Four professors awarded Big XII Faculty Fellowships

LAWRENCE — Four University of Kansas professors have been selected for The Big XII Faculty Fellowship Program, which provides tenured and tenure-track faculty up to $2,500 in travel funding to collaborate with peers at other Big 12 institutions. Fellows can use the funding to visit campuses, bring colleagues from peer institutions to KU or access unique resources.

The 2023-24 Big XII Fellowship recipients:

• Eileen Nutting, Department of Philosophy
• Lin Liu, Department of Mechanical Engineering 
• Sheyda Jahanbani, Department of History
• E. Bruce Hayes, Department of French, Francophone & Italian Studies

"The Big XII Faculty Fellowship is an important opportunity for our KU faculty to collaborate and connect with scholars from across the Big XII conference,” said Amy Mendenhall, vice provost for faculty affairs. “This fellowship provides a platform for showcasing and supporting the important work of our KU faculty as they advance research and discovery with scholars at other Big XII institutions, strengthen research partnerships and promote their scholarship through public presentations to students, faculty and the greater campus communities across the Big 12.”

About the recipients

Eileen Nutting

Eileen Nutting, associate professor of philosophy, is preparing for her fall 2023 visit to the University of Texas at Austin. Collaborating with philosopher Jon Litland, they will explore paradoxes in metaphysics, logic and the philosophy of mathematics. In addition to holding in-depth discussions with Litland, Nutting plans to participate in graduate seminars and present her latest research. Their continued exchange of ideas will fuel ongoing research, inspire prospective collaborations and strengthen connections between the philosophy departments at KU and Texas.

Nutting joined the KU faculty in 2013.

Nutting said, “UT Austin has a world-class philosophy department, and I’m delighted to have the chance to get to know their faculty and graduate students. I’m especially grateful that the Big XII Faculty Fellowship will allow me to spend two full weeks working through research ideas with Jon Litland. The length of the visit will allow for a more sustained conversation, and consequently more substantive research progress, than would be possible in a shorter visit.”

Lin Liu

Lin Liu, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is collaborating with Kansas State University researchers to advance hydrogen production technology. Their work is focused on improving protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) to increase efficiency and reduce cost involved with hydrogen generation. Liu plans to develop physics-based models and conduct experiments in an effort to optimize PCEC-positive electrodes. This project builds on recent breakthroughs in electrocatalysts and proton-conducting oxides. It is notable that Liu’s project also involves testing partnerships with Idaho National Lab and Pacific Northwest National Lab. By improving hydrogen production technology, this research can benefit sustainable energy efforts.

Liu joined the KU faculty in 2013.

Liu said, “The success of this project will not only produce results to strengthen our previous proposals but also create new knowledge to predict, design, synthesize and characterize the positive electrode for efficient and durable PCECs. Furthermore, obtained fundamental understanding, novel materials, novel experimental methods and devices may benefit other research fields, such as lithium metal batteries.”

Sheyda Jahanbani

Sheyda Jahanbani, associate professor of history, will visit the University of Texas at Austin to collaborate with Professor Mark Atwood Lawrence. During the fellowship, Jahanbani will present her latest book, “The Poverty of the World: Rediscovering the Poor at Home and Abroad.” She also plans to study connections between historical and modern poverty reduction efforts, as well as conduct interviews with leaders of influential organizations tied to President Lyndon Johnson's administration. A couple of these significant organizations include Bread for the World and the Eleanor Crook Foundation. The fellowship will enable Jahanbani to learn about UT Austin's applied social science program and help establish similar undergraduate opportunities at KU.

Jahanbani joined the KU faculty in 2007.

Jahanbani said, “Nurturing existing relationships with the director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, faculty in the department of history at UT, and scholars at LBJ School of Public Administration, I am going to be exploring ways we can use innovative applied research strategies in our teaching in the history department at KU.”

Bruce Hayes

Bruce Hayes, professor of French, Francophone & Italian studies, will spend a week at the University of Texas at Austin collaborating with peers. At UT's esteemed Harry Ransom Center, Hayes will look at rare Renaissance texts, including a 1598 edition of Montaigne's “Essais.” Beyond research, Hayes plans to share insights on student recruitment and retention with UT's French & Italian department faculty. This will include giving a talk about strategies to attract and engage students in the field. This opportunity allows Hayes to advance his work through strengthening scholarly networks while returning with new knowledge and insights to improve KU’s respective programs.

Hayes joined the KU faculty in 2001.

Hayes said, “I am both excited and honored to be invited by the Department of French & Italian at the University of Texas-Austin, including support from Professor Marc Bizer, a leading scholar in my field of French Renaissance studies. I look forward to giving a talk to the department and engaging in dialogue about student recruitment and retention while I am there.”