KU Giving Magazine
Chancellors Club Teaching & Research Awardees
John Thyfault, PhD
Chancellors Research Award
Dr. John Thyfault has research expertise in metabolism, mitochondrial energetics, obesity and exercise physiology using translational approaches in animal models and human subjects. The broad theme of his research focuses on the mechanisms by which exercise, physical activity and aerobic capacity reduce susceptibility for obesity, chronic metabolic disease states of insulin resistance and fatty liver and neurometabolic deficits associated with aging. Dr. Thyfault is a Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center in the Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology and Department of Internal Medicine-Division of Endocrinology. He is also a Research Scientist at the KC VA Medical Center in Kansas City. He also thematically leads metabolism-based research at KUMC through serving as the Co-Director of the Kansas Center for Metabolism and Obesity Research, the Director of the KU Diabetes Institute, and the Co-Director of the TOMAD’s T32 program. He has been continuously funded by the AHA, VA or NIH since 2008.
Kent Spreckelmeyer
Chancellors Club Career Teaching Award
Kent Spreckelmeyer is a Professor of Architecture and maintains an active consulting practice in architectural research and programming. Since 1981 he has taught courses in design, architectural programming, building evaluation, and research methods. His primary focus in higher education has been the study of the relationship between human well-being and the built environment, and since 2009 he has directed the Health & Wellness internship program at the University of Kansas. He has served in leadership positions in the School in the creation of the professional Master of Architecture program in the late 1990s and the Doctor of Philosophy program in 2007. In addition to his teaching in architecture, he has been active in the Department of Humanities and Western Civilization at Kansas and has taught the history of architecture and urban design course for the study-abroad component of that department in Florence and Paris. He was awarded a 2009 W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching for recognition of his work in the classroom, studio, and graduate seminars.
Professor Spreckelmeyer has consulted on more than fifty architectural projects in workplace and healthcare facilities in partnership with Frank Zilm & Associates. He is a member of the AIA Architecture for Health Committee and has served on the editorial boards of the AIA/AHA Journal, Environment & Behavior, the Journal of Architectural Education, Health Environments Research & Design Journal and the Journal of Architectural and Planning Research. He has co-authored five books that advance architectural knowledge by integrating new theories and methods of research into the design process and is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, research reports, conference presentations, and invited guest lectures. He has been a visiting professor at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland and Moratuwa College of Architecture in Sri Lanka.
Students working under his direction have incorporated the principles of his research in their own practices, and he maintains connections with these practicing professionals through studio juries, sponsored design and research programs, advisory boards and funded research projects. He is active in national organizations that promote design research and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
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