Chattanooga Connect 2025, hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Research Institute (UTCRI), will take place Oct. 6-8 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Following its successful debut last year, Chattanooga Connect will again convene industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers to explore the future of urban transportation and cutting-edge advancements in quantum computing, digital infrastructure, AI, connected and automated vehicles (CAV), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies.
Simulated patient, real emotions: AI bringing realism to UTC nursing simulation
Earlier this summer, students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice adult gerontology acute care program piloted an end-of-life training scenario unlike anything they had previously encountered in the University’s Metro Annex Safe Hospital. The twist? Students weren’t just caring for a simulated patient in the mock clinical setting. They also had to navigate a phone conversation with the patient’s daughter, which was played not by a faculty member or actor, but by artificial intelligence.
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.
New research by UTC sociologist challenges one-size-fits-all intervention models
Changing behavior is hard. Changing identity—especially the deeply ingrained ideas of what it means to “be a man”—is even harder. Dr. Chris Vidmar, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, explored that challenge in a recent ethnographic study of court-mandated intervention programs for abusive and controlling men.
Inspiring innovation: UTC’s signature research conference brings campus and community together
The Spring Research and Arts Conference returns on Wednesday, April 9, continuing its tradition of showcasing student and faculty research, innovation and creativity. Presented by the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor, the conference highlights the breadth and depth of research happening at UTC—featuring more than 650 presenters and 320 unique research projects throughout the day.
UTC mini-grants pushing research from concept to creation
All MOCS Innovate! grant recipients will present their work at the inaugural MOCS Innovate! UTC Innovators Showcase during the Spring Research and Arts Conference on Wednesday, April 9.
Revolutionary research: UTC doctoral candidate develops self-encrypting AI
In a world where data security is an ever-growing concern, Joshua Tyler—a computational engineering doctoral candidate and electrical engineering research associate at UTC—has broken new ground. Tyler, who is on track to receive his third UTC degree in May, has developed the world’s first usable Artificial Intelligence (AI) network that can learn how to encrypt itself.
UTC’s Gary Wilkerson among panelists for national AI and health care discussion
UTC Professor Gary Wilkerson will be one of the featured panelists for “AI and Health Care: What Works & What’s Ahead,” a virtual interdisciplinary discussion hosted by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
Pitching solutions: UTC’s Inventanooga 2024 encourages innovation across all ages
On Dec. 12, UTC hosted its third annual Inventanooga competition—where K-12 students could pitch solutions to real-life problems like runoff water pollution and damage, efficient grocery packaging and rampant cheating at local pickleball courts.
CUIP research seeks to predict and avert distracted driving
The federal government estimates distracted driving contributes to more than 3,000 fatal vehicle crashes annually in the United States, prompting researchers at UTC to explore new ways of predicting and preventing inattentive driving behavior. By integrating advanced sensing technologies, machine learning algorithms and virtual simulation environments, UTC researchers are working to predict driver distraction—and then use that information to deliver timely, data-driven alerts.









