{"id":345,"date":"2023-01-13T12:30:22","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research-multi-dev.utk.edu\/energy-dev\/?page_id=345"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:32:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T20:32:20","slug":"partnerships","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iee\/partnerships\/","title":{"rendered":"Partnerships"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Partnerships<\/h1>\n\n\n

Ensuring our research solves global grand challenges\u2014and real-world problems for companies and communities<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We intentionally partner with industry, government, academic and community organizations to develop our research questions and shape our research outcomes. We provide our partners with unparalleled access to world-class researchers and facilities, as well as the opportunity to connect with future generations of innovators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT researchers collaborate with hundreds of partners, from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and from federal government agencies to local nonprofits. The organizations named below, while representing a fraction of the full list, are examples of long-term partners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Attendees<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee has everything we need to be leaders in this. We have great faculty, technology, and government and industry partners. What we learn here, we can take to the rest of the world.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Deborah Miller, Director, One Health Initiative; Professor, School of Natural Resources<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Key Industry Partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Amazon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Amazon has invested significantly in Tennessee jobs as well as in educational opportunities at UT<\/a>. Our deep expertise and expanded research capacities in supply chain logistics, freight transportation, and aviation biofuels enable UT and Amazon to create value through collaboration on many fronts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Group<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Eastman Chemical Co.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Longtime partner Eastman, headquartered in East Tennessee, dedicated a campus innovation center<\/a> in 2022. Researchers from Eastman and UT are focusing on materials and manufacturing innovations that address climate change and help mainstream the circular economy\u2014work that is relevant to a variety of commercial applications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"FedEx<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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FedEx<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The largest publicly traded company headquartered in Tennessee, FedEx supports UT research by partnering with the Logistics, Transportation, and Supply Chain Engineering Lab<\/a>. FedEx is also an advanced industry partner in the UT-led TEAM TN collaboration to advance electric vehicle research, manufacturing, and workforce development across the state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee Valley Authority<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

TVA provides electricity and Tennessee River management efforts, such as flood control, that serve 10 million people in Tennessee and surrounding states. It is an important partner in our research and innovations in clean energy, infrastructure<\/a>, and a sustainable environment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"William<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Volkswagen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

UT faculty and students, Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists, and Volkswagen engineers come together to perform cutting-edge research on lightweight structures, sustainable materials, and electric mobility at the Volkswagen North American Innovation Hub at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm<\/a>. Volkswagen also partners with TEAM TN.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Key Government Partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Birds-eye<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Appalachian Regional Commission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This economic development entity<\/a> of the federal government and 13 state governments invests in Appalachia\u2019s economic future to address economic disparity in the region. ARC and UT partner in research, workforce development, and the Appalachian Leadership Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Birds-eye<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ORNL is a vital partner in climate change action<\/a>, clean energy, materials and manufacturing innovations, sustainable transportation projects<\/a>, and many more research areas. Through the UT\u2013Oak Ridge Innovation Institute<\/a>, our researchers transfer technology between our facilities and drive innovation-based economic growth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Students<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee Department of Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

TDOH is an important partner in projects where environmental and human health intersect. The agency plays a role in the Tennessee RiverLine partnership<\/a> as well as the research and outreach advanced by the UT One Health Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"TDOT<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee Department of Transportation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

TDOT is a core partner and funder for research areas related to sustainable transportation and infrastructure. It is a key member of the statewide TEAM TN collaboration, the Tennessee Travel Demand Model User\u2019s Group<\/a>, and other collaborations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Key Nonprofit Partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bipartisan Policy Center<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This Washington, DC, think tank, co-founded by the late Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, has partnered with UT through the Baker School<\/a> to connect academic researchers with policymakers, develop innovative research initiatives, and translate findings into nonpartisan public policy insights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Several<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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East Tennessee Clean Fuels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A designated coalition with the US Department of Energy Clean Cities Program, this nonprofit<\/a> works to increase the use of cleaner American fuels and energy-saving transportation technologies. The coalition is staffed and housed through a contract with UT through the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Chancellor<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee RiverLine Partnership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This nonprofit is a joint initiative of several UT colleges and departments in addition to corporate and government partners including the Tennessee Valley Authority. The partnership is bringing to life a vision for a continuous system of hiking, biking, and on-water experiences<\/a> along the entire length of the Tennessee River, which runs from Knoxville to Paducah, Kentucky.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Birds-eye<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Tennessee Water Resources Research Center<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Led by a statewide advisory committee, the center<\/a> facilitates research, trains students in water resource management, and serves as a key resource for government agencies on water-related issues. It is housed within UT\u2019s Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ensuring our research solves global grand challenges\u2014and real-world problems for companies and communities We intentionally partner with industry, government, academic and community organizations to develop our research questions and shape our research outcomes. We provide our partners with unparalleled access to world-class researchers and facilities, as well as the opportunity to connect with future generations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_genesis_hide_title":true,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-345","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry","6":"has-post-thumbnail"},"yoast_head":"\nPartnerships - Institute for Energy and Environment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"UT nurtures partnerships with industry, government, and nonprofits to solve real-world energy and environment challenges.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/iee\/partnerships\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Partnerships - 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