June 10-16, 2025

Updates and news for the week of June 10-16, 2025

The UTC Campus Weekly newsletter is distributed every Tuesday morning. If you have news, events or announcements you would like shared with campus, please submit your information to Peyton Schultz (peyton-l-schultz@utc.edu) in the Division of Communications and Marketing by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.

UTC News  |  UTC Events Calendar  |  Campus Updates

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Highlights

Mark your calendar for Operation Move In

Operation Move In takes place Wednesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 14, for incoming freshmen and transfer students.

Housing and Residence Life could use as many hands as possible to make this day go as smoothly as possible for our newest residents. If you are interested in volunteering for OMI, please fill out the OMI volunteer signup form and share the link with others.

Those who volunteer will receive a meal voucher for UTC Dining and a signature OMI T-shirt as a special thank you. Learn more here.

For more information, contact OMI committee chair Jason Harville.

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Residential Meal Plan Portal Now Open

The Manage My Housing portal is open until 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3, for students to change their fall 2025 residential meal plan. Meal plan eligibility is based on earned credit hours. If your spring 2025 or summer 2025 credits will change your student classification, please wait until final grades are submitted before you attempt to make a change.

The University classifies undergraduate students as freshmen, sophomores, juniors or seniors according to the number of credit hours the student has completed:

• Freshman: 0-29 semester hours
• Sophomore: 30-59 semester hours
• Junior: 60-89 semester hours
• Senior: 90 or more semester hours

The Meal Plans are listed by student classification. Please refer to this link for that information: https://mocsdining.campusdish.com/MealPlans.

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Disney on Ice returns to McKenzie Arena

Join Mickey and his friends at Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party, an adventure filled with world-class skating, high-flying acrobatics and unexpected stunts.

Tickets for McKenzie Arena shows will be available for purchase starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17. Performances will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 19.

Outstanding People of UTC

Congratulations to UTC faculty and staff who received awards or submitted proposals for sponsored programs in May. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced that faculty and staff attracted $513,122 in external grant and contract awards during the month and submitted proposals for the potential to generate over $16,124,964 in external funding, if awarded.

Among those receiving awards in May were Dr. Tian Li (Chemistry and Physics) and Dr. Donald Reising (Electrical Engineering) who, in collaboration with Purdue University, received $447,621 from the National Science Foundation for the project titled, “Collaborative Research: Sub-Shot-Noise Limited Distributed Quantum Sensing on a Commercial Metropolitan-Scale Quantum Network via Deep Learning Aided Noise Suppression.”

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Dr. Azad Hossain

Dr. Azad Hossain’s research on Chattanooga was recently featured as NASA’s Earth Observatory “Image of the Day.” The article, “Building Out Chattanooga,” compares satellite images of Chattanooga from 2001 and 2024 to show how much the city has grown.

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The results of the Staff Senate elections have been tallied. The newly elected executive committee:

• President: Joel Wells
• Vice President: Mary Lee King
• Secretary: Rebecca Dragoo
• Parliamentarian: Carrie Sherbesman
• President(s) Ex-Officio: Melita Rector and Susan Lazenby
• ERC Chair: TBA after elections

More information will be coming soon and updates will be reflected on the Staff Senate webpage.

The Staff Senate plans to carry forward several initiatives that were started by the ERC and ESC and build on the successes that were already achieved.

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Check out these Mocs in the news:

• WUTC radio host Richard Winham, who is retiring later this month after nearly 40 years with the station, sat down for an interview with the Times Free Press.
• Dr. Chris Smith was a guest on WGOW-FM’s Jed & Jr Mornings to talk about the School of Nursing’s new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.
• CUIP Deputy Director and Chief Technology Officer Austin Harris talked to Local 3 News about CUIP’s recent $500,000 grant award through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Transportation Network Growth Opportunity.
• UC Foundation Associate Professor Trevor Elliott was a guest on 3 Plus You for an extended segment about the mechanical engineering program.
• Quantum Center Director Rick Mukherjee was featured in a Teknovation.biz recap of the inaugural Quantum Immersion Day event in Knoxville.
• The TV show “Cops” will soon be coming to Chattanooga to focus on the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. The Times Free Press talked about the show with UC Foundation Associate Professor Rick Dierenfeldt—a former police officer and head of UTC’s Criminal Justice department.
• Physical Therapy Associate Professor Betsy Myers was interviewed by the Times Free Press for a story about the Chattanooga-based SPARC organization.
• Physical Geography Lecturer Joshua Hodge spoke to the Times Free Press about Maclellan and Williams Islands in the Tennessee River.
• Gary W. Rollins College of Business Associate Dean Kathleen Wheatley recently appeared on NewsChannel 9’s “This N That” to talk about the college’s Graduate School programs.

