The Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame recognizes and enshrines those Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the fields of aviation and aerospace.
Evans played vital roles in the UK Department of Biomedical Engineering, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, coordinating the departmental seminar series, writing research proposals and running many research projects.
Born in 1937 in Mayfield, Kentucky, Evans received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Murray State University. She came to the University of Kentucky as a Physiology and Biophysics graduate student in 1968. As a Research Associate at the University of Kentucky Wenner Gren Laboratory between 1980 and 2015, her research focused on cardiovascular changes that occur during and after exposure to zero-gravity and increased gravitational stress.
Evans continues to advocate for more research that includes both genders since male and female physiology often produces different results. Evans also believes there needs to be more research related to testing counter-measures that can reverse weightlessness-induced cardiovascular deconditioning – a centrifuge in zero gravity – and its differing effects on genders.
After retiring from UK in 2019, Evans has continued her research on reducing G-LOC (G-induced Loss Of Consciousness) and how to lower the cardiovascular deconditioning of weightlessness by continuing to write and review research in this area.
The excitement of cutting-edge experiments and their results inspires her lifelong commitment to her career.
