Steve Adair

Horse lovers from across the Southeast travel hours upon hours to bring their beloved four-legged family members to see Steve Adair.

An associate professor of equine surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine and a veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist, Adair is known for paying special attention to his patients during their treatment and rehabilitation.

“Dr. Adair has unbridled passion for all horses, but a special place in his heart for equine athletes,” said Jim Thompson, dean of the college.

Adair said when it comes to diagnosing medical problems, there’s a key difference between animal patients and human patients.

“Animals have a different way of communicating their pain with us,” he said. “There’s a process of examination, but also a look in the (animal’s) eye. Over time you develop a sixth sense.

“I enjoy that challenge, and the challenge of teaching students to look for those cues.”

After earning his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University in 1984, Adair went into private practice in Louisiana, spending much of his time around racehorses. He became interested in horses’ rehabilitation and was accepted to a surgical residency at UT in 1986. He joined UT’s faculty in 1990. His research focuses on laminitis, a foot disease common in horses. He was a charter member of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Adair treating Pattycake.

Adair primarily treats racehorses and other equine athletes, but one of his better-known cases was that of Pattycake, a five-year-old saddle horse burned in a barn fire. Pattycake had the worst burns Adair had seen in his twenty-five year career. Through five months of treatment at the College of Veterinary Medicine, under the care of Adair, three additional doctors, and eight students, Pattycake mended enough to move to a rehab center closer to her home in Sewanee, Tennessee.

“Dr. Adair is a gifted surgeon who works hard to fully understand his patients’ injuries,” said Thompson, “and then works even harder to develop the best treatment and rehabilitation plans to bring his patients back to their greatest level of performance.”

Apart from his UT work, Adair serves as rehabilitation specialist for the Budweiser Clydesdales.

He is an avid fisherman and he and his wife, Stacey, also a veterinarian, enjoy bird watching across the United States and Central America, and working on their farm in Maryville.

Diane Hendrix

Diane Hendrix chose to go into veterinary medicine rather than human medicine because she liked the idea of working with multiple species. A professor of ophthalmology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, her work takes her from the classroom to the exam room to the operating room.

“A great day for me is when I’ve worked on at least four different species,” said Hendrix. “All these eyes are different. All the anatomies are different. It’s challenging and exciting.”

After receiving her doctorate in veterinary medicine from UT in 1990, she interned at North Carolina State University before spending two years in general practice and then entering a residency at the University of Florida. Her two years in general practice prepared her for what many of her students will face when they graduate. Though Hendrix and her students see a myriad of cases at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Hendrix’s students will see fewer ophthalmology cases in their day-to-day practices once they leave UT.

“At UT we see a lot of cases every day that they aren’t going to see very much of in general practice,” she said. “We’re teaching at all levels. And we have to keep learning ourselves all the time because we’re responsible for teaching our students and our residents the most up-to-date information.”

Thompson calls Hendrix “one of our college’s most gifted clinicians.”

“We all love the enthusiasm, positive attitude, and compassion she brings to work every day,” he said. “She is also a spectacular teacher. It’s fun to see her eyes sparkle when she’s teaching. She helps make our college and hospital a wonderful place.”

Hendrix’s research focuses on corneal disease in horses and finding a new type of therapy for treating the most common form of eye cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.

When she’s not in the classroom or the operating room, Hendrix enjoys hiking in the Smokies with her husband and their two teenage daughters.

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C O N T A C T :

Rebekah Winkler (865-974-8304, rwinkler@utk.edu)

Christopher Stephens, (left), and Mohamed Mahfouz, (right), help lead collaborative research through the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

UT has launched a new institute to research solutions to medical problems such as devices for improved delivery of medications, better imaging technology, and optimized efficiency in the healthcare setting. Finding answers to these and many other healthcare problems is possible through a unique collaboration introduced by the new Institute of Biomedical Engineering. This new institute connects not only engineering and medicine but also three diverse UT campuses in a collaboration that is unique in the country; innovative for faculty, physicians and students; and beneficial to people. To learn more about the institute, visit the College of Engineering website.

Read the story here.