Mark Your Calendar

Please join us in celebrating Bonny Clark as she retires from UTC after more than two decades of dedicated service. A beloved presence in both Undergraduate Admissions and the Graduate School, Bonny has been a trusted program liaison since 1999—known for her warmth, professionalism and famous homemade treats. Her caring spirit, attention to detail and unwavering support for students, staff and faculty alike have left a lasting mark across campus.

The retirement celebration will take place from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, in the Tower Room in Race Hall. Light food and refreshments will be served. All are welcome as we honor Bonny’s remarkable contributions and wish her the very best in this well-earned next chapter.

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The Center for Wellbeing is offering a series of trainings and discussions for faculty and staff this summer. If interested, please sign up here. The Center is happy to schedule trainings for specific teams or departments at other times throughout the year. Reach out to Megan McKnight with questions or to request a training.

• Thursday, June 12: QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer and Suicide Prevention Using the C-SSRS, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Thursday, June 12: Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone, Zoom, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Friday, June 13: Recovery Allyship: How to Support Students Who Are Struggling or Have Struggled with Substance Use, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (lunch will be provided)
• Friday, June 20: Mental Health First Aid, University Center Room 350, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (lunch will be provided)
• Tuesday, July 1: Recovery Allyship: How to Support Students Who Are Struggling or Have Struggled with Substance Use, Zoom, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 10: Mental Health First Aid, University Center Room 350, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. both days
• Wednesday, July 9: Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone, University Center Room 350, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
• Friday, July 11: Sleep Matters: Improving Sleep Among Employees and Students, Zoom, 11 a.m.-noon
• Wednesday, July 16: QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer and Suicide Prevention Using the C-SSRS, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 23: Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Prioritizing Wellness Through the Semester Discussion, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-noon
• Thursday, July 31: Recovery Allyship: How to Support Students Who Are Struggling or Have Struggled with Substance Use, Zoom, noon-2 p.m.

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The Department of Chemistry and Physics invites the public to the keynote presentation of its 2025 summer Undergraduate Research Program, “Pushing Quantum Chemistry Beyond Classical Limitations Using Distributed Quantum Computing.” The talk will take place from 1-2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11, in Grote Hall Room 319.

The keynote will be delivered by Dr. Grier M. Jones of the University of Toronto. In this talk, Jones will explore how distributed quantum computing and quantum-centric supercomputing can overcome current hardware limitations in quantum chemistry. His research focuses on partitioning complex quantum algorithms across multiple quantum processing units to study larger chemical systems, offering new approaches for solving the molecular electronic structure problem.

For event details, click here.

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The public is invited to the Summer Solstice Science Seminar, taking place from 10 a.m.-noon on Friday, June 20, at the Clarence T. Jones Observatory (10 N. Tuxedo Ave.).

Hosted by UTC’s Department of Chemistry and Physics and the Barnard Astronomical Society, the event will include solar telescope viewing, science talks on the solstice and dark skies, demonstrations of low-pollution lighting, and a chance to explore Chattanooga’s 20.5 inch telescope built in 1938. Seating is limited; early arrival is recommended. Parking is available behind Brainerd United Methodist Church.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Richard Winham

After nearly four decades of shaping the sound and soul of public radio in Chattanooga, WUTC-FM host Richard Winham will retire this summer

To honor his extraordinary legacy, WUTC will host a public benefit concert from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, at Barrelhouse Ballroom, located at 1501 Long St. in downtown Chattanooga. The all-ages, family-friendly event will feature performances by local folk, blues and bluegrass artists, with a limited pre-show meet-and-greet with artists and station staff from noon to 12:45 p.m. 

The benefit concert is also a fundraising event, with proceeds helping sustain WUTC’s ongoing mission to support music, arts and cultural programming in the Tennessee Valley—work inspired by Winham’s legacy. Tickets can be purchased here.

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The UTC Graduate School announced that the following students will be presenting their final works of research as advanced degree candidates. Everyone is invited to attend.

• Wednesday, June 11: Monireh Rahmati, MDRB Conference Room, 9:30 a.m., Calendar
• Wednesday, June 18: Carshonda Harris Martin, Zoom, 1 p.m., Calendar
• Wednesday, June 18: George Thompson, ECS 403, 1 p.m., Calendar
• Wednesday, June 18: Jacob Derrick, Zoom, 1 p.m., Calendar
• Wednesday, June 18: Abdelrahman Amin, ECS 403, 3 p.m., Calendar
• Monday, June 23: Jason McDowell, Zoom, 9 a.m., Calendar

Campus Updates

Dr. Tian Li leads a demonstration at UTC’s recent Quantum Summer Camp for rising 10th-12th graders.

