Patrick Lee Lucas named 2026-27 University Research Professor

During their meeting this week, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved School of Interiors professor Patrick Lee Lucas, Ph.D., as the College of Design’s University Research Professor for the 2026-27 academic year in recognition of his distinguished scholarly achievements and contributions to interdisciplinary research.

Lucas’s research focuses on how buildings, interiors and everyday objects reflect the culture and identity of the people who create and use them, particularly in regions and time periods like the 19th-century Midwest and the 20th-century American South. Rather than relying only on written records, his research looks closely at images, artifacts and physical spaces as important evidence for understanding history.

This approach shapes his current collaborative project, “Language and Home in the Commonwealth,” which combines linguistic research with the study of homes and material culture to explore how Kentuckians describe and experience their living spaces. The project, funded through a Provost IMPACT award, aims to challenge regional stereotypes and reveal how identity and culture are expressed both in the built environment and in the language people use to talk about it. 

Among his other scholarly contributions are his 2023 book, “Athens on the Frontier: Grecian-Style Architecture in the Great Valley of the West, 1820–1860,” which examines the role of classical architecture in shaping cultural and political identity in the early United States, and his 2013 book, “Modernism at Home: Edward Loewenstein's Mid-century Architectural Innovation in the Civil Rights Era,” documenting architect Edward Loewenstein’s modernist homes in North Carolina and exploring how their design reflected broader cultural and social shifts during the Civil Rights era. 

“Dr. Lucas exemplifies the kind of interdisciplinary scholarship that the University Research Professorship is meant to recognize,” said Lindsey Fay, the College of Design’s associate dean for research. “By connecting the study of the built environment to broader cultural questions, his work elevates the role of design scholarship within the university and highlights how design research contributes to conversations across disciplines.”

In addition to his research contributions, Lucas is also known for his ability to help students bridge design history and practice. An award-winning instructor and international presenter, he inspires students to recognize design as a fundamental form of human expression and to understand how material environments shape a rapidly changing world. His commitment to student learning has earned him recognition as a 2026 University of Kentucky Great Teacher, a student-nominated honor that highlights faculty who demonstrate exceptional dedication to teaching and mentorship. Further reflecting his impact, he was also selected by students as the 2026 UK chapter recipient of the Tau Sigma Delta Honors Society Silver Medal Award, recognizing his significant contributions to the allied arts and his lasting influence on students’ academic, personal and professional growth. 

Lucas has also held significant leadership roles, including director of the School of Interiors, director of International Programs in the College of Design, Provost’s Faculty Fellow and service on major academic committees. 

“Dr. Lucas is a thoughtful and insightful scholar whose work connects design history to the lived experiences of communities, and he brings that same care and curiosity to the classroom,” said Ned Crankshaw, dean of the College of Design. “We are proud to have the College of Design represented by a researcher whose scholarship deepens our understanding of the built environment and its cultural meaning.” 

As a University Research Professor, Lucas will receive a one-year award of $10,000 to be used to support the “Language and Home” project, including continued support for undergraduate research assistants as well as equipment for podcasts and websites to disseminate the research.

University Research Professors may also be given the opportunity to present a short description of their research endeavors to the Board of Trustees once over the course of the award year and are featured in a Q&A with UKPR about their research.

“Being recognized by the College for this transdisciplinary research affirms the importance of looking beyond written records to the physical spaces and artifacts that define us,” Lucas said. “I plan to use this award to elevate design scholarship and continue to explore the complex stories embedded in objects, spaces and buildings as part of broader cultural conversations indicative of the rapidly changing world around us."