Left to right, UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek, UT Agriculture Chancellor Larry Arrington, and UT System President Joe DiPietro dedicated a plaque commemorating the passing of the Morrill Act at the university’s annual Ag Day celebration.

The University of Tennessee commemorated the 150th anniversary of the establishment of public land-grant universities on Saturday, November 3, during the annual Ag Day celebration.

In the early 1960s, Vermont Representative Justin Morrill had a big idea that would help shape the future of Tennessee and the rest of the nation: He believed higher education should be available to everyone.

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862, providing federal funds to establish many of America’s public colleges and universities to teach agriculture and the mechanical arts to all.

UT is one of 107 land-grant institutions in the United States. The Civil War prevented Tennessee from being eligible for land-grant funds until 1867. In 1869, Tennessee’s legislature designated UT—known as East Tennessee University at the time—as the state’s land grant institution, allowing the university to grow and expand. The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, AgResearch, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and UT Extension are all direct results of the Morrill Act and other legislation.

Read the full story at www.wbir.com.

It is not alone.

A study led by UT’s Brad Fenwick released today outlines critical challenges facing US research universities and makes suggestions for continued success.

The study, “The Current Health and Future Well-Being of the American University,” identifies the need for better information and cohesive strategies to effectively address challenges to sustain a U.S. competitive advantage in research. It also calls for collaborative action and a shift of focus toward research productivity.

The study, conducted by the Research Universities Futures Consortium—a group of twenty-five leading U.S. public and private research universities—was featured at a meeting of the Council of Research Policy and Graduate Education of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities in Washington, DC. It was funded by Elsevier.

Brad Fenwick

“American research universities are at a crossroads,” said Fenwick, professor of biomedical research and education and former vice chancellor for research and engagement. “They are facing a combination of pressures, such as a decrease in funding, an increase in competition, intensifying compliance requirements, and a loss of political and public confidence in the value of academic research. At the same time, the expectations for scientific research to solve today’s global challenges have never been higher.”

The authors conducted in-depth interviews with researchers at twenty-five leading universities. Here are key challenges revealed in the report:

• Hypercompetition and complexity—A scarcity of resources has caused a hypercompetitive environment and increased the difficulty of managing academic research activities.
• Compliance and indirect cost recovery—The growing number of regulations, reporting requirements, and unfunded mandates have worsened institutional stress, increased pressure on administration, and diverted valuable faculty time from research.
• Research quality and impact—Universities need to effectively collect information about campus research, both internally and externally funded. Currently, research is only measured as number of grants and dollars awarded and spent. Better monitoring will provide more transparency and enable more effective management of research to improve productivity and research outcomes.
• Planning and decision support—Enabling the highest-impact research requires current and predictive data to assess programs and to evaluate key opportunities in a funding-constrained environment. Strategic decision making requires credible local, national, and international data.
• Value of the research university—The value of the research university in serving society, contributing to local economies and promoting national innovation and security needs to be better communicated.
• Fragility of research administration and leadership—The complexity and fragility of the academic research administrative enterprise is not fully appreciated by the campus community, sponsors, and stakeholders. Better understanding of the research administration and leadership will help institutions increase productivity and build competitive advantage.

The study concludes that there is a need to increase the productivity of research. It also suggests that by working together, universities could address some of the key challenges such as the burden of compliance and erosion of public support of academic research and also strengthen research program development and administration. Researchers outline how standard metrics and current and forward-looking data would play a critical role to realize this goal.

Finally, researchers find U.S. academia could benefit from a cohesive research strategy which supports a national research and innovation agenda.

“The consortium’s next step is to focus its attention on the development of realistic and sustainable solutions,” said Fenwick. “Our ultimate goal is sustaining and enhancing the current health and future well-being of the American research university.”

The Research Universities Futures Consortium’s purpose is to identify shared challenges, exchange ideas and approaches, and develop workable solutions that will enhance and sustain university-based research and graduate education. The report can be viewed by visiting www.researchuniversitiesfutures.org.

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. For more information, visit www.elsevier.com.

