UT’s Engineering Research Center, CURENT, has collaborated with Knox County Schools for a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach event called Family Engineering Night at Sequoyah Elementary School from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6.

The event is expected to draw more than 200 K-5 students and their families to take part in 10 hands-on engineering activity exhibits provided by CURENT. Activities include solar cars, bridge design and homemade prosthetic hands. Farragut High School’s Robotics Team also will be exhibiting student-designed robots.

Family Engineering Night was organized by Andrea Allen, K-12 science instructional coach for Knox County Schools; Principal Alisha Hinton and Science Lab Instructor Erin McCollum from Sequoyah School; and Research Assistant Professor Chien-fei Chen and Adam Hardebeck, communications specialist, from CURENT.

Events such as Family Engineering Night help fulfill CURENT’s educational outreach initiatives to spark student interest in STEM fields from an early age and assist in the creation of a new generation of engineers from more diverse backgrounds.

The Center for Ultra-wide-area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks (CURENT), headquartered on the UT campus, is a collaboration between academia, industry, and national laboratories. The center has been jointly funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy with $18.5 million for five years.

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C O N T A C T :

Adam Hardebeck (865-974-9707, ahardebe@utk.edu)

These are a few of the diverse topics being explored by this year’s class of Baker Scholars.

Each year, UT’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy solicits applications and selects a group of high-achieving juniors to be Baker Scholars. These students are given exclusive access to guest lecturers ranging from international ambassadors to Supreme Court justices. They help drive Baker Center programming and assist with conferences featuring top-ranked experts in the fields of political science, energy and environment, global security, historical/archival studies, and the media.

The Baker Center recently appointed William Park, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, as its first director of undergraduate programs.

“As we continue to improve and grow our student engagement programs such as the Baker Scholars, we felt that our students would be better served if they had a faculty member to help them find a mentor and to make sure they kept their research on track,” said Matt Murray, interim director of the Baker Center. “Some students only have about five months to complete a project, so time management and a refined project focus are critical to their success. Dr. Park was a mentor to two previous Baker Scholars, and he had been highly recommended by the students to fill this post.

“Dr. Park is also working on developing short courses on research methods and he hopes to collaborate with other campus departments with students who also need this help,” Murray said.

In his part-time role with the Baker Center, Park will coordinate the academic affairs of the Baker Scholars Program, the Baker Ambassadors, and the Baker Center Living and Learning Community. In addition to helping Baker Scholars in developing their project ideas and identifying faculty mentors, he will help them pursue opportunities to enrich their experience, such as workshops, internships, and study abroad.

Park’s research and teaching interests focus on natural resource and environmental policy. He has won teaching and advising awards at the university level and taught seminars in the Chancellor’s Honors program.

Here’s a look at the newest class of Baker Scholars and the public policy projects they’ve chosen. Scholars who successfully complete their projects earn a Baker Scholar medallion.

• Lisa Dicker, a junior in political science from Tullahoma, Tennessee. Her project will look at China’s one-child policy.
• Mackenzie Higgins, a senior in global studies and Spanish from Indianapolis. Her project focuses on educational reform.
• Kristin Kennedy, a junior in history and political science from Knoxville, Tenn. Her project will be on the juvenile justice system.
• Taylor Odle, a junior in the College Scholars Program, studying leadership and organizational development, from Springfield, Tennessee. His project will look at secondary school civic engagement programs.
• Kelsey Parkman, a junior in political science from Knoxville. Her project focuses on early childhood development programs in the Third World.
• Chase Pritchett, a junior in economics from Brentwood, Tennessee. His project is on teacher quality and student achievement.
• Jeremy Williams, a senior in political science from Memphis. His project looks at healthcare reform.
• Caleb Williford, a senior in logistics from Hixson, Tennessee. His project looks at weight limit regulations.

Applications are available online and new scholars are accepted each fall.

Click here to learn more about the Baker Center and the Baker Scholars program.

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C O N T A C T :

Nissa Dahlin-Brown (865-974-8681, nissa@utk.edu)

Simerly began serving in her new role on Tuesday. She was promoted from her position as lieutenant and has been managing the Community Relations Unit.

