LEXINGTON, Ky. — Thirteen University of Kentucky faculty members from the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment have been named 2026 recipients of The Bill Gatton Foundation Professorships, which provide three years of funding to support innovative research addressing critical challenges facing Kentucky and beyond.

The awards are funded through The Bill Gatton Foundation's historic $100 million gift to UK, the largest donation in the university's 160-year history. The gift was made to honor the legacy of late alumnus Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton, who was the university's single largest donor with contributions exceeding $180 million.

"These professorships represent the kind of bold, collaborative thinking that defines our college and our land-grant mission," said Laura Stephenson, Ph.D., vice president for land-grant engagement and Martin-Gatton CAFE dean, according to a university announcement.

Eight faculty members were named Bill Gatton Foundation Distinguished Professors, including Zachary DeVries and David Gonthier from the Department of Entomology, who are investigating pest management and sustainable coffee systems respectively. Yosra Helmy from Veterinary Science is leading a One Health initiative addressing antimicrobial resistance, while Tomokazu Kawashima from Plant and Soil Sciences is researching plant reproduction and crop productivity in soybeans and hemp.

Five early-career faculty were honored as Bill Gatton Foundation Early-Career Professors. These include Tyler Barzee, who is advancing fermentation technologies, and Kendall Corbin, who is establishing a translational colon model facility to understand connections between agriculture, diet and gut health in partnership with UK HealthCare.

Abigail Pace is leading research on Alpha-gal Syndrome, an emerging tick-borne condition causing severe allergic reactions to mammal-derived foods and products. Allen Page is investigating early indicators of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular injury risk in horses, while Katie VanValin is developing approaches to strengthen Kentucky's beef industry through an extension education farm.

The foundation has also supported significant infrastructure improvements, including the opening of the $60 million Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building in May, a 66,000-square-foot facility serving as the college's first new campus building in decades.