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C O N T A C T :

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

Renee Womack

Renee Womack, Peggy Hsu, and Whitney Vickery are graduating this week as doctors of veterinary medicine and will then join the ranks of the US Army Veterinary Corps.

The College of Veterinary Medicine convocation and hooding ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, in the James R. Cox Auditorium of the Alumni Memorial Building. These students will be commissioned at the War Dog Memorial on the UT agricultural campus following the conclusion of the college’s hooding ceremony.

Through the US Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program, three years of the students’ education were paid for in exchange for three years of active duty immediately after graduation.

US Army veterinarians conduct and oversee veterinary service activities within the Department of Defense at installations from Washington, DC, to Hawaii and in more than ninety countries around the world. As Army vets, the students’ jobs will include tending to family-owned pets, military working dogs, ceremonial horses and wildlife on base; working with stray animal facilities; and helping with third-world relief programs.

Renee Womack comes from a military family, so joining the ranks was not a big stretch for her.

Peggy Hsu

“I found out about the US Army Vet Corps after my interview with the college, and the more I found out, the more I liked. I liked the benefits and the idea that I will be able to run my own clinic on base. I am currently a second lieutenant, but will be promoted to a captain,” Womack said.

“I am obligated for a three-year active duty return payback, but I decided to also do a one-year internship with the military before beginning active service. The internship will be at a large clinic on joint base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Washington, where I will rotate through different services, including food inspection.”

Peggy Hsu said she decided to join the Army for financial reasons and because she has lived abroad and loves the prospect of traveling as an Army vet. She is working on a dual-degree program for her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees.

“Overall, I thought joining the Army was a great opportunity to learn and explore different possibilities,” Hsu said. “At this time, I do not know if I will stay on for my entire career, but who knows? I have already had some awesome opportunities with the Army through basic training, meeting great people, and participating in externships back home, like one with the Navy Marine Mammal Program.”

Hsu will be stationed at Fort Stewart near Savannah, Georgia, and be in charge of the clinic on base.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-771-9127, ablakely@utk.edu)

Watch the full interview here.

Mike Fry

Mike Fry relishes the people—and animals—he works with.

“There are lots of things I enjoy about my work,” said Fry, an associate professor and section chief for the clinical pathology in the Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Biosciences in UT’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “I get to do lots of different things: I’m involved in diagnostic pathology, teaching, directing a clinical laboratory, and research–often in the same day. I get to work with faculty and staff who are excellent at and passionate about what they do.”

Jim Thompson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said Fry is “a wonderful faculty member, dedicated teacher, mentor, and collaborator.

“His intellectual curiosity and drive to understand medical biology and physiology make him a star in teaching students, interns, residents, and practicing veterinarians. His educational touch extends far beyond Tennessee and includes institutions across our nation and around the world.”

A faculty member since 2003, Fry said he chose to work in pathology because it intersects clinical medicine and basic research.

“I love the problem-solving aspect of clinical pathology and enjoy diagnosing and understanding how things work,” he said. “Even though I don’t see patients, I’m very connected to clinical cases and feel like an important part of the clinical team here.”

In recent months, Fry has been trying to establish a collaboration among researchers at UT and a university in Chile who work in the areas of wildlife pathology and conservation medicine.

“It has the potential to open up new areas of investigation and funding opportunities for faculty and broadened educational opportunities for graduate and professional students from both universities,” he said.

In addition to his extensive research and spending time in his lab, Fry is passionate about teaching his students and inspiring young minds.

“The main things I try to impart to my students are to have high expectations of themselves and to remember that we are here to help them, to challenge them, and support them, but they are the ones who are primarily responsible for their education,” he said.

Fry’s clinical and research areas of interest include hematology, diagnostic cytopathology, and regulation of iron metabolism. He has served on the editorial board of the Veterinary Clinical Pathology Journal and currently serves as general chair of the board certification examination committee of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Fry received his veterinary degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998. He spent a year in mixed animal practice and a year doing graduate research before completing his residency in clinical pathology at the University of California Davis.

Reza Seddighi

Seddighi, on right.

Reza Seddighi’s love for animals began after he got his first childhood pet, a puppy, in his hometown of Shiraz, Iran.