Lane selected Simerly for the job following a search. He reorganized the administrative positions of the department after a review its central functions.

“We are fortunate to have Emily assume this leadership position,” Lane said. “Her years of experience will help guide the department in the right direction. With her impressive qualifications and high praise from colleagues, I am convinced that she will continue to have a positive impact on the department.”

Simerly now oversees the department’s budget, payroll, recruiting, public information, community relations, records, and crime analysis and investigations.

Simerly joined the University of Tennessee Police Department in 1994. She has worked in all areas of the department, including patrol, investigations, and community relations.

She has a bachelor’s degree is sociology with a concentration in criminal justice from UT. She has been honored by the national Rape Aggression Defense organization and has received numerous awards from the department and other organizations.

“Faculty members are the engine that drives the success of the college and its programs,” said Theresa Lee, dean. “Once a year, we gather to thank our faculty, to celebrate their contributions and accomplishments, and to publicly recognize a few individuals who represent the collective excellence of our entire faculty.”

Hap McSween was named the 2013 College Marshal, the highest college honor bestowed upon a faculty member. McSween is a Chancellor’s Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. He received the J. Lawrence Smith Medal from the National Academy of Sciences this year for his pioneering studies of meteorites and his work on the geological history of Mars. As College Marshal, McSween will represent the college in the spring and fall commencements.

John Koontz, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, received the Lorayne W. Lester Award, established to recognize faculty and staff who have demonstrated outstanding service to the college and its various constituencies.

Joseph R. Miles, assistant professor of psychology, received the Diversity Leadership Award for supporting the college’s and university’s commitment to diversity.

Stuart Riggsby, former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor emeritus of microbiology, was awarded the Outstanding Service Award. Riggsby retired in 2005 but has continued to advance the mission and goals of the college.

Here’s a list of the other honors presented:

James R. and Nell W. Cunningham Outstanding Teaching Awards (honor tenured faculty for classroom teaching)

• Mary Papke, professor of English
• Randall L. Small, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology

Excellence in Teaching Awards

• Salvador Bartera, classics lecturer
• Jerzy Dydak, professor of mathematics
• Tricia Redeker Hepner, associate professor of anthropology
• William A. Jennings, political science lecturer
• Elisabeth E. Schussler, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology

Faculty Advising Awards

• Charles R. Collins, associate professor of mathematics
• Casey Sams, associate professor of theatre

Interdepartmental Collaboration in Scholarship and Research Award (highlights successful teamwork among faculty across disciplines and specialties)

• Matthew A. Cooper, assistant professor of psychology
• Jim C. Hall, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology
• Rebecca A. Prosser, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology

Faculty Academic Outreach Award (recognizes faculty who have extended their scholarship and creative activity to directly benefit the community beyond the university).

• Kristina C. Gordon, professor of psychology
• Marilyn Kallet, professor of English
• Christine Shepardson, associate professor of religious studies

Senior Faculty Research and Creative Achievement Award

• David G. Anderson, professor of anthropology
• Gregory L. Stuart, professor of psychology

Junior Faculty Research and Creative Achievement Award

• Jon P. Camden, assistant professor of chemistry
• Aimée T. Classen, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology

The College of Arts and Sciences comprises twenty-one academic departments and schools, seven centers and institutes, and thirteen interdisciplinary programs. The college’s academic programs are served by more than 600 faculty members.

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C O N T A C T :

Lynn Champion (865-974-5332, champion@utk.edu)

This month’s tour will focus on the Ancient Egypt exhibit. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the foyer at the museum on the Knoxville campus. It is part of a monthly series of free stroller tours that will allow parents and caregivers to interact with one another and museum staff without the worry of disrupting other visitors.

All tours will be led by museum educators and will take place in a different gallery each month, exposing guests to a variety of the McClung’s exhibitions and collections. The tours will last about thirty minutes with fifteen minutes of time for questions.

