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Energy Sciences

We are leading the country in numerous research areas, including the overhaul of the nation’s power grid, more affordable methods of biofuel conversion, and more durable energy storage systems.


The Governor’s Chair for Power Electronics is Yilu Liu, an electrical engineer specializing in smart-grid technologies in electrical power production and distribution.


The Governor’s Chair for Biorefining is Arthur Ragauskas, an authority in bioenergy. His research is important to uncovering ways to convert biomass to biofuels, biopower, and biomaterials.


As the Governor’s Chair for Electrical Energy Conversion and Storage, Thomas Zawodzinski focuses on ways to make fuel cells and other energy storage technologies more durable over time.


The Governor’s Chair for Nuclear Materials is Steve Zinkle, who investigates the effect of radiation on materials in fission and fusion nuclear reactors.

The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System and partner in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.