Dr. Reinhold Mann (photo by Angela Foster)
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann has announced his retirement, effective at the end of December.
Since joining UTC in 2015, Mann has helped shape a new era for the University’s research enterprise, building faculty capacity, deepening community partnerships, and advancing major strategic initiatives that have elevated UTC’s role in regional innovation and discovery.
“Reinhold Mann’s significant impact on our research mission will be felt for years to come,” UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce said. “He significantly strengthened partnerships across the UT System and Oak Ridge National Laboratories while supporting faculty innovation, helping position UTC as a trusted partner in high-impact research and workforce development.
“We are grateful for his dedication and passion for elevating UTC’s role as a catalyst for discovery and regional impact.”
Mann was appointed vice chancellor for research in January 2024 after previously serving as the deputy vice chancellor for research. Under his leadership, the University expanded its external funding portfolio, advanced collaborative projects across disciplines, and launched UTC’s Quantum Initiative—a significant component of the institution’s growing research identity.
“It has been a pleasure and honor to work for UTC,” Mann said. “The interactions with faculty, staff, students and the collaborations with leaders in Chattanooga and the region have been truly inspiring and motivating. I look forward to watching continued progress at UTC and in the Chattanooga ecosystem as I pursue interests outside the scope of my work to-date.”
Before joining UTC, Mann built an international reputation in computational, environmental and biological sciences.
His career included service as senior vice president for research and development at Battelle Science and Technology Malaysia, where he led major scientific initiatives in Kuala Lumpur—as well as several key leadership roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. At ORNL, he directed the Biological and Environmental Sciences Directorate. He later served as deputy laboratory director for science and technology, chief research officer and associate laboratory director for fundamental science at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Mann arrived at UTC after serving as associate laboratory director for environmental, biological, and computational sciences at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, where he was responsible for research and development programs in biology, biotechnology, climate science, computational science and related fields.
He holds a Diplom-Mathematiker degree and a Doctor rerum naturalium in physics from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, and completed postdoctoral work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory through a Feodor Lynen Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