Next month’s tour date is Monday, January 28. The event is designed as a hands-on discussion and show-and-tell. Participants will see artifacts from the McClung’s permanent and education collections up close and learn about the various objects housed at the museum.

The tours are free and open to the public but are first come, first served and require registration. Click here for more information or to register, or contact Abby Naunheimer at 865-974-2144 or anaunhei@utk.edu.

The museum is located at 1327 Circle Park Drive. Free two-hour museum parking passes are available from the parking information building at the entrance to Circle Park Drive. The grassy area in Circle Park in front of the museum offers a great place for rest and play before or after tours.

Photography is welcome in most museum galleries. Restrooms are equipped with a changing station. A service elevator is available for those with strollers to go downstairs. Food and drinks are not allowed in the galleries.

The museum’s exhibits include archaeology, ancient Egypt, decorative arts, the battle of Fort Sanders, geology, and fossils. Admission is free.

For more information about the McClung Museum and its collections and exhibits, visit the McClung Museum website.

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CONTACT:

Abby Naunheimer (865-974-2144, anaunhei@utk.edu)

Catherine Shteynberg (865-974-6921, cshteynb@utk.edu)

These fun and sometimes bizarre good-luck and bad-luck scenarios are part of a probability game created by two UT units to teach youngsters about workplace safety. An app based on the game is one of twenty finalists in a national competition vying to win the People’s Choice Award and its $3,000 prize.

Community members are invited to vote and help the UT Construction Industry Research and Policy Center and the UT Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering win the challenge, which is sponsored by the US Department of Labor.

Voting begins today and ends January 4, 2013. To learn more about UT’s entry or to vote, visit http://tinyurl.com/cwkzt3b.

The competition, “The Worker Safety and Health App Challenge,” aims to demonstrate the importance of knowing about workplace safety and health and to help young people understand their rights in the workplace.

The UT contest entry, “Working Safely is No Accident,” was designed as a tool that will educate young workers ages 13 to 24. The UT team created a website featuring an interactive game in which users evaluate the probabilities of interesting events. Through the game, users come to understand that probabilities are influenced by many factors. They also learn that the chances of a workplace accident can be reduced by knowing workplace safety regulations and following common safety practices.

To play the probability game, visit http://tiny.utk.edu/gqynO.

To learn more about the contest, visit http://tinyurl.com/d87536j.

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CONTACT:

Ed Taylor (865-974-8117, etaylo19@utk.edu)

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

Nurses snapped into disaster response mode, evacuating 20 babies—carrying them down dark staircases and ensuring breathing tubes remained intact—through a fierce storm and into ambulances.

The unique skills needed in such situations are exactly what the Global Disaster Nursing Program in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, teaches. The one-of-a-kind program aims to meet the challenge of educating twenty-first century nurses for leadership in disaster response, recovery and humanitarian relief.

“When disaster strikes, nurses are on the front lines managing resources, communicating information, and directing others in caring for people’s psychological and physical well-being,” said Susan Speraw, program director. “However, disaster-specific management and practice skills are rarely taught in the nursing curriculum.”

Launched in July 2005, UT’s program prepares nurse leaders, managers and advanced practice nurses to plan for mass casualty disasters, effectively manage logistics of an event in progress, work cooperatively with government officials and responders and provide direct patient care to victims of trauma or catastrophic events. Students can receive a master’s, doctorate (PhD or Doctor of Nursing Practice) or post-master’s certificate with a concentration in global disaster nursing.

“Given the increasing numbers of disasters globally, the requirement for higher education that addresses readiness expertise remains,” said Sharon Stanley, chief nurse of the American Red Cross, who responded to Hurricane Sandy’s devastation. “While volunteers can be trained with classes and/or short course preparation, the leaders who will continue to forge pathways ahead for community resiliency need advanced skill that can only be gained in formal education programs combined with real time experience.”

The UT program is needed now more than ever. Statistics predict disasters to become more common, according to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disaster.

“Nurses play a key role in addressing the health care needs of those impacted by a disaster,” said Laurel Cassidy, mental health officer with Doctors without Borders and graduate of the program. “My education supported my research and practice in the field, built on what I knew and provided me with the opportunity to develop my own nursing scholarship and expertise.”

