The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is again raising the bar in research excellence with the addition of eight exceptional researchers in fields ranging from precision health and advanced computing to nuclear energy and sustainable materials. These preeminent hires, tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing Tennessee and the nation, showcase UT’s bold commitment to attracting top-tier faculty and solidify its standing as a premier institution for groundbreaking innovation and discovery.
“We’re tackling big, important challenges at UT, and I am thrilled these all-star faculty want to join us,” said Chancellor Donde Plowman. “Each of them brings expertise in fields that build on our strengths as a university and solve challenges that are important to our state.”
The university recruited these leaders to build on its established research strengths , world-class faculty, and a research ecosystem that includes partners such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Y-12 National Security Complex and TVA. The strategy, which was driven by input from university colleges and departments, will accelerate UT’s impact and create new opportunities for students.
“We’ve spent a lot of time and resources to build up our research ecosystem and expand our capabilities — including investing in our already deep well of faculty talent and strengthening our industry partnerships,” said Plowman. “As we’ve started recruiting faculty who will help us build on that momentum, we’ve seen that our strategy and its success have created an excitement that others want to be part of.”
These scholars make up the first group of preeminent faculty hires:
Shaundra Daily
Shaundra Daily is joining UT from Duke University in August as a professor in the College of Communication and Information. Her research focuses on artificial intelligence, human-centered technology and affective computing. She analyzes, designs and builds sociotechnical systems — interactions between people, technology, and social structures — to expand participation and achievement in science, technology, engineering and math fields.
Deep Jariwala
Deep Jariwala will join UT from the University of Pennsylvania in January 2027. As UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Quantum Devices, he will study new materials and devices that can be used to create chips for computing (including AI computing), sensing and communications.
Graham Thomas
Graham Thomas joined UT from Brown University in July. As a professor and center director in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, his research focuses on digital health technology, treatment optimization and delivery, and advanced analytics related to health behaviors regarding weight, eating and physical activity.
Laurent Capolungo
Laurent Capolungo is coming to UT from Los Alamos National Laboratory in August as a professor in the Tickle College of Engineering. He focuses on multiscale modeling of materials and structures under extreme conditions, and his research includes computational modeling for advanced manufacturing and materials for nuclear energy and defense applications.
Orlando J. Rojas
Orlando J. Rojas will join the university from the University of British Columbia in October as the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Circular Biomaterials. His research includes soft matter and sustainable materials, and his work contributes to the development of new technical textiles and biomedical materials.
Jeffery Tomberlin
Jeffery Tomberlin will join UT from Texas A&M University in February 2027 as the Chancellor’s Excellence Professor in the UT Institute of Agriculture. His pioneering entomological research on black soldier flies drives innovation in the circular bioeconomy by demonstrating new ways of transforming organic waste into valuable resources. His studies also advance forensic science.
Carolyn Anderson
Carolyn Anderson is joining UT from the University of Missouri in August as the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Nuclear Medicine: Radiopharmaceutical Therapies. To advance care for cancer and other diseases, her research revolves around the development of radiopharmaceutical therapy agents labeled with beta- and alpha-emitting radionuclides, with companion PET diagnostic agents.
Kimberly Powell
Kimberly Powell joined UT from the University of Missouri earlier this month. An associate professor in the College of Nursing, she focuses on precision health in aging populations. Her research covers topics including health data, telehealth and text messaging applications for those populations.