Natural Sciences & Mathematics

New Natural Sciences and Math Faculty for Fall 2025

New faculty members bring their research perspective to the UT natural sciences and math community. Photo by Steven Bridges/University of Tennessee New faculty members joining the college’s Division of Natural Sciences and Math this fall contribute groundbreaking perspectives across research and scholarship areas, building upon the wide research spectrum of UT’s cutting-edge community of scientists…
UT Part of Mars Team Finding Possible Sign of Life

Professor Linda Kah is among the researchers working with NASA to capture images and data that may show ancient microbial life on the Red Planet. A professor from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is part of the scientific team that has identified a potential sign of early life on Mars. Linda Kah, the Kenneth R.…
Crowded Conditions Muddle Frogs’ Mating Choices

New animal research shows female treefrogs may not get the mate they likely want in crowded environments, and those conditions may hamper evolution. Female treefrogs prefer a mate with an impressive call, but the crowded environments give unattractive males an edge, according to a new international study led by Assistant Professor Jessie Tanner of the…
Scholar Spotlight: Billy You Bun Lau

“My research helps us understand how the brain adapts under healthy conditions and what might go wrong in brain disorders.” Billy You Bun LauAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Psychology and NeuroscienceDepartment of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology I study how the brain changes with experience, such as when a mouse learns from a mother to care…
UT’s Rising Stars of Microbiology

UT microbiology faculty and graduate students collaborate for research reviews in a leading microbiology journal. Three Department of Microbiology faculty members were nominated and selected this year for the American Society for Microbiology’s (ASM) “Rising Star in the Field of Host-Microbe Interactions,” a competitive initiative to feature review articles by top researchers for a special…
Scholar Spotlight: Irene Guerinot

“My most important objective is to challenge, motivate, encourage, and inspire my students to think about their world, in new ways and with a scientific perspective.” Irene GuerinotTeaching Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Physics and Astronomy Some of my students are physics, math, and engineering majors diving deep into the subject. Others are studying fields like biology,…
Petex Software Donation Puts Research on the MOVE

Petex donated its MOVE software suite in support of research and teaching led by Assistant Professor Chelsea Mackaman-Lofland. A generous donation of cutting-edge software from PE Limited (Petex) will enhance the research of faculty and students in the UT Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (EEPS). The in-kind gift of the company’s MOVE software…
Fulbright Grant Taking Taylor to Teach in Spain

David Taylor (’24) will take a break from research and spend the 2025-2026 academic year in Spain, the next stop on his journey to combine his interests in science and teaching. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is a top producer of Fulbright Students, and Taylor was among 10 UT students and alumni offered Fulbright grants…
Rock-Solid Research Experience Leads to Fellowship

Greg Snyder’s long career of research and renewed faculty role led to fellowship in the Society of Economic Geologists. Assistant Teaching Professor Greg Snyder was awarded the rank of Fellow in the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) in April 2025. His nomination was approved following a decade of geological research in the 1990s, a multi-decade…
Actuary Internships Prepare Math Majors for Work

Some mathematics majors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are preparing for high-demand jobs in actuarial science through both the classroom and internships that offer real-world learning. Ashley Holt (’25) and rising senior Michael Rice both completed 10-week paid summer internships in 2024 at Unum Group’s corporate headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rice is headed back…