Speraw saw the need for the program following the 9/11 Commission Report in which the need for nurses—although in the middle of the action—was overlooked and a need for a uniform language in disaster situations was emphasized.

“We developed an interdisciplinary curriculum in which nurses learn about topics such as earthquakes, law, architecture, tropical medicine and infectious disease,” said Speraw. “Students solve real problems in collaboration with other disciplines, which is what they will be doing in disaster situations.”

The program emphasizes global issues and development of care delivery competence in challenging environments. Students do field work, go abroad or work with an agency that responds to humanitarian needs in under-resourced areas.

“Emerging generations know they will be spending their productive years in a globalized world,” said Frederick Burkle, Jr. of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. “Global nursing programs like UT’s provide essential real-world competencies that complement the vision of the future these students eagerly seek.”

For information, call Susan Speraw at 865-974-7586 or visit nursing.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T:

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Susan Speraw (865-974-7586, ssperaw@utk.edu)

UT will establish the Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence through a $200,000 grant given to the Tennessee Department of Health through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tennessee was one of five states to receive grants. The other four are Florida, Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota.

Three UT entities are partners on the grant: Paul Erwin, director of the Department of Public Health in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences; Sharon Thompson, director of the Center for Agriculture and Food Security and Preparedness; and Faith Critzer, assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology. The last two are on the UT Institute of Agriculture campus.

John Dunn is deputy state epidemiologist and principal investigator on the award.

“This research grant is important to the university because it positions us to work closely with a stellar state health department in efforts to protect the public’s health through specific work force development activities,” Erwin said.

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CONTACT:

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

Paul Erwin (865-974-5252, perwin@utk.edu)

He will begin work in June 2013. The position was created to enhance the campus culture and direct all diversity efforts.

“We are pleased that Rickey will be joining us. He has a strong background in achieving the goals that we have for enhancing our learning environment,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “Diversity, civility, and community are core campus values. They create a more robust academic environment. They make our university a more welcoming—and more interesting—place for all of us.”

Hall will report to the chancellor and work closely with administrators, related commissions and organizations, and other members of the campus community. He will help recruit and retain diverse faculty and staff and increase the enrollment and retention of diverse students.

“I am humbled and deeply honored to be appointed the founding vice chancellor for diversity,” he said. “There are many good diversity initiatives under way at the university, and I think I can help move those forward. I look forward to working with the campus community on inclusive excellence and making diversity truly an educational benefit.”

Hall has been at the University of Minnesota since 1998 and in his current position since 2007. Prior to that he served as the university’s associate to the vice president for equity and diversity. He established the Office of Multicultural Service at the university’s School of Public Health in 2002 and served as its director for four years. He simultaneously served as director of recruitment for the School of Public Health for two years. He directed the Minority Student Program of the university’s Morris campus for four years.

From 1995 to 1998, he was the director of student diversity programs and services at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

Hall serves as a regional coordinator for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Commission on Access, Diversity, and Excellence.

He will complete his Doctor of Education in organizational leadership at the University of Minnesota next year. He has a master’s degree in higher education and a bachelor’s degree in American studies, both from the University of Iowa.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

Twenty-five-year-old Douglas Oeser holds all these titles.

Oeser is one of UT’s student veterans. He served the US Army in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008 and again from 2009 to 2010 after working for a while following high school.

“I had this drive, this need, to want to do something more with my life. I left for training four days after signing the contract,” said Oeser. “It was a big spur-of-the-moment thing, but it all worked out.”

When Oeser returned to the United States, he had thirty days to prepare himself for UT, and got to Knoxville two days before classes started.

“I didn’t know where classes were—I didn’t know where the University Center was!”

Oeser recalled that the transition from soldier to student wasn’t easy.

“Everyone in class with me was very warm and welcoming, but there was also that struggle of how people saw their world and how starkly different it was from what I’d been through.”

But Oeser adapted and received a bachelor’s degree in social psychology in 2012. He is currently working on his master’s degree in sociology.

