# UK professor named 2026-27 University Research Professor **Published:** 2026-06-23T17:47:01.000Z **Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/research/danelle-stevens-watkins-2026-27-university-research-professor-qa) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-professor-named-2026-27-university-research-professor LEXINGTON, Ky. — [Danelle Stevens-Watkins, a professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky College of Education, has been honored as a 2026-27 University Research Professor](https://uknow.uky.edu/research/danelle-stevens-watkins-2026-27-university-research-professor-qa), an annual distinction that [recognizes excellence in work addressing scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges](https://www.research.uky.edu/support/university-research-professors). Stevens-Watkins, a UK alumna and licensed health service psychologist, secured her place among [17 faculty members named to the 2026-27 cohort](https://ci.uky.edu/about/news-and-media/2026/17-faculty-named-2026-27-university-research-professors) after two decades of research focused on health disparities and substance abuse in African American communities. She has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and secured more than $11.8 million in research funding as principal investigator, with an additional $99 million as co-investigator from federal agencies including the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Her research spans two major areas: the opioid epidemic affecting African American communities and barriers to breastfeeding support in Kentucky. Stevens-Watkins led what she describes as the first known national research study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse examining the opioid crisis within African American communities, work that has been featured on NBC News Now and NPR. In her community outreach efforts in Louisville and Lexington, her team has reached more than 860 adults who use opioids through neighborhood canvassing and naloxone distribution. In her capacity as director of graduate studies in the College of Education, Stevens-Watkins has advised 18 doctoral graduates and served as acting dean of the college. She is also a certified lactation counselor who trained 50 community volunteers in peer breastfeeding support, work supported by UK's [Center for Health Engagement and Transformation](https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/chet). "Kentucky is my home, and the people of the Commonwealth are the heart and soul of everything that makes this state great," Stevens-Watkins said in a statement. "If I can focus my career on improving the lives of Kentuckians, I know that is legacy I can be proud of." Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000. The professorships program, established by the UK Board of Trustees in 1976, honors faculty across the university's research enterprise. ## Sources - [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/research/danelle-stevens-watkins-2026-27-university-research-professor-qa) - [University of Kentucky Research - University Research Professors](https://www.research.uky.edu/support/university-research-professors) - [UK College of Innovation - 17 faculty named 2026-27 University Research Professors](https://ci.uky.edu/about/news-and-media/2026/17-faculty-named-2026-27-university-research-professors) - [UK College of Medicine - Center for Health Engagement and Transformation](https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/chet) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/research/danelle-stevens-watkins-2026-27-university-research-professor-qa.