Social Sciences
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Scholar Spotlight: Ehsan Lor Afshar
“I study the things people care about most, and how those things shape our lives, choices, and feelings.” Ehsan Lor AfsharAssistant Teaching ProfessorDepartment of Anthropology My work explores how changes in what we value—especially when something important loses its worth—can make people feel out of place or disconnected from their home and community. My research…
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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…
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Not CSI: UT Offers Real Forensic Experience
Films and television programs make processing crime scenes and investigating deaths look fascinating, but those who study anthropology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, can learn firsthand the skills and the mindset vital to those careers. Courses that provide hands-on experience handling skeletal remains—as well as opportunities in the local community to see professionals in…
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UT Professor Joins National Energy Workforce Board
A University of Tennessee, Knoxville, professor is bringing her knowledge of energy policy and workforce development to a federal advisory board recommending how to prepare for skilled labor needs in the energy field. Assistant Professor Nikki Luke began a two-year appointment to the 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board (EWAB) in February 2025 and attended…
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Toni Twitty Rocky Top Winner
Toni Twitty founded her successful acupuncture clinic with skills and insight built through the College of Arts and Sciences. Toni Twitty (BA, Anthropology ’06) built a rich perspective through her studies at the University of Tennessee that she now applies to helping others seek pain relief through acupuncture. Her educational foundation and Volunteer Spirit led…
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Qiusheng Wu Earns Award for Workshop Collaboration
Qiusheng Wu was recognized by UT Libraries for his collaboration in leading the 2025 Open Science Workshop and Symposium. Associate Professor Qiusheng Wu, Department of Geography and Sustainability, earned the UT Libraries’ Paul E. Trentham Sr. Library Partner Award for organizing the Open Science Workshop and Symposium in collaboration with the library. The award was…
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New Name Reflects Neuroscience Growth at UT
With an expansion of its name, the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is showcasing wide opportunities for studying systems that control behavior in humans and other animals. The neuroscience major and minor began as a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) interdisciplinary program in 2013 and became part of…
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Research Uncovers AI Influence in Academic Papers
A graduate student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, investigating the performance of ChatGPT found evidence that scholars quickly embraced the technology when writing peer-reviewed articles on political science topics. Shortly after the artificial intelligence program was introduced in November 2022, use of the top words it favors jumped higher than the word “terrorism” did…
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Psychology Undergraduate Internships Add Insight
Psychology internships for undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, allow them to see classroom lessons in the real world and enter careers with confidence. Sydney Bull (’25) completed a yearlong internship with the nonprofit McNabb Center, working in a recovery-based high school for students who struggled with substance use. Now she’s a registered…
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Society and Culture in Theory and Practice
New Center for Social Theory is a crossroads for interdisciplinary research across social and cultural theory. Faculty and graduate students working in the areas of social and cultural theory now have the support of the new Center for Social Theory, directed by Department of Sociology Professor Harry F. Dahms. The center’s mission is to enhance…