If you’ve ever spotted a pale pink or brown lizard clinging to the wall of a building, or even hiding out in a sink, you’re not alone. These small reptiles with banded tails and padded toes are Mediterranean house geckos, a non-native species that has quietly made its home in Chattanooga for nearly two decades. This includes many buildings at UTC.
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.
Driving change: UTC research team addresses “triple bottom line” to earn invitation to national conference
A University of Tennessee at Chattanooga civil engineering professor, Dr. Ignatius Fomunung, is headed to Washington, D.C., via special invitation for his leadership in tackling one of transportation planning’s most persistent challenges.
Recognizing women in STEM: Bliss Murphy’s road to reptiles
UTC student Bliss Murphy was recently recognized by Gig City Girls for her accomplishments in STEM. Murphy, a sophomore environmental science major from Chattanooga, was featured on Gig City Girls posters found in Hamilton County Schools classrooms during Women’s History Month.
Shell seekers: Environmental science course conducts turtle research
On a recent June afternoon as part of an Environmental Science Survey Methods course, several turtles were pulled from nets placed in the river by Dr. Thomas Wilson, UC Foundation professor in the UTC Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science. Once there, Wilson held the reptiles in his hands and talked about them before returning them to the river.