KU Discoveries

Ryan Clasby, curator of global indigenous art & lifeways, went to Peru, Colombia and Ecuador to conduct in-depth interviews with artists and attend workshops in preparation for an exhibition at the Spencer Museum of Art.  

To strengthen the One KU research enterprise, the university recently unified the boards of the KU Center for Research (KUCR) and the KU Medical Center Research Institute (KUMC RI) — bringing both organizations under the same leadership for the first time.

The Center for Research and the Research Institute are nonprofit foundations that support KU research and clinical trials, operating under the administrative jurisdiction of the Office of Research on the Lawrence campus and Research Administration at the Medical Center. Aligned membership ensures decisions about research strategy, finances and governance are made collaboratively and with a unified view of KU’s research priorities.

Bringing the boards into alignment reduces duplication, improves coordination and creates a clearer path for consistent decision‑making. This matters for the KU research community because it will help streamline processes and enable KU to invest its research resources more strategically — ultimately making it easier for researchers to focus on discovery, innovation and impact.

KU researchers are testing hyperpalatable foods, maximizing crop yield at different nitrogen levels, studying healthy relationships, analyzing the turbidity of Tuttle Creek and more — all with the aid of external funding awarded in April.

At the KU Center for Technology Commercialization, we know that great collaboration can lead to shared innovation. But did you know that collaborative research between universities can also lead to shared intellectual property ownership — even when each researcher is contributing different expertise and working at separate institutions?

In these cases, universities often establish inter-institutional agreements to clarify ownership, patent responsibilities, licensing coordination and commercialization strategy.

That’s why sharing the details of your invention with KUCTC, including who else was involved in the research, is so important. Through early engagement, we can help ensure intellectual property arising from inter-institutional collaborations is appropriately managed and positioned for future protection and commercialization opportunities.

If you believe an innovation from your research may have commercial potential, we encourage you to connect with us early. Ready to get started? Submit an invention disclosure to begin the conversation and help protect and advance your innovation.

Behind every successful award are teams of KU research support staff who help investigators identify opportunities, prepare and submit complicated proposals under strict deadlines, help manage finances and compliance for funded projects, and more. They are the unsung heroes of KU research, greasing the wheels of innovation and discovery.

In each issue of KU Discoveries, we shine a spotlight on a research support staff member deemed particularly outstanding by colleagues. Click or tap the button below this month's story to nominate a deserving candidate from any unit at KU.

Laurie White | Facility Manager | Gray-Little Hall

Scientists often require lab space to conduct experiments. Facility managers like Laurie White help maintain these spaces and play indispensable roles in ensuring user safety.

White is the facility manager for Gray-Little Hall, which serves the departments of Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences, Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Physics & Astronomy. It is also home to at least seven different core labs used by researchers across the university and some affiliates with other institutions. White has been at KU for 14 years.

“Laurie takes great pride in her work and that pride extends to making sure Gray-Little Hall functions well for all students and faculty,” said Tim Jackson, professor and chair of chemistry.

“She is especially adept at identifying facilities problems at an early stage so that any issues can be addressed as soon as possible.”

As the facility manager, White wears several hats. She oversees repairs and work orders, coordinates office space when staffing changes arise and troubleshoots issues for students and faculty. White also helps with the installation of new lab equipment, such as in the recently opened Materials Characterization & Testing Laboratory. Some of this highly specialized equipment can cost millions of dollars and requires careful attention to detail during installation.

“Laurie is a strong advocate for her people, which is critical as a facility manager,” said André Faucher, assistant director of research facilities, who has worked closely with White for years.

“She is very honest and frank — not in a mean way. She tells you like it is, and many times that is what is needed in facility management.”

Another major part of White’s role is ensuring the safety of building occupants. White leads a safety committee to promote safety procedures. She has gone above and beyond to make this information as accessible as possible, including creating videos about tornado sheltering and fire evacuation locations, which are hosted on the building website.

“Laurie has become an integral part of our research safety team in Gray-Little Hall,” Jackson said. “She works closely with a multidepartment safety committee to help make sure that everyone in Gray-Little Hall understands safety codes and good practices.”

WORKSHOP

Learn how to access the world’s largest source of grant funding, supporting innovation and the commercialization of impactful research. Presented with experts from the Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas FAST Office and The Crane Group.

Introduction to SBIR/STTR Grants
Thursday, June 11 | 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
KU Medical Center, Health Education Building, Room 3112

Registration is free and open!

Sponsored by the One KU Office of Research, Collaborative Research Luncheons are semi-structured, interdisciplinary conversations designed to mobilize a diverse array of scholars around shared societal challenges. Beginning in fall 2026, CRL events will be designed as One KU experiences, bringing researchers together across campuses.

Please consider taking a 2- to 3-minute survey to help us identify topics that generate broad interest and meaningful cross‑campus engagement. The survey will be available until June 1.

RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION

Striving to stay informed about funding agency updates and research-relevant policies, processes and practices at KU? Subscribe to Research Administration News & Notes. This monthly newsletter includes timely news, reminders and professional development opportunities for KU research administrators and grant coordinators.

WORKSHOPS

The University of Kansas AI Steering Committee and Enhanced AI Center are pleased to sponsor two Databricks & Artificial Intelligence workshops. Hosted by Research Informatics, this is an exciting opportunity for business leaders, decision makers, product owners and managers, emerging data scientists, AI practitioners, and teams in analytics, BI and data engineering. Registration is required and space is limited. 

Education & Overview
9 a.m. – noon | Thursday, June 4
KU Medical Center, Health Education Building, Room G109
Register online

Gain a practical understanding of Databricks, modern data platform and AI/ML use cases while connecting capabilities to real business outcomes. This session balances conceptual learning, platform overview and applied AI examples. No deep technical background required. 

Deep Dive Workshop & Demos
1 – 4 p.m. | Thursday, June 4
KU Medical Center, Health Education Building, Room G109
Workshop full; registration closed. Use Research Informatics Data Concierge email below to inquire about future opportunities.

Build on foundational concepts introduced in the Education and Overview session with technical walkthroughs and live demonstrations that reflect how Databricks is used across KU Medical Center to support research, clinical, operational and reporting needs. This session will include applied data discovery use cases and deeper, hands-on exploration of the Databricks Lakehouse Platform. Participants will observe end-to-end demonstrations, focusing on practical applications.

Questions? Email the Research Informatics Data Concierge.

Questions? Comments? Content suggestions?
Mindie Paget  |  Office of Research  |  mpaget@ku.edu

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