“My existing extreme interest in medical sciences gradually grew toward veterinary medicine with my repeated visits to the veterinary clinic and observing the vet’s everyday challenges in dealing with animals, each with a different personality and disease condition, each requiring a different treatment approach,” Seddighi said.

His passion fueled him through veterinary school and inspired him to move to the U.S. Seddighi said he came to UT because it is one of the strongest residency programs in veterinary anesthesiology in the country.

Seddighi is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine in the departments of both large and small animal clinical sciences. He is involved in research and clinical services, as well as teaching veterinary students and residents in veterinary anesthesiology.

“Fortunately, UT provides a great environment for collaboration and has a good foundation for performing research in different areas in anesthesiology,” Seddighi said.

He is currently involved in more research projects than he can talk about in one sitting, acting as primary investigator or collaborating on nearly a dozen projects.

In addition to his own work, each year he acts as a research mentor to residents in anesthesiology and pain management who must do peer-reviewed research. He’s currently helping three residents start, perform, and finish their own research projects.

“I must acknowledge the involvement of other faculty; I cannot do any of my work without the help of everyone,” Seddighi said. He works closely with the vet school’s anesthesiologists, two of whom work in small animal sciences and one who works with large animals.

Seddighi said he believes research improves a person’s understanding and makes them a better teacher.

When he is not in the research lab, Seddighi embraces the order and chaos of the cases that come through the animal hospital.

“The challenges become even more exciting and rewarding when there is the chance to share them with students and trainees and to see the joy of learning in their faces. I could not have asked for a better life.”

Seddighi is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists and is certified in veterinary medical acupuncture and advanced cardiac life support. His clinical activities primarily include anesthesia clinical services, management of acute and chronic pain, and acupuncture in companion animals as well as equine and farm animals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwpC8sxOi5o

Brad Fenwick, a professor of pathobiology in the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named a Jefferson Science Fellow, one of thirteen scientists chosen for 2011.

“My goal as a Jefferson fellow will be connecting UT Knoxville with federal efforts to promote international research cooperation,” Fenwick said. “This will link UT scientists to global research needs, including climate change, food production, energy issues, economics, and security.”

Fenwick’s specific assignment at the Department of State will be determined in the next few weeks, after his security clearance is completed. The appointment begins in August.

Fenwick, a specialist in renal and respiratory pathology of animals and humans, is the first UT faculty member to receive the fellowship and the first veterinarian. Fenwick served for three years as the vice chancellor for research on the UT Knoxville campus. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The Jefferson Fellowships, created in 2003, bring a corps of experienced, tenured researchers to the Department of State for a year to strengthen the science and technology capabilities of the department. At the end of their appointment, the fellows return to their academic appointments but remain available for special projects for five years. Fellowships are awarded on the basis of scientific achievements, articulation, and communication skills, and their interest in science policy issues.

Jefferson Science Fellows “use their professional experience to increase the understanding among policy officials of complex, cutting-edge scientific issues and their possible impacts on US foreign policy and international relationships,” according to Department of State literature.

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C O N T A C T :

Whitney Holmes (865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu)

Last week, the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, provided free eye exams for almost twenty service dogs as part of an American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology initiative. The ACVO predicts that more than 3,200 work dogs across the U.S. will receive free eye exams this month.

“We do the eye screenings for free out of goodwill,” said Dan Ward, one of UT’s veterinary ophthalmologists volunteering his time and expertise.

No service-ending eye conditions were found, but the staff recommended that one dog come in for a follow-up appointment in a few months to monitor the progression of a minor cataract.

The two most common eye problems that veterinary ophthalmologists come across are cataracts (opaqueness of the lens of the eye) and glaucoma (elevation of eye pressure that can lead to blindness if not treated). Both can be treated with surgery, medication, or a combination of both.

Whether man’s best friend is helping the police, a child prone to seizures, or the visually impaired, a service dog’s vision must be near perfect to perform its duties. One group of “patients” that came in for eye exams was part of the rescue efforts in Alabama following the devastating tornadoes.

