be a teacher or scholar at an SEC university; have achieved the rank of full professor; have a record of extraordinary teaching; and have a record of scholarship that is recognized nationally and/or internationally. 

The SEC Faculty Achievement Awards and the SEC Professor of the Year Award are both selected by the SEC Provosts, and they are a part of the SECU (SEC Universities) academic initiative. SECU is the mechanism through which the SEC promotes the collaborative academic endeavors and achievements of its students, faculty and administrators. 

The full list of SEC Faculty Achievement Award winners is available here.