Elementary school summer campers recently had the opportunity to experience science firsthand thanks to the Rocket Mocs. The young campers participated in every step of the process, creating, designing, decorating and finally retrieving their rockets after they were launched.
Interim dean, lasting impact
Dr. Ahad Nasab has never needed a title to make a difference, just meaningful work. From improving industrial systems to building academic programs and elevating students, faculty and staff, Nasab finds purpose in leaving things better than he found them.
UTC’s Rick Dierenfeldt and Erica Holmes Trujillo honored with 2025 UT System President’s Awards
Two University of Tennessee at Chattanooga standouts, UC Foundation Associate Professor Rick Dierenfeldt and College of Arts and Sciences Student Success Center Director Erica Holmes Trujillo, have been named recipients of the 2025 UT System President’s Awards—the highest honor a faculty or staff member can receive from the UT System.
The first steps: Scenes from Chancellor Bruce’s first day at UTC
Dr. Lori Bruce officially assumed her role as chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Monday, June 30, becoming the 19th leader in the University’s history.
Opportunity in every challenge: Chancellor Lori Bruce brings vision and voice to UTC
As Dr. Lori Bruce takes the reins as chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, she won’t need a map to find her way across the region. After all, she grew up just 90 minutes west of Chattanooga on a working farm in Lincoln County—an upbringing she credits with shaping her resourcefulness and lifelong passion for education.
Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student
For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts—producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.
UTC’s Rahul R. Bhosale becomes first chemical engineering professor from Tennessee to receive early-career NSF ERI award
Guerry Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Rahul R. Bhosale has become the first chemical engineering professor from both the state of Tennessee and UTC to be awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) Award.
UTC to host Quantum Technology Workshop June 23-25
The Quantum Technology Workshop, hosted June 23-25 at UTC’s Multi-Disciplinary Research Building (701 E. M.L. King Blvd.), is presented by the Quantum Center at the UTC Research Institute (UTCRI). Workshop sessions will explore a wide range of quantum topics, including algorithm development, hardware challenges, simulation techniques and near-term applications in industry.
UTC mechanical engineering professor Murat Barisik receives prestigious NSF CAREER Award
Dr. Murat Barisik, assistant professor in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Mechanical Engineering and a leading researcher in nanoscale heat transfer, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
UTC students putting the pedal to the metal to perform at fall Baja competition
The Racing Mocs have registered to travel to Gray Court, South Carolina, in October to compete in the 2025 Baja SAE® Carolina competition. The event showcases student-built all-terrain vehicles by subjecting them to multiple dynamic and endurance tests.