When he is not in class, Oeser is working as a student assistant in the Office of Veterans Affairs and serving as the president of Veterans at UTK, a campus organization led by student veterans that helps incoming veterans ease into their new role as students.

“We set up meetings at restaurants, so student veterans can meet others that may have similar experiences. We also serve as the collective voice from the student veteran community, saying, ‘These are the things we are having struggles with’ and helping UT respond to them.”

At the end of the day, Oeser comes home to his four-year-old son, David.

“We’re always together,” said Oeser. “I have this drive to be something better…I want to be something he’s proud of.”

Oeser’s life may be busy, but he believes that everything he does is worthwhile.

“It’s been a struggle trying to balance everything out, but it’s been a lot of fun.”

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C O N T A C T :

Regina Lewellyn (865-974-1500, rcoving1@utk.edu)

But it will be at least another year or two before the economy shows significant growth, according to the forecast in the fall 2012 Business and Economic Outlook, released today.

The study, prepared by the UT Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), predicts the trajectory of the state and national economies by examining several economic and fiscal factors.

“Growth will improve as 2013 unfolds, while 2014 promises to yield much stronger growth for most measures of economic activity,” said Matt Murray, CBER associate director and the report’s author.

Slower European economic growth has negatively affected exports from the United States, according to the report. The upcoming presidential elections and the looming fiscal cliff also stalled the recovery by adding to policy and market uncertainty.

“Despite some sore spots, there are also encouraging signs,” Murray said, noting that in spite of the increased lifespan of modern cars, consumers have purchased more of them in recent quarters. Housing prices, construction, and investment also have been going up.

“Automobiles and housing are two sectors that typically lead the economy out of the recession,” he said. “As these sectors continue to improve in the quarters ahead, so will overall economic growth, especially as the economy moves through 2013.”

Inflation and gas prices have been going down, which is “good news for consumers and those on fixed incomes,” Murray said. “But the decrease in inflation is bad news for those who have earnings or retirement income that is linked to inflation.”

Tennessee economy

There is some progress for Tennessee. This year, the state’s unemployment rate will likely average 8.2 percent, compared to 9.2 percent in 2011, according to the report. Tennessee’s unemployment rate mirrors the nation’s with only small differences.

Other findings:

• Tennessee’s nonfarm employment is expected to increase 1.6 percent this year, compared to 1.4 percent for the nation.
• The strongest growth will take place in natural resources, and mining along with construction, which will be buoyed by an improving outlook in the housing sector.
• Manufacturing will enjoy its second consecutive year of employment gains this year, the first time such back-to-back gains have been seen since the 1990s. Job growth in this area will likely be 2.7 percent, well ahead of the 1.6 percent pace for nonfarm employment.
• Wage and salary income growth will slow in 2013, but other sources of income—including proprietors’ income and rent, interest, and dividend income—will all improve.

State revenue performance

Sales tax collections in Tennessee have continued to grow although revenue performance has weakened along with the overall economy, according to the report.

Taxable sales had a mixed performance in the first half of the year, growing at 9.3 percent in the first quarter and slowing to 5.8 percent in the second quarter on a year-over-year basis.

Sales tax revenue in September was up only 2.8 percent over the previous year, and collections for the month were still below pre-recession levels. This suggests a weak third quarter showing for sales tax collections.

Taxable sales will likely be up 5.9 percent this year and next due to strong growth in a variety of sales classifications, including automobile dealers. Quarterly seasonally-adjusted growth rates will rebound starting in the fourth quarter of the year and remain strong through 2013.

“The anticipated rebound in the housing market will be instrumental in sustaining sales growth in 2013 and 2014,” Murray said.

To read the entire report, visit http://cber.bus.utk.edu/tefs/fall12.pdf.

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CONTACT:

Matt Murray (865-974-6084 or 865-974-0931, mmurray1@utk.edu)

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

The organization’s new name is the Center for Literacy, Education, and Employment. For the past twenty-four years, the center has gained a national reputation for its research and professional development in adult basic education and in early literacy.

