EKUStem

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

09/30/2026

09/21/2026

(From Dr. Serg Sgro)

On Saturday, September 19, members of EKU's Department of Engineering & Technology gathered at Legends Field in Lexington, KY, to honor the memory of a beloved colleague and friend, Dr. Dennis Field, who passed away on March 13, 2026. Our team was aptly named, the "Overachievers" because as his obituary states, The consummate overachiever, he was diagnosed with the extremely rare combination of Parkinson’s Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and fought a valiant battle against both.

But to some of us, he was so much more. I met Dennis when I first began my graduate studies at Iowa State University. He quickly became my mentor, friend, and ultimately, my advisor for both my Master's and PhD. In early 2006, he recruited me to EKU knowing I would fit in with the faculty, the community, and Kentucky. As always, he was spot-on.

During the last 20 years, it has been a privilege to have watched his children grow into wonderful and successful adults. Especially heartwarming for us as my wife used to babysit his children in Iowa.

To have known Dennis is to have known that his words were few but that each word was kind, gentle, impactful, and deep. It was no surprise to those of us you knew him that his soft demeanor carried a subtle authority that could quiet a room with a single word or phrase.

These pictures feature less than ½ of the Team (we lived up to the Dennis's overachieving standards and had, by far, the largest team there). Pictured: members of EKU's Department of Engineering Technology who supported and walked were: Dr. Vigs Chandra, Dr. Ray Richardson, Dr. Michael Kennedy, Mr. Stephen Crump (not pictured), and myself (Dr. Serg Sgro). The other pictures are of his family, Susan (his wife), and children Kate, Julia, and Matt - all hand-in-hand walking and supporting efforts to one day eradicate this cruel and unforgiving disease.

09/01/2026

Please note: OUR FIRST COFFEE TIME HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED!

Please join us for the first Coffee Time Talk of the fall!
Dr. Jeffrey Neugebauer
Eastern Kentucky University
Zeros of Fractional Derivatives: A Fractional Version of Rolle's Theorem
September 9, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m.
Wallace 344 & Online

Abstract: In a first-semester calculus course, Rolle’s Theorem provides a simple, intuitive guarantee. if a smooth curve starts and ends at the same height, it must flatten out at some point in between. This flattening is identified by the derivative being zero. However, this classical result relies on the derivative being a local operator, meaning the slope at any specific point depends only on the behavior of the function immediately next to it.

In this talk, we explore what happens to Rolle’s Theorem when we move into fractional calculus. Unlike classical derivatives, fractional derivatives are non-local. To calculate the derivative at a specific time, you must consider the entire history of the function leading up to that moment. This memory effect introduces surprising complications. For instance, the fractional derivative of a constant value is not necessarily zero. The location of a function's zeros can change where the fractional derivative equals zero.

We will begin with an introduction to fractional derivatives and integrals, focusing on how they differ from the derivative and integral in calculus. We will then present a fractional version of Rolle's Theorem. Here, we will see why the memory of the fractional derivative makes it difficult to track zeros and how we can still guarantee their existence under specific conditions. No prior background in fractional calculus is required. Some knowledge of derivatives and integrals is recommended.

Zoom information email [email protected] See less

08/24/2026

Join us this Wednesday for the College of STEM Welcome Social!

> GAMES
> PRIZES
> FREE FOOD

08/17/2026

We’re expanding our student social media ambassador team, also known as the Colonel Creators. If you’re passionate about content creation, the colonel spirit and student engagement, there’s a spot for you on our team, and we want to hear from you!

Overview of the Job:
🤳 Show off campus life and student experiences in video content
📸 Participate in marketing photoshoots
🎥 Document key campus events to share real-time
📣 Create content for Maroon Platoon social media accounts
🏈 Promote upcoming athletic events, giveaways and themes
🏟 Assist in student section and game day atmosphere

You can learn more and apply in the link below!

🔗: https://careers.eku.edu/jobs/colonel-creator-engagement-ambassador-richmond-campus-kentucky-united-states