As a UTC undergraduate, April Horn, right, joined the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor as a student assistant, working for URaCE Executive Director Lisa Piazza. Photo by Angela Foster.
April (A.P.) Horn wasn’t sure research was the right fit.
“I really had no clue what I wanted to do,” recalled Horn, who graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Dec. 13 with a bachelor’s degree in physics. “I pretty much just chose physics because I liked math and I liked science. It seemed like a good marriage of those.”
In the summer of 2023, Horn enrolled in the Summer Learning Institute hosted by the UTC Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE)—a six-week program open to students in all disciplines and levels of study who are curious about the research process.
That decision changed everything.
Horn connected with peers, gained confidence and found a support system.
Soon after, Horn joined URaCE as an undergraduate assistant, building on that momentum by working closely with Executive Director Lisa Piazza to create resources and programming to help other students find their way into research.
“April has grown tremendously here, from presenting at conferences to leading seminars and supporting other students,” Piazza said. “This is a great example of what can happen when students get involved in research.
“April has embraced every opportunity and found a path that feels right.”
That path included research with UC Foundation Professor of Physics Tatiana Allen and multiple student-led projects—including the development of a Canvas hub for URaCE participants and a new workshop on artificial intelligence. Horn has designed AI training materials to help students understand the importance of ethics and transparency in data use.
“I like being able to meet people where they are,” Horn said, “and I’ve really enjoyed getting to help make things that are useful for other students.”
Horn described joining the URaCE team as a signature moment in discovering what comes next. The role offered experiences in public speaking, program planning and mentoring—skills that helped guide a future direction.
“I’ve always been kind of a shy person,” Horn said. “Taking public speaking terrified me. But now I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone in a way that’s supportive and it’s made a big impact on me.”
So much so that Horn is now pursuing a career path that involves getting up in front of a classroom.
With the start of the spring semester, Horn is now enrolled in Graduate School thanks to the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, a competitive National Science Foundation-funded fellowship that provides STEM graduates with a fully funded pathway to earn a master’s degree in secondary education from UTC in just 14 months. Fellows also receive a $10,000 annual salary supplement during their first four years of teaching in a high-need Hamilton County school.
Horn began graduate education courses last fall while finishing undergraduate studies. Student teaching is scheduled to begin during the fall 2026 semester.
The idea of teaching began to take shape through outreach efforts. As a member of the Society of Physics Students, Horn helped organize and proctor the national Math Kangaroo competition, volunteered at the Creative Discovery Museum and led hands-on demonstrations at community events.
“I had to change the way I was saying things depending on the crowd I was with,” Horn said. “With the Creative Discovery Museum, there were kids of all age groups coming around and we were talking about material science. We had to balance it—give the older students more detail into the microscopic relationships, but also break it down for the younger ones so they could see what was happening.”
A 2021 graduate of East Ridge High School, Horn said personal experience with limited access to science courses—particularly physics—has played a key role in wanting to teach in a high-need school.
“If I can bring physics to a student who wouldn’t have otherwise had it like me and inspire someone to go through with it—maybe I can be the person they reflect on and think, ‘That helped me,’” Horn explained.
For students who are unsure about research—or still figuring things out—Horn’s story reflects how early opportunities can reshape a path.
“I like the thought of bringing creative expression into something that’s very intimidating like STEM,” Horn said. “I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
Learn more
Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE)
Department of Physics and Astronomy
“April has grown tremendously here, from presenting at conferences to leading seminars and supporting other students,” Dr. Lisa Piazza said. “This is a great example of what can happen when students get involved in research.”