Other areas of focus include students in K-12 and adults seeking employment or participating in basic education, including learning English.

The center is housed in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

Through local, state, and national partnerships, the center works with individuals, families, teachers, employers, and others to help learners reach their potential and contribute to their communities. Its work is supported by the US Department of Education and the state departments of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Human Services, as well as other state, foundation, and corporate gifts.

Learn more about the Center for Literacy, Education, and Employment.

McRoy, 25, who is working on her master’s degree in speech pathology at UT after earning a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, is the new Peace Corps campus recruiter.

“I wanted to be a recruiter because I love Peace Corps,” McRoy said. “It truly was ‘the hardest job I’ve ever loved.’ I can’t help but be excited talking about my experiences and wanting to be a part of helping others create similar stories.”

McRoy joined the Peace Corps in 2009 and was sent to Cameroon, a republic in Central Africa, where she worked with community groups on basic health education. During her two years there, McRoy’s involvement with the community expanded to other projects such as creating a savings program, forming a medicinal plant group, and promoting the use of soy as a protein supplement.

“All of the projects and seminars that I did during my service were ideas that community members brought to me,” she said. “Soy is still alive and growing in my village.”

Although she enjoyed helping the community, McRoy’s stay in Cameroon was not always easy.

“The constant barrage of catcalls and requests for money on top of the daily marriage proposals and questions about what I was doing over there were hard to handle on some days,” she recalled. “It was very difficult sticking out like a sore thumb everywhere I went. Sometimes it’s nice to feel invisible.”

But through the difficult times, McRoy said her experience was worth it.

“It isn’t easy, and it’s not always sweet smelling, or clean, or even fun, but it’s an adventure of the highest caliber,” she said. “I had my highest highs and lowest lows during my Peace Corps experiences, and I can’t wait to do it again.”

The Peace Corps taught McRoy several lessons and emphasized what matters most.

“I learned how important relationships are. Some of my fondest memories of Peace Corps are the friendly conversation and camaraderie shared while preparing a meal,” she recalled.

“The memory of playing with my neighborhood kids brings tears to my eyes even now. I wish that I could squeeze them one more time.”

McRoy hopes to inspire UT students to join the Peace Corps.

“I’d really love to see people open their minds and hearts to other cultures and people around the world. There is so much more out there.”

Applicants interested in the Peace Corps typically need to have a bachelor’s degree and should expect to be abroad for about twenty-seven months. Applicants chosen for the Peace Corps are given a living allowance that “enables them to live in a manner similar to the people in their community” and are paid $7,425 after their service. Transportation, dental care, and health care are covered by Peace Corps.

For more information about Peace Corps email Amanda McRoy at utkpeacecorps@gmail.com or call 865-974-0428.

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C O N T A C T :

Amanda McRoy (865-974-0428, utkpeacecorps@gmail.com)

Liu will speak at 1 p.m. on Tuesday in Thompson-Boling Arena. The event is open to the public and free parking is available in G-10 parking garage.

The common reading selection is a key component in UT’s efforts to orient and engage new students in academic and campus life. Freshmen also must submit creative projects on one of the book’s themes and attend a small-group discussion session.

“By the time students have read the book, done their creative projects, and participated in a discussion group, they have a good feel for what college work is going to feel like,” said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan Martin. “As a bonus for our students, we plan the Life of the Mind common reading program with the intent of having the author come to campus to talk to students. It’s a rich experience to meet the author, hear him speak, and even have the opportunity to ask him a question.”

The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker, was a New York Times Notable Book and was featured in the PBS documentary Matters of Race. It is an essay montage with themes ranging from race, language, and global politics to the feelings of inadequacy and ambivalence that often accompany the college transition.

Liu, a second-generation Chinese-American, is a graduate of Yale and Harvard and a former speechwriter and deputy domestic policy adviser for President Bill Clinton.

His other books include The True Patriot and The Gardens of Democracy, both co-authored with Nick Hanauer; Guiding Lights: How to Mentor and Find Life’s Purpose, which was named the official book of National Mentoring Month; and Imagination First, co-authored with Scott Noppe-Brandon of the Lincoln Center Institute, which explores ways to unlock imagination in education, politics, business, and the arts.

