# UK taps Mitchell as CATS AI director, launches research funding challenge **Published:** 2026-06-09T19:44:29.000Z **Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/cats-ai-names-new-director-launches-research-challenge-and-advances-ai-literacy) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-taps-mitchell-as-cats-ai-director-launches-research-funding-challenge LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky's [Commonwealth AI Transdisciplinary Strategy initiative](https://catsai.uky.edu/), or CATS AI, has appointed Shirley Mitchell as director while unveiling a pilot research challenge and expanded learning opportunities that reflect the university's ambition to position Kentucky as a leader in artificial intelligence development. Mitchell, a Lexington native and UK alumna, brings experience leading digital and technology initiatives at Valvoline Global and Lexmark, where she advanced early AI-driven efforts in sales, commerce and decision-making. She also served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, managing construction and infrastructure projects domestically and abroad. CATS AI was [formally launched last November](https://pres.uky.edu/news/cats-ai-uks-leadership-advancing-kentucky-through-artificial-intelligence) as a hub coordinating artificial intelligence work across UK's 17 colleges, libraries, research centers and institutes. The initiative responds to a UK Board of Trustees resolution charging the university to become Kentucky's "partner of choice" for responsible AI use and expansion. In her new role, Mitchell will guide efforts to make AI "practical, responsible and useful for Kentucky and its communities," focusing on connecting university expertise with the state's challenges in healthcare, workforce development and economic growth. "This moment in time is about people, not technology," Mitchell said, emphasizing that AI should amplify human capabilities rather than replace them. The pilot AI Research Challenge will fund early-stage projects to help researchers gather preliminary results for external grant proposals. Selected projects may receive direct cost funding, access to AI tools and computing resources, or a combination thereof. The deadline for applications is Sept. 11. Meanwhile, the CATS AI [ALT Hub](https://catsai.uky.edu/alt-hub), led by Katherine Thompson, Ph.D., and James Brusuelas, Ph.D., has already trained more than 1,000 participants through partnerships with Microsoft and Phygital Labs. The hub supports real-world AI applications ranging from agriculture to healthcare, including projects using deep learning to detect tall fescue in horses and machine learning to identify colorectal cancer screening risks. The initiative builds on broader momentum in Kentucky's AI ecosystem. UK's [Center for Applied AI](https://caai.ai.uky.edu/) has led more than 65 projects in just two years, while the state's [AI Task Force](https://www.kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=1879) has recommended strategies for workforce training and responsible technology adoption across state agencies. ## Sources - [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/cats-ai-names-new-director-launches-research-challenge-and-advances-ai-literacy) - [CATS AI official website](https://catsai.uky.edu/) - [UK President's announcement of CATS AI launch](https://pres.uky.edu/news/cats-ai-uks-leadership-advancing-kentucky-through-artificial-intelligence) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/cats-ai-names-new-director-launches-research-challenge-and-advances-ai-literacy.