The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Challenger STEM Learning Center hosted its third annual STEAMagination Festival on Saturday, Oct. 11, showcasing what the center has to offer to the local community.
Research on the road: A conversation with REU student Hailey Henderson
This summer, junior Hailey Henderson—a mechanical engineering major from Memphis—spent 10 weeks in Potsdam, New York, participating in an REU program at Clarkson University.
Why I chose UTC: College Quest student panelists to share their UTC stories
The College Quest student panel is composed of recent alums and current Mocs sharing their experiences of how UTC has prepared them for advanced study and their careers. To preview the Nov. 14 panel, the four participants were asked to reflect on their experiences at UTC.
College Quest invites high school students to explore UTC’s health, engineering and technology pathways
On Friday, Nov. 14, high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing careers in professional health care, engineering, computer science and technology—along with their families—are invited to College Quest at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
NSF CAREER Award connects UTC’s Murat Barisik with national peers
This summer, Dr. Murat Barisik joined three peers from across the country in receiving a 2025 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the NSF’s Thermal Transport Processes program. His five-year, $501,760 grant supports the project titled “Multiscale characterization of heat transfer in nanoporous materials assisted by machine learning.”
Engineering for what’s next: Dean Kumar Yelamarthi connecting CECS to Chattanooga’s future
“There is an energy that pulls you to Chattanooga and a connectedness—on campus and off—that makes you feel like this is a place where you can grow something meaningful,” said Dr. Kumar Yelamarthi, the new dean of the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science.
UTC receives multiple College of Distinction accolades from national higher ed resource
UTC has been designated a 2025-2026 College of Distinction for undergraduate education and was recognized as both a top Tennessee and public institution. The University also attained College of Distinction status for its business, education, engineering and nursing programs; for affordability and career development; and for its support of international students.
Rocket Mocs help elementary school campers soar
Elementary school summer campers recently had the opportunity to experience science firsthand thanks to the Rocket Mocs. The young campers participated in every step of the process, creating, designing, decorating and finally retrieving their rockets after they were launched.
Interim dean, lasting impact
Dr. Ahad Nasab has never needed a title to make a difference, just meaningful work. From improving industrial systems to building academic programs and elevating students, faculty and staff, Nasab finds purpose in leaving things better than he found them.
Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student
For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts—producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.