Liu lives in Seattle, where he also teaches at the University of Washington and leads the Guiding Lights Network, a national mentoring organization dedicated to promoting great citizenship. He also hosts an acclaimed television interview program called Seattle Voices.

Liu has served on the boards of the Washington State Board of Education, the Seattle Public Library, Demos, Washington State Mentors, the League of Education Voters, and the Swedish Medical Center Foundation. He has served on the national leadership councils of Communities in Schools and the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

Elizabeth Schonagen, First Year Studies program (865-974-2792, schonagen@utk.edu)

Living Light

Living Light, the university’s energy-efficient, solar-powered house, is traveling to Chattanooga as part of a multi-city tour of the state from July 20-29.

This is the home’s last stop before it comes back to Knoxville where it will reside at the UT Gardens.

The 750-square-foot home will be on the corner of Manufacturers Road and Cherokee Boulevard in front of Renaissance Park in downtown Chattanooga.

The award-winning house will be open for tours from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on most weekdays and from noon to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tours of the home are free and open to the public.

To schedule a private tour, please call 864-974-5211 or e-mail livlight@utk.edu.

Living Light became an educational exhibition known as the Tennessee Tour in November 2011 after returning from the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, an international, solar home design competition among collegiate teams. It placed eighth overall and earned high marks in several categories including architecture, energy production, and engineering.

The house has been toured by nearly 50,000 people in its visits to Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, and Washington, DC.

“This project has been a part of our students’ and faculty members’ lives for three years now—from concept to design, development to construction, competition to exhibition,” said Scott Wall, director of the School of Architecture. “Being able to share the sustainable design and solar-power technologies developing at UT with the world has been a remarkable thing. We are very proud of what the Tennessee Tour has achieved.”

The house was recently on exhibit in Washington, DC as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. It was one of only seventeen projects chosen to represent the nation’s land-grant universities during the festival, which commemorated the 150th anniversary of the founding of land-grant universities and the US Department of Agriculture.

Living Light team members recently won an Honor Citation from the Tennessee chapter of the American Institute of Architects for their work on the home.

The house arrives in Chattanooga in time for the AIA Tennessee Convention, which will be held July 25-27.

The Tennessee Tour is a joint effort of the UT College of Architecture and Design, the UT College of Engineering, and UT Extension—the outreach unit of the UT Institute of Agriculture. It showcases the work of more than 200 students and nine academic programs, as well as the sponsorship and involvement of alumni, businesses, and industry partners like the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Once back in Knoxville, Living Light will undergo a year of testing by faculty and students who will be collaborating with the Electrical Power Research Institute.

For more information about the Tennessee Tour and the Living Light House, visit livinglight.utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T:

Kiki Roeder (865-974-6713, kroeder@utk.edu)

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

The ten-day event coincided with the 150th anniversaries of the US Department of Agriculture and the Morrill Act, which created land-grant universities. An estimated one million people saw the home and nearly 16,000 toured it during the festival.

The zero-energy home demonstrated the merits of solar-powered living when a large storm struck the nation’s capital on June 29, leaving thousands of residents without power and forcing the festival to close for a day.

Living Light maintained full-power during this time, producing twice the energy the house needed for all its normal day-to-day functions, such as powering its air conditioning, television, kitchen appliances, and lighting. Throughout its entire stay at the festival, the house was completely removed from the electrical grid and self-sustaining in all of its energy production.

The house was one of only seventeen projects selected to represent the nation’s land-grant universities at the Smithsonian festival.

“I’m proud that Living Light was there, illustrating our strength in finding alternative energy solutions,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “It’s really a fitting way to show how UT is living up to the Morrill Act’s goals of bringing education to the masses and making the world a better place.”

Living Light’s visitors had the opportunity to experience the home’s sleek interior, cutting-edge technologies, and energy- and cost-saving features.

“People enter the home and their faces automatically light up,” said Lauren McCarty, a recent graduate from UT’s bachelor of architecture program. “Many visitors are stunned at how open and light the interior space is and are very impressed with the coolness, especially during 100-degree weather.”

