Centers of Excellence
Enabling focused dialogues, collaboration, and creating impacts that matter
Center for Energy, Transportation, and Environmental Policy
CETEP scholars join government, industry, and NGO partners to address critical energy and environmental challenges through an interdisciplinary lens. Integrating natural, physical, and social sciences, their work informs the development of economically sound local, national, and global policies. Housed within the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, CETEP supports the State of Tennessee’s Energy Policy Council.
Center for Freight Transportation for Efficient and Resilient Supply Chain
UT leads this multi-institutional US DOT-funded center focused on improving the mobility of people and goods throughout the US. The center addresses challenges related to supply chain disruptions, US freight resilience and efficiency, and emissions reductions to enhance the nation’s global competitiveness.
Center for Renewable Carbon
CRC is an internationally recognized leader in research, innovation, and education to advance the environmentally sustainable and economically-viable circular bioeconomy. Researchers are investigating naturally derived alternatives to petroleum-based materials, chemicals, fuels, and other power sources, while improving natural resource management practices and manufacturing systems to reduce carbon emissions.
Center for Transportation Research
CTR supports research in transportation planning, travel demand modeling, and freight-related analytics and leads the NSF-funded statewide mobility coalition TEAM TN, with more than 100 partners working to develop and commercialize new transportation technologies, attract new businesses to the state, and prepare Tennesseans for in-demand jobs.
Center for Ultra-Wide-Area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks
CURENT researchers are developing new approaches essential to the operation of extremely large and complex electric networks that seamlessly incorporate renewable energy sources, power our knowledge economy, and support the increasing decarbonization of our civil infrastructure.
Denbo Center for Humanities and the Arts
This research center represents academic units in art, classics, English, history, music, philosophy, religious studies, theater, and world languages and cultures—and creates collaborations with other fields as diverse as architecture and engineering. The center fosters interdisciplinary research and demonstrates how the humanities contribute to understanding complex energy and environmental challenges and creating new ways forward.
Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation
IACMI–The Composites Institute is a partnership of industry, academic, and government organizations working to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative composites manufacturing technologies. IACMI inspires research across a variety of new and existing applications, including sustainable mobility, clean energy, efficient construction, and recyclable products.
Institute for Climate and Community Resilience
ICCR launched alongside a set of collaborative research initiatives for the UT College of Arts and Sciences and partners across the university. ICCR is advancing climate science and creating equitable solutions for climate risks that span from Appalachia to the globe. ICCR addresses challenges in climate system science, compounding risks associated with climate change, and community-driven solutions.
Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment
ISSE’s centers, programs, and initiatives support the development of policies, technologies, and educational programs that respond to pressing environmental and security issues. ISSE houses multiple centers of excellence including the Appalachian Leadership Institute, East Tennessee Clean Fuels, and the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center.
National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Systems
NIMBioS supports and enhances research in mathematical biology, including many projects related to creating a more sustainable environment and protecting biodiversity. NIMBioS facilitates collaboration between math and biology practitioners, equips K–12 teachers to integrate math and biology in their classes, engages undergraduate and graduate students in research opportunities, and helps increase diversity in the field of mathematical biology.