{"id":346,"date":"2023-01-13T12:30:43","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iamm\/?page_id=346"},"modified":"2026-05-06T15:44:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T19:44:01","slug":"education","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iamm\/education\/","title":{"rendered":"Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Education<\/h1>\n\n\n

UT students work closely with UT\u2019s world-class faculty at IAMM and have unrivaled access to cutting-edge research facilities on campus and at our partner organizations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT graduates are sought after for their fundamental knowledge as well as for their ability to solve complex problems and work collaboratively in teams.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Undergraduate Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Undergraduates participate in high-impact research projects, getting meaningful hands-on experiences. Students are encouraged to publish their findings and present at professional conferences and workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Discover the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Discover the SMaRT Summer Internship program at the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Graduate Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Graduate students are supported by graduate research and graduate teaching assistantships in PhD programs in materials science and engineering, chemistry, natural resources, mechanical, aerospace, civil, environmental and biomedical engineering, physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and computer science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover the UT Graduate School<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Graduate students may also enroll in PhD programs supported by the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, a unique partnership between UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which pairs UT students with UT faculty and ORNL scientists, and provides them with access to the world-class research facilities of both organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover the PhD programs of the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Volkswagen Fellows program hires two PhD students per year to work as Volkswagen employees while working on their doctorate as UT students.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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IAMM represents a paradigm shift\u2014a change in the culture of how our students learn, how our faculty conduct research, and how we interact with our industry and community partners. It\u2019s a discovery center for UT students to take an active, critical part in research with outcomes impacting present and future generations.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Brad Day, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Initiatives<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Meet Our Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Joey<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Joey Michaud<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Joey Michaud’s focus with Volkswagen is on advanced materials research, which will help improve driver and passenger safety during an automobile accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read a Q&A with Michaud.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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William Henken<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

William Henken studies structural mechanics of composite materials and was one of the first Volkswagen fellowship recipients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read about Henken’s experience.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Cecile Grubb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

“There’s such an interest in sustainability, and developing sustainable materials and understanding how to recycle them. So the fact that Volkswagen is investing funding in this research and in me as a PhD fellow is gonna pay dividends down the road in my career.”\u2014Cecile Grubb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read a Q&A about Grubb’s experience.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Rebecca Lalk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rebecca Lalk focuses her research on rare earth aluminum garnet scintillators, which are highly desirable in fields like medical imaging, nuclear security, and environmental monitoring. Lalk is working to identify more efficient, stable, and durable scintillators that can be scaled up for use in real-world applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read about Lalk\u2019s experience at UT.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Explore Student Experiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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