At the University of Tennessee System, research means finding answers to the toughest problems facing our state, country and world.
We’re developing better treatments for disease. Creating safer, smarter communities. Strengthening the food supply. Powering national security. Helping families access clean water. Every project, big or small, is grounded in impact. This is research with a purpose: improving lives, building stronger communities and fueling Tennessee’s future.
That work is gaining national attention. The UT Health Science Center recently joined UT Knoxville as an R1 research institution, making the UT System one of just 14 public university systems in the country with more than one campus conducting research at the highest level. UT Chattanooga is making a bold push toward R2 status, expanding our reach further and growing new capacity in emerging fields.
Research is not just about reputation. It’s about return. Across all campuses and institutes, UT researchers generated a record $484 million in sponsored research last year. We’re securing federal funding, building public-private partnerships and delivering results.
This research momentum reflects the power of collaboration, the strength of our campus teams and the value of having a clear, common goal: to make a real difference. When we talk about the greatest decade in UT history, this is what we mean—bold ambition backed by measurable results and a belief that research should serve people first.
This edition of Our Tennessee explores that mission in action, highlighting the people, partnerships and projects driving research that’s changing lives.
—Randy Boyd, Knoxville ’79