The microscopic animals Dr. Francesca Leasi studies can’t be seen with the naked eye. Yet for all their size, they may hold vital clues to how life adapts to environmental change and what traits allow organisms to survive it.
Fish feast: UTC professor reels in national award
Dr. Rich Walker’s project, titled “The Cicadian Rhythm: Integrated Research And Education To Reveal The Cascading Effects Of A Rare But Massive Terrestrial Resource Pulse In Stream Ecosystem,” is now drawing national recognition. He is one of just 36 early-career faculty members nationwide to be named a 2025 recipient of the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of over 160 colleges and universities that collaborates with federal agencies to advance health and scientific knowledge.
URaCE meet-and-greet sparks conversation and collaboration
For dozens of students spending time at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga this summer, a gathering hosted by the Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE) offered a chance to meet their peers and get a feel for the academic journeys ahead.
Chattanooga from space: UTC faculty research featured by NASA
Dr. Azad Hossain’s research on Chattanooga was recently featured as NASA’s Earth Observatory “Image of the Day.” The article, “Building Out Chattanooga,” compares satellite images of Chattanooga from 2001 and 2024 to show how much the city has grown.
UTC professor’s research on ancient sloths earns national recognition
When Dr. Tim Gaudin arrived at UTC 30 years ago, his sights were set on teaching. Behind the scenes, however, Gaudin found additional value in his research—and it paid off. This spring, that work earned him a huge milestone: co-authorship on a paper about sloths published in Science, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.
UTC undergraduates take their research to the Capitol
Ten undergraduate students from the UTC recently traveled to Nashville to present their work at Posters at the Capitol, a statewide undergraduate research showcase held at the Tennessee State Capitol on Wednesday, April 2.
From high school to higher ed: UTC’s Upward Bound Math Science program celebrates 25 years of student success
For the last 25 years, the Upward Bound Math Science program at UTC has served high school students intending to improve their performance in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) classes and motivate them to pursue postsecondary education.
UTC Innovation Lab students hit the road with ideas to improve Chattanooga’s transit
Students in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Innovations in Honors program are changing the city’s transportation game. As part of Dr. Jordan King’s Innovation Lab, housed in the UTC Honors College, students have spent the 2024-25 academic year coming up with ideas and working with the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) to address issues in Chattanooga’s public transit system.
From the ground up: Award-winning UTC grad student’s research reshaping plant conservation in Tennessee
Julia Prins, who will receive a master’s degree in environmental science in May, was recently recognized with the North Carolina Botanical Garden’s Best Student Oral Presentation award at the 2025 Association of Southeastern Biologists’ annual meeting.
Fighting fires: UTC alum becomes educator and children’s book author
The “about” section of Allen Green’s LinkedIn makes his life’s mission clear. “I am dedicated to making sure the once hopeless will no longer be captivated by hurt and pain or failure, but will raise above their circumstances,” it reads. “Pain and suffering will be the driving force for hope.”









