Tickle College of Engineering
2021 Annual Report
A Message from the Dean
The rapidly changing landscape of our campus and community through the past year has given our students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to show their resilience and come together in spirit like never before. It’s also provided a catalyst for impactful collaborations both on campus and with our industry and community partners. Allow me to share with you some highlights.
College Profile
Leadership Team
Matthew M. Mench
Dean and Wayne T Davis Dean’s Chair
William Dunne
Associate Dean for Research and Facilities
Paul Frymier
Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Engagement
Ozlem Kilic
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
Keith Stanfill
Edwards Assistant Dean for Integrated Engineering Design
Melissa Callahan
Director of Communications
Ami McBride, MBA
Executive Director of Finance & Administration
Brian Shupe
Executive Director of Development
Affiliated Directors
James Simonton
Interim Executive Director, University of Tennessee Space Institute
Board of Advisors
Check out the full list of our Board of Advisors.
Accreditation
All engineering programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. The computer science program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is accredited by the Computer Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
Department Heads
Julie Carrier
Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Chris Cox, Condra Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Kivanc Ekici
Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, Interim
J. Wesley Hines, Chancellor’s Professor
Nuclear Engineering
Veerle Keppens, Chancellor’s Professor
Materials Science and Engineering
Bamin Khomami, Granger and Beaman Distinguished University Professor
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
John E. Kobza
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Greg Peterson
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Rankings, Facts, and Stats Update
The college is progressing in many ways. Including enrollment, research expenditures, programs offered, and academic support. Take a look at how we're doing.
Data accurate as of 8/1/2021.
Academics
Ranked 35th (undergraduate) and 32nd (graduate) among public colleges of engineering (U.S. News & World Report 2022).
Eight departments with nationally ranked programs and seven internationally known research centers.
Total Full-Time Enrollment
AY21-22
- Undergraduate: 3,529
- Graduate, MS: 421
- Graduate, PhD: 728
- Total: 4,678
Degrees Granted
AY20–21
- Bachelor of Science: 679
- Master of Science: 193
- Doctor of Philosophy: 111
- Total: 983
Students Stats
95 percent undergraduate student growth since 2005
Incoming students have an average ACT of 29.7 and an average GPA of 4.2.
25 percent of undergraduates are female—female enrollment has increased 60 percent since 2008.
30 percent growth in PhD enrollment since 2012, and the 27th largest PhD program among public schools of engineering.
24 percent female graduate student enrollment.
7 percent underrepresented minority graduate students.
Faculty Profile
Our faculty includes the following:
183 T/TT Faculty
63 non-TT faculty
3 National Academy of Engineering members
41 endowed chairs/professorships and faculty fellows
10 UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chairs
21 Early Career Awardees since 2016 (NSF, DoE, DARPA, ARO)
1 Distinguished Scientist
2 University Distinguished Professor
Alumni
29,820 alumni across all 50 states and 83 countries.
(As of June 28, 2021)
Tennessee Engineer
Financial Update
(For Fiscal Year 2021)
Total Expenditures
Total: $143 Million
| Externally Funded Gifts, Grants & Contracts | $84,800,839 | |
| Recurring & Nonrecurring State Funds | $58,781,804 |
Resources: Recurring & Nonrecurring State Funds
Total: $59 Million
| Salaries & Benefits | $47,679,738 | |
| Miscellaneous Operating Expenses | $9,173,514 | |
| Equipment & Software | $1,928,552 |
Gifts, Grants, & Contracts by Department/Center
Total: $91.5 Million
| Administration | $2,406,518 | |
| Biosystems Engineering | $1,637,579 | |
| Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering | $5,892,770 | |
| Civil & Environmental Engineering | $7,265,643 | |
| Cook Grand Challenge Honors Program | $90,724 | |
| Electrical Engineering & Computer Science | $22,634,132 | |
| Engineering Fundamentals Division | $99,128 | |
| Industrial & Systems Engineering | $2,484,074 | |
| Materials Science & Engineering | $8,604,007 | |
| Mechanical, Aerospace, & Biomedical Engineering | $14,196,153 | |
| Nuclear Engineering | $12,599,121 | |
| UT Space Institute | $5,079,416 | |
| Research Centers | $8,528,570 |
Development Update
Dear alumni, friends, and industry partners,
The 2020-21 fiscal year was a successful year in fundraising for the Tickle College of Engineering. In spite of the continued global COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed for very little or no travel so that donors, development officers and other TCE officials could meet face to face, YOU helped the college raised more than $25M, exceeding its goal of $18.5M.
The following are just a few examples of the dramatic improvements to the college, established through your philanthropy and support:
- Naming the Zeanah Engineering Complex for the family of Eric & Elaine Zeanah
- Raising more than $2M for the Engineering Diversity Program in a single year (BEST EVER)
- Establishing the Tom & Melanie Wood Mentoring Endowment & Endowed Scholarship, the first endowment specifically for mentoring programs in the college
- Establishment of the Leaders & Innovators Wall in the Zeanah Engineering Complex—through the generosity of Dr. H. Lee & Carla Martin, TCE will now have a lasting public acknowledgement of alumni and friends who have been leaders and innovators in their fields. There is also a wall celebrating the specific innovations/inventions by these and other alumni, friends, and faculty
We are off to a great start in the silent phase of the next campaign! I’m so excited about the coming years and the new heights to which we will climb with your help! Thank you for all that you do.
We appreciate you for your continued support and for joining us on this good and noble journey.
Brian Shupe
Executive Director of Development
Top Stories
Protecting the Future
UT, the University of Kentucky, and the US Army are partnering on a new five-year, $50 million advanced manufacturing project.
The Grid of the Future
CURENT got its start in 2011 as an NSF Engineering Research Center and now ten years later, the center shows no signs of slowing down.
Big on Gigs
With Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs Ozlem Kilic serving as a lead, the college is partnering with AT&T on establishing a 5G+ presence.
UT's Gateway to Engineering
The Zeanah Engineering Complex, UT's new Gateway to Engineering, opened to students this fall and is expected to serve students from their first-year to graduation.