The UTK-MRSEC (CAMM) seeks to create and sustain a research, innovation and learning culture along with celebrating and practicing a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Our goal is to prepare a diverse cohort of undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral trainees for lifelong careers as researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the academic, industrial and national laboratory settings. We intend to accomplish this by equipping them with the skills and competencies to engage in AI-enabled discovery and innovation.

Initiatives

• Develop a curriculum incorporating the use of AI in materials and manufacturing discovery
• Hands-on learning and training for postdocs, undergraduates and graduate students promoting the adoption of AI and ML fundamentals, methods, and tools in materials and manufacturing research
• Learner-centered approach to the education and training
• Actively encourage and support the translation of new discoveries into new products, processes, and services
• Develop and refine an entrepreneurship training model preparing students and early career researchers as entrepreneurs and innovators
• Onboarding video lectures
• SEED funding opportunities
  • Include, Expand, and Translate opportunities

Professional Development Activities for Students and Early Career Researchers

• Individual Development Plans
• Whole and IRG-specific meetings where students get the opportunity to present
• Outreach and mentoring opportunities for students and early career researchers

Partnerships

• UT-ORNL joint PhD programs
• National Society of Black Physicists
• Fisk University
• Tennessee State University
• AI TENNessee Initiative (Transdisciplinary initiative focused on Education and iNNovation)
• UT Graduate School
• UT Pathways
• UT Success Academy
• UT-ORII SMaRT Internships
• Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP)
• Adaptations for a Sustainable Climate of Excellence and Diversity (ASCEND)

Annual Conference

• Parallel research tracks and poster sessions to disseminate discoveries featuring UTK-MRSEC students and early career researchers and presentations from the broader community
• Career panel to share internship and hiring opportunities
• Workshops to train potential users on tools and techniques developed by the UTK-MRSEC
• Facilitated industry engagement sessions for encouraging and strengthening university-industry relationships

Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU)

Paid annual 10-week summer program, focused on recruiting students from other institutions, conducted in collaboration with UT-ORII’s Student Mentoring and Research Training (SMaRT) program. In addition to the research aspect the REU will provide social and professional development activities, visit research facilities at UT, ORNL and industry partner organizations, learn about graduate programs and careers, and build networks of professional contacts. Continued engagement will be encouraged back at their home institutions through virtual seminars.

MRFN Guest Research Program

In collaboration with the University of Tennessee Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development (UT-ORIED), CAMM has launched the Guest Research Program under the Materials Research Facilities Network (MRFN). The primary objective of this program is to encourage and cultivate collaborations between CAMM researchers and faculty members from local undergraduate institutions who are actively involved in research. This collaboration is facilitated through funding instrument usage and staff support provided by CAMM.