Being on the National Mall for the July 4 holiday was a special treat for the Living Light team. As thousands of people huddled together to celebrate Independence Day, the team watched fireworks explode behind the Washington Monument from the house’s back deck.

“It was a wonderful moment for me, my colleagues, and my students,” said Edgar Stach, professor of architecture and the lead faculty member for the project. “After three years working on the Living Light House, the opportunity to see a project from UT on the National Mall, in such a visible way, was a great honor and a major achievement.”

Being at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival allowed UT to also provide tours to professional and government organizations, host an alumni day for graduates, and share the knowledge of Living Light faculty members through Smithsonian U., a series of mini courses and panel discussions taught by experts and teachers from the featured land-grant universities.

Six students coordinated UT activities for the festival. Those students were Kate Armstrong, a graduate student in architecture; Steven Davis, an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering; Peter Duke, a graduate student in architecture; Karl Hughes, an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering; McCarty; and Jason Pimsler, a graduate student in architecture.

Diane Bossart, the project manager and research associate for the Tennessee Tour, oversaw all the logistical items necessary to bring Living Light to the festival. The Tennessee Tour turns Living Light into a traveling educational exhibition that teaches K-12 students and industry professionals about cutting-edge sustainable science, technology, and design.

Living Light began with students and faculty in the College of Architecture and Design and was led by faculty members Stach, Richard Kelso, James Rose, and Barbara Klinkhammer of the college, along with Deb Shmerler in the School of Art, Leon Tolbert in electrical engineering, and Stan Johnson and Bill Miller in mechanical engineering.

More than 200 UT students and faculty across nine academic disciplines designed the house for the 2011 US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, an international competition among collegiate teams. UT placed eighth overall in the decathlon and claimed high-standing marks in several categories, including first in energy production, third in engineering, third in hot-water production, third in energy-efficient appliances, and fifth in architecture.

After the decathlon, Living Light began the Tennessee Tour. The tour is a joint effort of UT’s colleges of Architecture and Design and Engineering, and UT Extension, the outreach office of the UT Institute of Agriculture.

Contributions by Powell Companies, which provides trucking services to the house, Blaine Construction Corporation, which has been central in setting up and dismantling Living Light on the Tennessee Tour, the Tennessee Valley Authority, UT Institute of Agriculture Office of Extension, and the sponsorship of alumni and industry partners have been vital to Living Light’s success.

To read first-hand accounts about Living Light at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, see blog articles by UT students at livinglightutk.com/tag/updates/.

For more information about the house and its next stop on the Tennessee Tour—Chattanooga—visit livinglight.utk.edu/.

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C O N T A C T:

Kiki Roeder (865-974-6713, kroeder@utk.edu)

Registration is now under way for “The Best of the Best 2012 Workshop,” which is being co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Center for Children’s & Young Adult Literature and the Knox County Public Library.

The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 South Gay Street The morning session, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, will showcase books through sixth grade, and the afternoon session, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., will showcase books through high school age.

“This workshop is important because it helps energize and inspire teachers, librarians and parents about new books to share with their students and children,” said Miranda Clark, director of the Center for Children’s & Young Adult Literature. “It is such a fun day to mingle with others in the field and share their enthusiasm for the literature and the art of books for children and young adults.”

The workshop will feature talks by experts on current literary trends and showcase some of the year’s best new books. Presenters will include acclaimed blogger Julie Danielson; center board members and local school librarians Lisa Meidl and Emily Davenport; and Cindy Welch, assistant professor and youth services coordinator for the School of Information Sciences.

To compile a list of the year’s best books, “we look at starred reviews from the major children’s literature review journals or titles that catch our eye when they come through the center’s examination collection,” Clark said.

To register, go to kcpl.wufoo.com/forms/best-of-the-best-2012-registration/.

For more information about CCYAL, see www.sis.utk.edu/ccyal/.

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C O N T A C T :

Miranda Clark (865-974-2305, mclark22@utk.edu)