Dr. Rahul R Bhosale and Dr. Bradley Harris
Two University of Tennessee at Chattanooga chemical engineering professors and a pair of Hamilton County educators have co-authored a research paper published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy—one of the field’s leading academic journals.
Guerry Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Rahul R. Bhosale and Associate Professor Bradley Harris, head of the Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, mentored Henry Enerson of East Ridge High School and Jasmine C. Johnson-Jackson of Tyner Middle High Academy through a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Research Experience for Teachers program at UTC.
The published article, “Thermochemical solar energy storage in the form of hydrogen via MgSO4/MgO water splitting cycle,” is available on the sciencedirect.com website.
The four-year NSF project, titled “Providing Research Experiences and Practicum on Cyber-Physical Systems for Regional Community College Faculty (PREP-CPS),” offered hands-on, discovery-based research opportunities for regional K–12 and community college instructors. Approximately 30 instructors have participated in the program.
Under the guidance of Bhosale and Harris, Enerson and Johnson-Jackson conducted hydrogen energy research that included literature review, computational modeling, data analysis and scientific writing. Their research led to publication in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, which has an impact factor of 8.3.
“This publication is remarkable not only for its technical contribution but for the story behind it,” Bhosale said. “Seeing high school teachers step into a research environment, take ownership of a complex project and ultimately co-author a peer-reviewed manuscript speaks to the power of experiential learning and the impact of NSF–supported programs.”
Harris said the initiative shows the reach of UTC’s partnerships in STEM education.
“This collaboration demonstrates what is possible when educators are given meaningful access to research opportunities,” Harris said. “Henry and Jasmine now bring this experience back to their classrooms, inspiring students and strengthening STEM pathways across Hamilton County.”
Dr. Kumar Yelamarthi, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said the project highlights UTC’s connection between University research and local schools.
“This achievement reflects the power of collaboration and curiosity—two of our core values at UTC CECS,” Yelamarthi said. “By connecting educators with cutting-edge research, we not only create knowledge but also build character and inspire future generations. This is how we transform ideas into impact.”
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