Each summer, UTC opens its campus to the community through a wide range of summer camps designed for K-12 students. From science and sports to leadership and college prep, UTC hosts hands-on programs that help kids stay engaged while school is out—and give families access to university-level experiences close to home.

Most camps are open to the public, with options for elementary, middle and high school students. Offerings include full-day activity camps, weeklong academic programs, and skill-building clinics in athletics, science, math and more.

Some of this summer’s featured camps include:

• Aquatic and Recreation Center’s Mocs Adventure Camp
• Chattanooga Volleyball Camps
• Challenger STEM Learning Center’s Challenger Exploration Camp
• College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Summer Algebra Enrichment Camp

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The testing center is looking for individuals interested in helping with the administration of the ACT on UTC’s campus. This is a paid position, and proctors and room supervisors are needed for the 2025-26 school year. If you are interested in working—for one session or both—please email Cathy Jackson.

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Join open play sand volleyball at the Sports Complex at noon on Mondays through June 23. Faculty and staff are welcome to drop in as individuals or with a team—no registration required.

Intramural pickleball registration remains open. Games will take place at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 1-31 at the ARC. Registration closes at noon on Friday, June 27. All skill levels welcome. Register here.

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The CEACSE Research Innovation and Strategic Expansion (RISE) program is now accepting proposals for early-stage, high-potential research projects that strengthen UTC’s Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) and the Quantum Center.

Selected projects may receive up to $70,000 for the 2026 calendar year, supporting one month of summer salary for faculty or research staff, full-year PhD student support and additional research expenses.

• Deadline: Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, to both Hannah Archer and Claudia Colpo.
• Eligibility: Lead PIs must be faculty, research faculty or postdocs at a UT System institution. If not UTC-based, the PI must advise a UTC PhD student supported by the project.
• Project Period: Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2026.

For full details and submission guidelines, view the Request for Proposals (RFP). Questions may be directed to Hannah Archer.

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Faculty and staff, are you passionate about student well-being and fostering a culture of wellness on your campus or with partners across the UT System? The new Wellness Mini Grants Program is here to support your innovative ideas.

The program offers up to ten $5,000 grants for faculty and staff to pilot projects that focus on the eight SAMHSA-defined wellness dimensions, promote collaboration across and between campuses, and create scalable, measurable student wellness innovations.

Projects that are measurable, collaborative and have a role for a student will be prioritized. Click here to learn more and apply. The application is just a short, three-page PDF and is due Friday, Aug. 1. For questions or concerns contact the UT Chief Wellness Officer.

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UTC’s Master of Public Health program, specializing in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, is still accepting applications. The program offers flexible full-time and part-time options with evening, hybrid and online classes. No GRE or prerequisite courses are required, and students from all academic backgrounds are welcome.

To learn more or apply, visit utc.edu/mph. For questions, contact Emma Sampson or call 423-425-4196.

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The Center for Wellbeing launched its Mental Health Ally training program for faculty and staff to recognize employees on campus who are engaging and learning how to best support our students’ mental health. Trainings included in the Mental Health Ally program are QPR (one hour), Suicide Prevention Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) (one hour), Psychological First Aid (one hour) and Mental Health First Aid (eight hours). Complete trainings and receive recognition on campus for your dedication to improving outcomes for students.

Recognition tiers:

• Certificate of completion: Every training
• Mental health ally sticker to display: Complete QPR, Suicide Prevention Using the C-SSRS, and Psychological First Aid
• Mental health ally sweatshirt: Complete Mental Health First Aid
• Mental health ally recognition on Center for Wellbeing website and Campus Newsletter: Complete all four trainings

If you have questions about this program, please reach out to Amy Kyriakidis or Megan McKnight.

UTC Newsroom

Grace Pippin and Dr. Jejal Bathi recently talked to students at East Ridge High School.

Senior civil engineering major Grace Pippin loved her physics classes as a high school student, but she wasn’t sure how to turn her passion for science into a career. Then she came to UTC and heard about civil engineering.

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Mike Bradshaw, director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, leads the Urban Vision Initiative.

The Urban Vision Initiative connects entrepreneurs from underserved communities with UTC student consultants to drive economic success.

WUTC

Todd Womack (photo courtesy of Bridge Public Affairs)

Todd Womack, a UTC alum and vice chair of the UC Foundation, is the president and CEO of Bridge Public Affairs—one of the top-performing lobbying firms in Tennessee and across the country. With offices in Chattanooga, Nashville, Johnson City and Washington, D.C., Bridge specializes in government relations and strategic communications for a wide range of clients, from municipalities and nonprofits to major companies and NGOs.

Womack, who previously served as chief of staff and staff director for former U.S. Senator and Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, sat down for an extended conversation with WUTC’s “Scenic Roots” to discuss Bridge’s work and his thoughts ahead of the Evolving Our Riverfront Parks celebration in downtown Chattanooga.