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Scholar Spotlight: Chelsea Mackaman-Lofland
“I study rocks that have been folded, faulted, crumpled up, and otherwise deformed to understand the forces that create mountain ranges and shape Earth’s landscapes.” Chelsea Mackaman-LoflandAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences As an expert in structural geology and tectonics, my research combines a variety of field, analytical, and numerical modeling-based approaches. I…
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Well-Earned Accolades for the Home Team
The College of Arts and Sciences honored outstanding faculty and staff in its annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the UT Conference Center in downtown Knoxville. Faculty and staff awards presentations were combined in a single ceremony to honor colleagues across all areas of the college’s mission, selected by their peers to…
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Hunter Seeks Answers Through Political Science Research
Kevin Hunter’s curiosity about American political behavior led him to UT courses in not only political science but history, sociology, psychology, and Africana studies. Growing up in a military family that moved every few years, Kevin Hunter observed the world around him and became curious about what shapes people’s political behavior. As an undergraduate at…
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Vols Behind the Vision: Laura Whitson
“There are so many things that I am grateful for at UT and the College of Arts and Sciences. The friends that I’ve made on my employment path, the experiences I’ve gained, and the collaborative atmosphere have truly given me so much fulfillment.” Laura WhitsonPersonnel Specialist College of Arts and Sciences What do I love…
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UT Graduate Student Joins Researchers in Antarctica
Microbiology doctoral candidate Jason Olavesen sailed to the Southern Ocean with an international team investigating microscopic organisms that drive global carbon cycles. Microbiology research took a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, student on a voyage in the Southern Ocean for nearly seven weeks in early 2026. Jason Olavesen, a third-year PhD student in UT’s Department of…
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Scholar Spotlight: Cecily P. Bernard
“I introduce students to and broaden their knowledge of the American world beyond North America, including South and Central America and the Caribbean.” Cecily P. BernardTeaching Assistant ProfessorDepartment of World Languages and Cultures I equip them with new lenses to view and interpret the world they inhabit, building language skills and cultural competencies relevant to…
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Big Orange Ears Open Wide
Connections of art, literature, and music come alive for UT class through Knoxville’s Big Ears Festival. For the second year in a row, a musically adventurous class of UT students had the unparalleled experience of attending the Big Ears Music Festival, which draws performers and fans from across the globe to Knoxville each spring. This…
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A Home for Civic Explorers
A new Living and Learning Community (LLC) proposed by the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Department of Political Science will begin hosting students in the fall of 2026. The new Civic Explorers LLC, to be located in Robinson Hall, aims to introduce students to careers that promote civic engagement and build their appreciation…
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Justice Studies Builds in First Two Years
The interdisciplinary justice studies program celebrates a successful first academic year. The interdisciplinary Justice Studies Program (JUST) offers UT students the opportunity to integrate social sciences, humanities, and law to gain an enhanced, real-world understanding of social and economic justice issues across a variety of fields and career paths. The program launched in 2024 as…
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National Geographic Supports UT Research on Hemlocks
Doctoral student Sonja Schmoyer is using drone-based hyperspectral imaging and AI to detect invasive pests that are endangering one of America’s keystone species. The National Geographic Society has awarded a grant to Sonja Schmoyer, a doctoral student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for research designed to help protect endangered hemlock trees.Schmoyer is one of…
