After traveling to 193 countries, UNC professor Jim Kitchen sets his sights on space

Posted Apr 11, 2021
Jim Kitchen didn’t set out to travel to every recognized country in the world. But by the end of 2019, the University of North Carolina professor had visited all 193 United Nations-recognized countries — a journey that took more than 30 years. He recently finished writing a book detailing his travels, "A Bigger World," scheduled to release in mid-2021. (Daily Tar Heel)

Related: Campus Connections

Carolina astronomers capture images of the cosmos
The difficulties associated with obtaining these rare glimpses of the cosmos make the stories behind them all the more mesmerizing. The UNC College of Arts...
Mon Jun 1, 2026

Hometown Hero: UNC Scientist Nabarun Dasgupta
Nabarun Dasgupta is an epidemiologist who heads up UNC’s opioid data lab. They help people with substance use by giving them information about what substances...
Sun May 31, 2026

The Most Mouthwatering Burger in North Carolina Is Waiting For You at Al’s Burger Shack
Ask a University of North Carolina student where to find the best burger in the state, and they’ll point you to Al’s Burger Shack. Al’s...
Sat May 30, 2026

31 Carolina faculty named ‘highly cited researchers’
UNC has 31 faculty on Clarivate’s 2025 list of Highly Cited Researchers, recognizing those who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields of...
Thu May 28, 2026