Dongarra Named a Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society

UT Distinguished Professor Jack Dongarra has been named a Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society, joining previously inducted icons of science such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking.

“This honor is both humbling because of others who have been so recognized and gratifying for the acknowledgement of the research and work I have done,” Dongarra said. “I’m deeply grateful for this recognition.”

Dongarra is perhaps best known for his work helping to compile the annual list of the world’s fastest, most powerful supercomputers.

That list, the TOP500, has been used as the global standard for more than 25 years, helping spread knowledge of Dongarra and his work along with it.

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Student Entrepreneurs Win Recent Pitch Competitions

UT graduate student Lia Winter, center, and teammates Preston Dishner, right, and Ryan Cunningham show off trophies from the University of Manitoba Stu Clarke Investment Challenge. The team won the top prize at the competition on March 9, 2019.

Graduate student Lia Winter won first place and about $16,000 in prize money last week at an international pitch competition in Manitoba, Canada, for her patent-pending surgical device, EasyWhip.

Winter’s company, Winter Innovations, was one of three student start-ups to win four pitch competitions over the past two weeks, collecting more than $42,500 in prize money to invest in their companies.

“We’re proud to see our student entrepreneurs advancing to this level of competition,” said Lynn Youngs, executive director of the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in UT’s Haslam College of Business. “Their continued engagement in our programs through mentorship and experiential learning opportunities is building sustainable, investable businesses.”

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Read more about the student’s companies at news.utk.edu.

U.S. News and World Report has recognized several UT colleges and programs in its 2020 graduate school rankings, which were released today.

Three UT colleges ranked in the top 30 among public institutions:

• The College of Social Work rose three spots and is now ranked 22nd.
• The Haslam College of Business is ranked 29th.
• The College of Law climbed four spots and is now ranked 30th.

“These rankings confirm the University of Tennessee’s commitment to excellence in graduate education as the state’s premier public university and its flagship higher education institution,” said Provost David Manderscheid. “Since we are a Carnegie tier one research university, our graduate students learn from the best faculty, drive innovation, solve complex societal issues, and support UT’s research mission.”

Read more at news.utk.edu.

Robin Klehr Avia, regional managing principal for Gensler and a 1976 graduate in interior design, has established a new endowed professorship in the College of Architecture and Design at UT.

The Robin Klehr Avia Professorship recognizes and awards excellence. This generous gift will be awarded to a current faculty member in any school in the college or used to recruit an exemplary faculty member, strengthening the college’s faculty recruitment and retention program.

“Robin’s passion is ensuring a legacy of success for the future of the college,” said Scott Poole, dean of the College of Architecture and Design. “Through her generous and long-term financial support and leadership, Robin has made a profound impact on our ability to attract the best students and recruit and retain exceptional faculty.”

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