“I just think that these dogs are a service to us and the least we can do is provide a service for them once a year,” said Diane Hendrix, also one of UT’s veterinary ophthalmologists volunteering her time and expertise.

John Buckley, a former UT Knoxville professor of speech communication who has been bringing his guide dog to the veterinary school for years, explains the relationship between himself and his dog, Jesse.

“I am supposed to be the brain,” Buckley said. “She’s the eyes.”

Buckley has had Jesse for six years and says “she has a very high opinion of herself” because she doesn’t blame herself for mistakes and shows confidence in stressful situations.

Jamie Stuffle, a UT veterinary ophthalmologist, and Kristin Fischer, a veterinary ophthalmologist resident, also helped perform eye exams.

For more information about the annual free service dog eye screening, visit http://www.acvoeyeexam.org/?reload.

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C O N T A C T :

Whitney Holmes, 865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu

Emma Macmillan, 896-974-9409, emacmill@utk.edu

Brian Whitlock

Assistant professor Brian Whitlock and student Clare Scully introduce an angus calf to its mother.

Brian Whitlock doesn’t remember exactly when he decided to become a veterinarian. It’s just who he is.

“That’s like asking a cow how she makes milk,” Whitlock said. “She doesn’t know how, she just does it. As a scientist, I’d like to say that there’s some formula that could explain how I arrived at this odd position in my life. I probably couldn’t retrace my own steps if I were asked to start over again.”

Whitlock’s “odd position” is an assistant professor, field services veterinarian, reproductive endocrinologist and sheep brain surgeon at UT’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He may seem to be a Jack of all Trades, but it was a natural progression from his formative years on a cattle and tobacco farm in Gravel Switch, Ky.

He credits his early farm work for his strong work ethic and his curiosity.

“The farm was like growing up in a big lab and there were always more questions than answers,” he said. “My parents encouraged my curiosity by getting me involved in small research projects, like testing the effects of different soil types and fertilizer on corn growth, at a very early age.”

Whitlock attended Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Ky., where he played football and graduated with honors with a degree in chemistry. After earning his master’s degree at Michigan State University he went on to Auburn University, where he earned both his doctor of veterinary medicine degree as well as his doctorate in biomedical sciences.

Before completing his doctorate, Whitlock logged time in a private veterinary practice in Michigan to enhance his learning experience. As he neared completion of his studies at Auburn, he began looking for a position at a college of veterinary medicine where he could work with students, farmers and animals while continuing to research reproductive endocrinology.

At UT’s Large Animal Clinical Sciences’ field service section, Whitlock does all of that: He teaches, and collaborates on research with colleagues at UT and at other institutions. He is working with faculty at Auburn, Berry College in Georgia and Kansas State University and is involved in grant-funded projects with faculty from around the world.

“Dr. Whitlock has exceptional skills as a researcher, clinician and teacher,” said Jim Thompson, dean of the college. “He embodies the true concept of an academic clinician, as he cares deeply about his patients and his students. He brings exceptional knowledge to the table in multiple areas. Dr. Whitlock is a high-energy, affable teacher, motivated to get his students involved in large animal health care. His communication skills are absolutely tops.”

Whitlock and his wife, Lynette, have three children: 5-year-old twins, Lydia and Grayson, and 3-month-old Truett. Whitlock has helped build churches across the Southeast for the last eight years and recently went on his first veterinary-related mission trip.

Agricola Odoi

Assistant Professor Agricola Odoi grew up in Uganda, a country largely built on its agricultural resources. Growing up on a small farm, Odoi was involved in farm activities and became interested in caring for animals at an early age.

“In Uganda, animals play a vital role in people’s lives in many ways,” Odoi said. “The interaction of people and animals is important but not without health challenges due to the risk of cross transmission of infections.”

Odoi became interested in zoonotic infections – infections that can be transmitted from animals to humans — and public health. His interests brought him to universities in three countries before coming to America and UT. He earned his veterinary degree from Makerere University in Uganda, a master’s degree in epidemiology and animal health economics from University of Nairobi in Kenya and a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. All the while, his interests continued to evolve with his surroundings, and he began to focus on the patterns of health and illnesses within populations and the use of geographical information in health research.

