The National Science Foundation has awarded two University of Tennessee, Knoxville, researchers prestigious CAREER awards to help them grow their scholarship into a lifetime of leadership in research and education.
Stephanie Kivlin, an associate professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will receive $1.2 million to study how plants react to changes in global conditions while Wei Wang, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, will receive $505,407 to study how liquids interact with soft textured surfaces.
“We are so very proud of this year’s awardees,” said Deborah Crawford, vice chancellor for research, innovation, and economic development. “Their work will yield new research insights and expose students at all levels to the joys and rewards of scientific discovery. Their recognition as NSF CAREER awardees brings distinction to our university and to Tennessee.”
Kivlin and her students’ work will focus on how plant and mycorrhizal fungal distributions may be threatened by climate change, which will in turn help scientists make more accurate predictions of ecosystem-level carbon dioxide production.
Wang and his students’ work will have wide-ranging applications in smart wearable devices, wastewater treatment, self-cleaning textiles, and other fields. They will also create a Magic of Soft Surfaces kit that will engage K-12 students in fun science experiments.