KY NSF EPSCoR to host film screening, discussion about Kentucky storm resilience
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 30, 2025) — Kentucky NSF EPSCoR’s CLIMBS project will hold a screening of two documentaries that show how communities have endured weather-related catastrophes and the ongoing work to be better prepared for future disasters.
Climate Resilience through Multidisciplinary Big Data Learning, Prediction & Building Response Systems (CLIMBS) seeks to advance Kentucky’s climate resiliency by bringing together researchers across the state to address this issue.
“CLIMBS - Kentucky Climate Resilience - The Documentary” highlights the effort from more than 50 multidisciplinary researchers from eight universities and colleges across Kentucky.
“All Is Not Lost” by the nonprofit, Letcher County-based media group Appalshop, underscores the unprecedented nature of the 2022 Eastern Kentucky flood. Through in-depth community interviews the film showcases Letcher County’s efforts to recover and rebuild.
The free event is 9:15 a.m.-noon Friday, July 18, at UK’s Worsham Cinema in the Gatton Student Center. Registration is open online and closes Friday, July 11.
After the documentaries, there will be a panel discussion with a Q&A session about flooding resilience, featuring professionals across disciplines.
The discussion will be emceed by Shane Holinde of Western Kentucky University and the Kentucky Climate Center. Holinde is a former TV meteorologist in Bowling Green who covered the deadly tornadoes in 2021.
Panelists include:
- Rebekah Radtke, associate professor, School of Interiors, UK College of Design
- Ryan Thigpen, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UK College of Arts and Sciences and CLIMBS member
- Aaron Asbury, film director at Appalshop
- Trinity Adams, graduate student in the Appalachian Center and Appalachian Studies Program, UK College of Arts and Sciences
This event will provide an avenue for further collaboration and potential partnerships on this topic across institutions, organizations and businesses.
Learn more about CLIMBS and the ongoing research projects online: https://kynsfepscor.uky.edu/climbs/
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. 2344533 and 1849213. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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.