After completing his doctorate in Ontario, Canada, Odoi took a job monitoring community health and planning for public health issues.

“As a public health epidemiologist I investigated disparities in population health and identified communities that weren’t doing as well as others in terms of disease incidence and quality of life,” he said. “The information was useful for guiding health planning and resource allocation to reduce health inequities and improve population health.”

Odoi came to UT in the fall of 2005 and his research interests have continued to evolve. He has been an instructor of spatial epidemiology at the Appalachian Summer Institute hosted at East Tennessee State University, where he is an adjunct faculty, and has been involved in a number of research collaborations with the University of Kentucky. Odoi also has partnered with UT’s National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) to organize a workshop focusing on modeling the impact of cattle movements on the transmission dynamics of bovine tuberculosis in the U.S.

Odoi’s current research focuses on determinants of population health as well as application of geographical information systems and spatial epidemiology technologies in health research and practice. He is currently investigating disparities in access to emergency heart attack and stroke care in East and Middle Tennessee.

“Some people live too far from the nearest medical facility that can provide appropriate emergency care in the critical moments following a life threatening heart attack or stroke,” he said. “This inevitably affects health outcomes.”

He hopes his study will help identify areas lacking timely access to life-saving emergency treatments so as to guide health planning decisions

“Dr. Odoi brings a smile and hard-working attitude to the college every day,” said Jim Thompson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “His international reach on global animal and human health issues and his touch with organizations throughout the world allow sharing of real-time health care problems in our classrooms. Our college and UT are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Odoi’s expertise and collegiality on board.”

Outside of work, Odoi enjoys being a husband and father and a member of a community church. He and his wife, Evah, enjoy biking with their two children, 8-year-old Faithful and 4-year-old Livia, as well as playing board games.

Tobias, a professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Veterinary Medicine and president of the Society for Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgery, said her favorite thing about teaching is seeing somebody pick up a skill that will allow them to better handle their veterinary patients.

Even at a young age, Tobias, whose parents are both teachers, said she could explain something to someone who was struggling with a concept, and they would say, “I finally understand this.”

“I was given a gift,” Tobias said. “I like teaching, and people like me doing it, so that makes it even better. I get so much out of it because I’m appreciated.”

Tobias co-hosted a series on the DIY Network called “Barkitecture,” where she worked with new pet owners, helping them with whatever they needed. The show primarily looked at animals that were being adopted or rescued by the owners.

“One segment, we had three dachshunds who commonly have back problems, and we were going to talk about that,” Tobias said.

But then Tobias found one of the dogs had a hole between the nasal cavity and mouth where a tooth was missing — and changed the show to help the family handle that specific issue.

With past television experience, the History Channel asked Tobias to provide commentary on working dogs, such as police dogs and search and rescue dogs, and what makes those dogs special.

Tobias’ teaching experience outside the classroom has only strengthened her impact in the classroom.

“Among all the cool things Dr. Karen Tobias has done in academia, her collaboration with veterinary students to produce a small animal surgery textbook is one of the coolest,” said Michael Fry, associate professor of clinical pathology. “It was a brilliant idea that, in typical fashion, she transformed into reality.”

Every year, Tobias would ask her students if they were interested in being published so they would have a better chance of finding an internship. One year, 13 students expressed interest.

“I couldn’t come up with 13 separate ideas, so I came up with the book idea,” Tobias said. “In the end, we had 18 students contributing.”

The “Manual of Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery” has been translated into multiple languages around the world, including Greek, Chinese and French.

Tobias does not limit her love for animals to the academic world. She has two Jack Russells, Lily and Cato, and a hound cross, Zelda, a 1-year-old rescue.

“The Boys” or “the three orange men” are Tobias’ cats — Rusty, previously a blood donor at the veterinary school; Aleks, named after a math program; and Piggie, the 23-year-old who spends the summer living with Tobias’ parents.

In addition to six pets, Tobias has two “absolutely wonderful” children – Jacob, 16, and Jessica, 15 – who she says are “the best teenagers in the world.”

