The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s Science Alliance is investing more than $900,000 in graduate student research through its Graduate Advancement, Training and Education (GATE) award program, supporting 17 UT students conducting collaborative research with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The investment includes $640,000 in first-year funding for 10 new GATE fellows for FY27-28 and $263,000 in second-year funding for seven students whose awards were renewed after successfully completing their first year in the program.
The first-year awards provide funding for a 12-month Graduate Research Assistant appointment, including a stipend, tuition waiver and health insurance. The second-year awards allow recipients to continue the research projects they began during their first year as GATE fellows.
FY27-28 First-Year GATE Awardees
- Asmita Chaudhary, Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Swapnamoy Dutta, Bredesen Center
- Ashlynn Hord, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Vinny Jodoin, Mathematics
- Eva Kaushik, Data Science and Engineering, Bredesen Center
- Josie King, Genome Science and Technology, Bredesen Center
- Janou Miligan, Data Science and Engineering, Bredesen Center
- Utkarsh Pratiush, Materials Science and Engineering
- Brandi Skipworth, Physics and Astronomy
- Md Rahatul Islam Udoy, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
FY25-26 Awardees Renewed for Second-Year Funding
- Lia Amalia, Materials Science and Engineering
- Samuel Gruber, Mathematics
- Anik Muhury, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Jason Olavesen, Microbiology
- Opeyemi Tade, Chemistry
- Bipin Tiwari, Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering
- Hahley Marie Wiltse, Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Through the GATE program, Science Alliance supports graduate students whose research strengthens collaboration between the UT and ORNL while helping develop the next generation of scientific leaders.
To learn more about the GATE program, visit https://utorii.com/gate-awards/.
