The beginning of June brings; a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and collaborators honored with the Ecological Society of America’s George Mercer Award; A decorated professor in TCE’s Department of Nuclear Engineering retiring after 25 years; and the Center for Global Engagement announced six students as the new McClure Scholars and one student to receive the Mae Scheib Scholarship.
ecology and evolutionary biology
Discovering Collaborators Who’ve Been There All Along

One of the field sites for Jennifer Schweitzer’s research lies in a grove of trees near Yellowstone National Park.
Sometimes a researcher can search far and wide for the perfect collaborator, only to discover the ideal person in their own academic backyard.
Such was the case for Jennifer Schweitzer, professor in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee (UT), and Wellington Muchero, a plant geneticist in the Biosciences Division at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). They met about a year ago at a SPARKS event sponsored by UT’s Office of Research and Engagement (ORE).
SPARKS stands for “Seeking Partnerships to Advance Research, Knowledge and Science.” The goal is to bring faculty together around a topic and initiate new collaborations. Schweitzer and Muchero met at a “Genes to Ecosystems” SPARKS event, designed to connect UT biology faculty to this ORNL initiative. Continue reading
Kalisz Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Susan Kalisz, the College of Arts and Sciences Excellence Professor and head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is a newly elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences class of 2020.
“I am honored to join such a distinguished group of scholars and leaders in the arts and sciences,” Kalisz said. “It’s still a bit of a shock, but a wonderful piece of good news during the uncertain time we are all experiencing.”
The Academy announced its newest members April 23, 2020, with the election of 276 artists, scholars, scientists, and leaders in the public, non-profit, and private sectors.
Read more at eeb.utk.edu.