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.
Introducing the Violence Reduction Initiative: How research is reshaping criminal justice in Chattanooga
Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt has spearheaded the creation of the Violence Reduction Initiative, a UTC research center designed to address violent crime in Chattanooga and beyond. Housed within UTC’s Criminal Justice department, the VRI represents a bold commitment to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world solutions.
UTC announces launch of the Violence Reduction Initiative
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has officially announced the creation of the Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI), a research center housed within the Department of Criminal Justice dedicated to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world solutions to violent crime in Chattanooga and beyond.