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Higher Ground

A Vision for the Future: A Message from the Dean

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At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, we stand at the intersection of tradition and transformation. The College of Arts and Sciences is an integral part of Tennessee’s premier public university. As leaders in research, education, and public service, we are uniquely positioned to serve as a vibrant hub for this modern land-grant university. We are […]

A Bridge from Campus to Community

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The College of Arts and Sciences transforms knowledge into action—bringing discovery, learning, and innovation beyond campus to engage, inspire, and create lasting impact in communities. Outreach activities that have been traditions for decades continue, and new avenues are reaching more people. Space for Everyone to Learn The College of Arts and Sciences is not limited […]

Exploring Literary Physics

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An asteroid strikes a massive starship halfway through a 300-year, multigenerational journey for a society of humans who hope to establish a new home on a distant planet. The disaster costs thousands of lives and cripples the starship’s support systems, leaving only enough hydrogen to fuel another 30 years of space flight. The surviving travelers […]

Appalachian Scholar

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Olivia Roberts learned the importance of Appalachian culture, history, environment, and community firsthand growing up in the mountains of East Tennessee. Her grandparents passed down stories of their lived experiences in the region, instilling in Roberts a deep understanding of her Appalachian heritage—and a passion for celebrating it. “I knew I wanted to pursue a […]

Asking Big Questions

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How can research prepare communities for climate change? The Institute for Climate and Community Resilience (ICCR) develops real-time climate adaptation strategies, helping Tennessee communities plan for environmental shifts before they happen. What’s next for space exploration? UT’s new Center for Planetary Science and Exploration is helping shape the future of planetary research, working with NASA and […]

Boots on the Ground, Drones in the Air

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Using specialized sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), students and faculty in the Department of Geography and Sustainability are collecting data and building digital models that aid area park managers. These Volunteers from Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university are serving Knoxville’s most-visited park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), and Cherokee National Forest, while preparing […]

Deep Dive into Research

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Scholars from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, joined the University of Texas at Dallas, principal investigator on the project funded by the National Science Foundation, along with scholars from the University of California at San Diego, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Queen’s University (Canada), the University of Lorraine (France), Kochi University (Japan), the Geological Survey of […]

Faculty Are Using Digital Engagement to Teach

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The College of Arts and Sciences extends education far beyond textbooks and lectures. Faculty members are integrating experiential learning—hands-on and immersive teaching methods—to engage students in real-world problem-solving and interdisciplinary research. Whether exploring religion through video games, analyzing astronomy through science-fiction worlds, or engaging with data in fieldwork, these courses challenge students to think critically, […]

Let’s Botanize

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Jacob Suissa believes that science belongs to everyone. He puts that belief into action by sharing complex topics in botany and evolutionary biology in ways that are engaging and accessible. In addition to his role as an assistant professor in ecology and evolutionary biology, he has built a thriving online community with “Let’s Botanize,” a […]