UT’s law, education and logistics programs also were ranked among the best in the nation. Each spring, the magazine ranks graduate programs in a variety of academic disciplines among public and private colleges and universities in the United States.

“Growing and enhancing our graduate programs is a top priority for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “Along with these top-ranked programs, we seek to build upon our other graduate degree and professional programs. We’re improving our opportunities for fellowships and assistantships that will help us attract more graduate students which, in turn, will enhance our creative and scholarly activity and ultimately our economic impact on the local and state economy. Increasing the number of doctoral students we produce is a key element in our becoming a top 25 university.”

College of Engineering Dean Wayne Davis said the college’s latest rankings will help recruit highly qualified candidates for the UT Knoxville-ORNL Graduate Fellowship Program, a new program designed to attract top graduate students in science and engineering.

“In view of the resurgence of interest in the nuclear engineering field, I am pleased to see that our nuclear engineering graduate program was ranked ninth in the country by the U.S. News and World Report,” he said. “We are anticipating a renewed emphasis on graduate student recruiting throughout the College of Engineering with the new UT Knoxville-ORNL Graduate Fellowship Program, and the fact that our nuclear engineering program is one of the best in the country will be a definite asset in attracting high-caliber candidates to UT.”

UT’s College of Engineering’s overall graduate program was ranked 43rd among public universities and 73rd nationally.

UT’s College of Business Administration’s supply chain and logistics graduate program, which has been consistently ranked among the best by U.S. News, was ranked seventh among public universities and 12th nationally.

The College of Law’s clinical training program was ranked seventh among public universities and 18th nationally. The overall law program ranked 29th among all public universities and 60th nationally.

“Our clinical programs represent the best of what we do — training future attorneys through a unique connection between legal theory and practice,” said Douglas Blaze, dean of the College of Law. “We also are proud that the overall law program has been able to maintain its place among the best nationally despite challenges and budget constrictions. We will continue to build on our strengths to improve our standing as one of the best public institutions for training lawyers.”

The College of Education, Health and Human Sciences’ overall graduate program ranked 33rd among public institutions and 47th nationally in the new 2011 report.

Three additional College of Engineering specialty programs were ranked. The college’s civil engineering program ranked 39th among public universities and 58th nationally; the electrical engineering program ranked 38th among public universities and 66th nationally; and the mechanical engineering program ranked 39th among public universities and 67th nationally.

Each year, U.S. News ranks graduate programs in the areas of business, education, engineering, law and medicine. These graduate rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program quality and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. For the rankings in all five areas, indicator and opinion data come from surveys of more than 1,500 programs and some 12,400 academics and other professionals that were conducted the previous year.

Several other programs are ranked alternately, every four years. Other UT graduate programs that appear in the new report for their most recent rankings include:

• The College of Veterinary Medicine’s graduate program ranked 11th among public universities and 14th nationally in 2007.
• The College of Social Work’s graduate program ranked 15th among public universities and 26th nationally in 2008.
• The School of Art’s MFA in printmaking ranked third among public universities and fourth nationally in 2008; the overall MFA program was ranked 24th among public universities and 50th nationally in 2008.
• The College of Nursing’s graduate program ranked 48th among public universities and 72nd nationally in 2007.
• The College of Allied Health Science’s graduate speech pathology program ranked 25th among public universities and 30th nationally in 2008.

U.S. News ranked UT Knoxville 52nd among public universities and colleges in its list of best schools for undergraduate education in the 2010 report.

The 2011 graduate rankings are now online. U.S. News also will feature the material in its annual America’s Best Graduate Schools guide book.

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C O N T A C T :

Kristi Hintz, khintz@utk.edu, (865) 974-3993

Moore will begin serving on Jan. 1, 2010. Dr. Stephen Corda, who has been serving in the role as interim associate vice president and chief operating officer since July, will return to his faculty and research post at the institute.

“Dr. Moore is a very well respected and proven administrator who will lead the institute’s research and instructional mission with an eye for building new partnerships and graduate enrollment. He is a proven leader who can help implement strategies to enhance interdisciplinary projects and take advantage of opportunities,” said Cheek. “His experience with the university and several key research centers provides a broad framework for enhanced collaboration with UT, as well as other universities and public and private partners.”

