Power Player

Power Player: Tomonori Saito

From upcycling polymers to making ultra-tough adhesives, much of Tomonori Saito’s research has focused on making stronger and more functional polymer materials that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly. “We tailor polymer chemistry for many energy-related applications such as plastic recycling, batteries, building materials, and manufacturing,” said Saito, who is a senior scientist at Oak …

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Power Player: Jian Liu

In 2021, more than 1,862 data breaches affected nearly 294 million Americans.  This is troublesome for researchers working with machine learning since they use enormous data sets which may contain sensitive personal information.  Jian Liu, an assistant professor in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is looking for a reliable …

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Power Player: Mike Kilbey

Designing New Materials for Energy, Sustainability, Additive Manufacturing UT Knoxville Chemistry Professor Mike Kilbey received one of UT-ORII’s first seed grants, right after the institute launched. That funding, renewed for 2022, was used to bring together a team of UT faculty, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers and PhD students specializing in polymer synthesis, computation and …

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Power Player: Vanshika Singh

Vanshika Singh, a Ph.D. student in Energy Science and Engineering at the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s Bredesen Center at UT Knoxville, hopes to work in a national laboratory or in an industry where she can design lower-emission energy systems for high-temperature applications. “My research revolves around developing novel structural designs for energy systems, like coal-biomass …

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Power Player: Mina Sartipi Uses ‘Smart City’ Research to Improve City Life

What if your vehicle could “converse” with city streets or highways to help ensure traffic flows safely and with maximum efficiency? Or if your electric vehicle could help you find the nearest, most environmentally friendly, and most convenient charging stations as you travel around the country? These transportation wonders—and many more―will one day be a …

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