University of Tennessee Knoxville

Office of the Provost Newsletter

Welcome!

As we head into the semester break, I want to take a moment to thank you for all that you have done over the past months for our students, our research mission, and our campus community.
You make the University of Tennessee a great place to learn, work, and live. I am grateful for the values, talents, and passions that you share so generously throughout the year.
I hope you have a restful and refreshing winter break, filled with connection, peace, and joy.
Happy holidays and Go Vols!
John Zomchick
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor

News and Notes
As a reminder, nominations are needed for the 2024 Academic Honors Banquet. These awards celebrate the university's highest level of scholastic and service accomplishments. Award information and nomination forms are available on the Academic Honors banquet website. The deadline is January 17, and nominations are needed in multiple categories. Please consider submitting a nomination by January 17.
Applications are now open for the 2024-2025 Research Development Academy (RDA), which is designed to support the development of tenure-track faculty from historically underrepresented groups. This year-long program provides research support, coaching sessions, mentoring opportunities, and professional development workshops, and is open to all tenure-track faculty who have yet to be considered for tenure. Applications are due on January 31st, 2024.
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Steering Committee led by Erin Hardin, professor in the Department of Psychology, has identified Foundations for Learning, Well-being, and Career as the topic area for the QEP, the campus-wide initiative to enhance student learning and student success that is undertaken as part of UT's reaffirmation of accreditation with SACSCOC. Learn more about the topic area and next steps.
The College of Music has entered into an agreement with Pellissippi State Community College that provides a bridge from Pellissippi State’s Associate of Applied Science in media technologies/audio production engineering to UT’s Bachelor of Arts in music business administration. This partnership is the first such agreement between an AAS program and a BA program in music at UT, opening a broader array of opportunities for students interested in the field of music.
The campus honorary degree nominating committee is accepting nominations for honorary degrees, the highest form of recognition offered by the University of Tennessee. Nominators must hold a current faculty appointment with UT. Nominations are due February 9, 2024. Information about criteria, required documentation, and a link to the nomination form are available on the honorary degree information page.

Congratulations!
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI): Achievements, recognitions, and more good news
UT's Forensic Anthropology Center (FAC) has been awarded two grants totaling over $580,000 from the Office of Justice Program’s National Institute of Justice, the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. The FAC – which includes the Anthropological Research Facility, also known as the Body Farm – is known worldwide for its research and training.
Anahita Khojandi, an associate professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, was selected as a member of the Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD) Fellowship in Leadership for Fall 2023.
A team of UT researchers has been awarded $2.6 million to increase tree canopy coverage, reduce stormwater runoff, mitigate extreme heat and bring ecosystem services to underserved communities in East Knoxville. The team includes Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Jon Hathaway, Assistant Professor of Social Work Jennifer First, and Professor of Urban Forestry Sharon Jean-Philippe.
Rigoberto Advincula, the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chair of Advanced and Nanostructured Materials, has been elected National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow. His patents can potentially contribute to health and safety, a resurgence in U.S. manufacturing leadership, and more efficient fossil-fuel energy generation.
There is more good news on campus than can fit in one newsletter. If you have some good news you'd like to send us for a future monthly edition, we'd love to hear it. Send a 2-3 sentence summary and link to jroder@utk.edu.

Save the Date
Faculty Pub | January 25, February 29 (Trivia Night)
Coffee & Conversation | February 14, March 20, April 16
Faculty Appreciation Week | February 26—March 1, 2024
Mic/Nite | April 3, 2024
Spring Celebration for Faculty | May 23, 2024

Contact Us

Office of the Provost
527 Andy Holt Tower
Knoxville, TN 37996-0184
Phone: 865-974-2445
Website: provost.utk.edu
Email: provost@utk.edu
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