Moore joined the UT Knoxville faculty in 1981 as an assistant professor of microbiology. He later served as the head of the department of microbiology, helping to grow individual and collaborative research programs. In 2001, he was named associate dean for research and graduate studies for the College of Veterinary Medicine. Along with overseeing the college’s research and graduate programs, he directs the Center of Excellence in Livestock Diseases & Human Health. He also directs the Comparative and Experimental Medicine (CEM) Graduate Program, a joint program of the college and the UT Health Science Center’s Graduate School of Medicine. The CEM program has seen a dramatic increase in faculty participation, student enrollment and assistantships as well as support for shared projects about human and animal health.

Moore has a bachelor’s and a master’s from Clemson University and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. Before joining the UT faculty, he served as a staff fellow at the National Institutes of Health. Throughout his career, he has published significant research and has been an associate editor of the Journal of Immunology and editor of Infection and Immunity.

The UT Space Institute, located in Middle Tennessee, is a graduate education and research institution that was established in 1964 to focus on research in engineering, physics, mathematics and aviation systems. Nearly 1,500 graduate degrees — including more than 180 doctorates — have been awarded through the institute in partnership with UT Knoxville’s College of Engineering.

At the recommendation of UT Interim President Jan Simek at its annual meeting last June, the UT Board of Trustees approved a new organizational structure that placed reporting responsibilities for the institute with the Knoxville chancellor.

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C O N T A C T :

Karen Collins (865-974-5186, karen.collins@tennessee.edu)

The free event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24 at Adair Park, 1807 Adair Drive in Knoxville. If your pet is comfortable in costume, feel free to dress them up!

More than a quarter of the nation’s population is considered obese, and nearly half the nation’s pets are overweight or obese. As with humans, obese pets are at risk for heart problems, diabetes, and joint problems. Tapping into the human-animal bond can be an effective way to get people to eat healthier, feed their pets appropriately, and exercise with their pets.

In addition to the dog jog, people and pets are invited to participate in other activities including musical sit, hula-hoop jumps, guess your pet’s body condition score, pet costume contests and more. There will be prizes and give-a-ways, too. The veterinary students collaborated with the UT Nutrition Department, which will have a booth at the event.

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Contacts:

Sandra Harbison, Media Relations, College of Veterinary Medicine, 865-974-7377, sharbiso@utk.edu

Fourth-year students, under the guidance of faculty members Drs. Amy Holford and Beth Johnson, will provide primary care for dogs and cats. Primary care includes wellness examinations, vaccinations, spay/neuter, flea/tick/heartworm preventions, and dental services. Veterinary students receive excellent training in treating complicated medical cases referred into the hospital, but the Community Practice is designed to provide them hands-on experience with much of the cases they are likely to encounter in general practice. Patients that require more advanced medical care will be referred to specialists either at the veterinary teaching hospital or within the veterinary community.

Communication plays a vital role in becoming proficient veterinarians. To help veterinary students hone their communication skills, appointments will be videotaped with the client’s permission. The teaching faculty will then review the video with the students during rounds in order to enhance their communication skills.

UT employees and students receive a 10% discount on office visits to the Community Practice. Clients must have a valid UT I.D., and payment is expected at the time of the visit. The Community Practice is located in the new wing of the John and Ann Tickle Small Animal Hospital located at 2407 River Drive next to the UT Trial Gardens. To make an appointment, call 974-VETS. Visit http://www.vet.utk.edu/communitypractice for additional information.

In conjunction with this year’s national theme of “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America,” Pappaioanou will discuss “Building an Integrated Health Team and a Vision of Health Care Reform.” Pappaioanou currently serves as the Executive Director of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.

Previously, she worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 20 years as a veterinary epidemiologist, devoting her career to domestic and international human public health. Pappaionanou’s unique perspective regarding the public’s health has made her a popular speaker internationally.

Pappaioanou will speak from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in room 235 of the HPER building. The presentation is free and open to the public.