A Big Thanks to Our UTC Staff: Thank you all for your patience and understanding with last weekend’s snow-related closures. Keeping our students, faculty and staff safe is our No. 1 priority. A special shoutout goes to the housing, campus dining and facilities teams for stepping up and taking great care of our students who live on or near campus. Your efforts didn’t go unnoticed!

Celebrating MLK: Each year, MLK Day serves as a powerful reminder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy of equality, justice and nonviolent activism. Observed on Monday (Jan. 20), this federal holiday celebrates Dr. King’s pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and inspires individuals to continue his work by promoting unity and service. Across the nation, communities honor his vision by turning the day into a “day on” rather than a day off, dedicated to fostering progress and change in his memory.

Remembering the Past and Embracing the Future: UTC’s MLK Day celebration, featuring Africana Studies Program Director Michael Williams, Bessie Smith Cultural Center Director of Community Relations and Development Elijah Cameron, and Producer/Community Advocate Nicole Brown, will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, in the University Center Tennessee Room. The event, sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Student and Family Engagement, is free and open to the public.

Chatting with the Chancellor: I’m excited to participate in a fun project with WUTC-FM 88.1. On the third Tuesday of every month beginning Jan. 21, listeners of the “Chatting with the Chancellor” series on WUTC’s “Scenic Roots” can hear us showcase the incredible work happening across our campus. I’m excited to share perspectives about our students, faculty and staff with the Chattanooga community and highlight how UTC continues to advance innovation and foster meaningful impact within our region.

Award-Winning Students: For the third time in five years, UTC’s Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) delegation brought home top honors in the statewide competition. The delegation also won several individual awards and elections for positions next year. Beeta Baghaevaji won the Carlisle Award—TISL’s oldest and most prestigious honor, Carolina Shank won Best Lobbying CEO, Kaylee Victory won Outstanding Lobbyist, and Carmen Witt was elected as Senate Pro Temp for next year’s TISL competition. 

Grand Challenges Grant: The UTC School Psychology program is bringing a new kind of railroad to school districts across Tennessee with the Rural Assessment Intervention Library (RAIL) System. Beginning later this year, the RAIL System will give rural school psychologists the chance to access assessments they need to properly diagnose students so they can provide adequate services and support. Congratulations to the RAIL System award recipients, led by School Psychology program director Amanda Hardin, on landing the UT System Grand Challenges grant.

CEACSE Convergent Research Initiative Awardees: Congratulations to project teams led by Dr. Murat Barisik (Nanotechnology in Engineering) and Dr. Vahid Disfani (Sustainable and Smart Energy Systems) on being awarded UTC Research Institute funding for the FY2025–2028 Center for Excellence in Applied Computational Science and Engineering (CEACSE) Convergent Research Initiative. This program fosters multidisciplinary research to drive advancements in applied computational science and engineering at UTC.

Math Research Going Global: UTC Department of Mathematics Assistant Professor Xiunan Wang is drawing international recognition for her work in mathematical modeling to forecast the spread of infectious diseases. Her innovative research was recently highlighted in an article by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, one of the three major U.S. math organizations with international memberships.

February is Black History Month: The Office of Multicultural Affairs has selected the theme “A Celebration of Firsts” for Black History Month, emphasizing the landmark experiences of African Americans. UTC’s celebration of Black History Month will include special events throughout February. Stay tuned for information about campus events and celebrations.