{"id":78000,"date":"2026-07-21T11:41:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T15:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=78000"},"modified":"2026-07-21T11:43:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T15:43:29","slug":"utc-erkan-kaplanoglu-christopher-stokes-ut-system-presidents-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/utc-erkan-kaplanoglu-christopher-stokes-ut-system-presidents-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC\u2019s Erkan Kaplanoglu and Christopher Stokes honored with 2026 UT System President\u2019s Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Composite

Christopher Stokes, top, and Dr. Erkan Kaplanogu are recipients of 2026 UT System President\u2019s Awards. Individual photos by Angela Foster. Awards photo courtesy of UT System.<\/p><\/div>\n

Two members of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga family, Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu and Christopher Stokes, have been named recipients of 2026 UT System President\u2019s Awards<\/strong><\/a>, the highest honor a faculty or staff member can receive from the UT System.<\/p>\n

The announcement was made by UT System President Randy Boyd.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese awards honor the exceptional talent, service and leadership of faculty and staff systemwide,\u201d Boyd said in the UT System release. \u201cThrough their work, each honoree strengthens communities and creates lasting impact in Tennessee and beyond. They have earned this distinction and are helping define the greatest decade in UT history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kaplanoglu, department head and professor of engineering management and technology, was recognized in the \u201cOptimistic and Visionary\u201d category.<\/p>\n

Stokes, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life in the Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community, earned the President\u2019s Award in the \u201cEmbrace Differences\u201d category.<\/p>\n

Other 2026 UTC nominees included faculty members Dr. Sarah Einstein, Dr. Saeid Golkar, Dr. Liz Hathaway, Dr. Hunter Holzhauer, Dr. Chandra Ward and Dr. Kristi Wick, and staff members Terrence Banks, Dr. Emily Blackman, Allison Evans, Meredith Perry, Chuck Wasserstrom and Sgt. John West.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.

Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu, department head and professor of engineering management and technology.<\/p><\/div>\n

Since joining the UTC faculty in 2019, Kaplanoglu\u2014who serves as director of the Biomechatronic and Assistive Technology Lab and leads the UTC Research Institute\u2019s recently launched Biomechatronics in Healthcare Initiative<\/strong><\/a>\u2014has built a body of work centered on using engineering to improve people\u2019s lives. His research and teaching focus on biomechatronics, rehabilitation robotics, wearable systems and artificial intelligence-enabled healthcare technologies.<\/p>\n

Through the Biomechatronic and Assistive Technology Lab, he has led projects supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the State of Tennessee and industry partners.<\/p>\n

His recent accomplishments include a 2025 U.S. design patent for a pneumatically actuated rehabilitation platform designed to improve balance control and assistive therapy outcomes and a 2026 U.S. patent for an upper-extremity tremor control device. In 2025, he received the University of Tennessee Research Foundation Innovation Award for pioneering rehabilitation technology and translational engineering research.<\/p>\n

Kaplanoglu said the President\u2019s Award recognition reflects both the work being done at UTC and the people behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s truly an honor to receive this award,\u201d he said. \u201cIt means a great deal to me, both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, it reinforces the belief that optimism, combined with hard work and collaboration, can make a real difference. It also challenges me to set even higher goals for myself. Professionally, this recognition reflects the support of my students and colleagues at UTC and what we\u2019ve been able to accomplish together by developing engineering solutions that improve healthcare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kaplanoglu said his optimism comes from seeing how engineering can make a meaningful difference in people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven simple engineering solutions can help individuals regain their health, independence or quality of life,\u201d he said. \u201cI view every challenge as an opportunity to create a positive impact. My research motto is \u2018Strive to eliminate barriers.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat keeps me optimistic is our students. Their curiosity, creativity and passion inspire me every day and remind me that the next generation has the potential to shape a better future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kaplanoglu\u2019s work has extended beyond the lab. He has launched a health technology internship program for high school students, signed research agreements with startup companies EVBots and Sensory Bridges LLC, and has been invited to deliver keynote presentations in Albania, Greece and Azerbaijan on artificial intelligence applications in prosthetics and rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

His research has also been closely tied to community impact. He initiated a collaboration with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality in T\u00fcrkiye to help expand access to advanced prosthetic care for individuals affected by the Syrian war and recent earthquakes. In Chattanooga, he designed and developed a supported stepping and mobility device for a 1-year-old child with cerebral palsy, which is now being used by the family. He also designed a rehabilitation exoskeleton system for stroke recovery and is collaborating with physical therapists at Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation to evaluate and advance its clinical applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Erkan Kaplanoglu exemplifies what it means to be optimistic and visionary through his commitment to innovation, his passion for empowering students and his dedication to improving lives through technology,\u201d UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce said. \u201cHis leadership and groundbreaking research continue to elevate UTC while providing a meaningful impact on our community and internationally, making him exceptionally deserving of this recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Christopher

Christopher Stokes, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life in the Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community.<\/p><\/div>\n

A 2003 UTC graduate with a bachelor\u2019s degree in anthropology, Stokes began working for the University in 2004 as a resident director with University Residence Life.<\/p>\n

For Stokes, the honor recognizes a career spent helping students feel seen, valued and connected.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmbracing differences has been my life story,\u201d he said. \u201cFrom every facet of my life, I have had to navigate significant barriers and challenges. Through each of them, I learned to appreciate the struggle and how to overcome it in mostly healthy, creative and meaningful ways that not only added to my understanding of my identity but also helped me appreciate\u2014through empathy\u2014the stories of others, their journeys and our collective journeys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over two decades at UTC, Stokes has served in Residence Life, TRIO programs, Multicultural Affairs and Fraternity and Sorority Life. Along the way, he has helped build programs, partnerships and spaces that strengthen belonging, leadership development and student success.<\/p>\n

His work has included helping launch the Multicultural Ambassador Program and the Multicultural Presidents Council; supporting retention and mentorship initiatives such as GUIDE, BMOCS and TRIO; and partnering with faculty, staff, alumni and community organizations to create opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and student engagement. He helped advance the creation of the UTC Divine Nine Heritage Park, a project that aligned campus priorities with cultural recognition and alumni engagement.<\/p>\n

Stokes has built and sustained partnerships with more than 20 multicultural student organizations, fraternities and sororities, and community partners. He has facilitated campus workshops, events and training on cultural responsiveness, risk management and leadership development, and has served on committees focused on hazing prevention, retention and campus climate.<\/p>\n

\u201cChristopher Stokes embodies what it means to embrace differences through leadership that builds community, creates belonging and empowers students to succeed,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cUTC is stronger because of his service.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stokes said the recognition is deeply personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI envision humanity as a tapestry, with each thread, each hue, woven with intention. Even if one is removed, it impacts the overall masterpiece,\u201d he said. \u201cI draw some of my inspiration from the Maya Angelou poem \u2018Human Family\u2019 as it closes with its final two stanzas: \u2018We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

That outlook, he said, has shaped the way he works with students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI maintain an active archive of times I or others have felt unseen and when I have potentially overshadowed others,\u201d Stokes said. \u201cThis awareness keeps me learning and astute, not jaded. It is a living frame of reference that helps me build or discover paths to help others navigate barriers so they do not have to walk alone. I keep my door open for transparent talks with students, faculty and staff about the unique journeys students have toward earning a degree. I recognize patterns of opportunity and growth and share those insights with students so they can provide space for others while building relationships along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy conversations change each year, but the core message remains the same. I want everyone to know they belong to something bigger, even when they may feel small. Two key beliefs guide my work and I actively share them: You are meant to be here, and you are not on this journey alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Close-up

Photo courtesy of UT System<\/p><\/div>\n

The President\u2019s Awards were established in 2016 to annually honor UT faculty and staff whose work advances the University\u2019s Be One UT values: Bold and Impactful, Embrace Differences, Optimistic and Visionary, Nimble and Innovative, Excel in All We Do, United and Connected, and Transparent and Trusted.<\/p>\n

Previous UTC recipients of President\u2019s Awards include:<\/p>\n