News & Notes | Well-known researcher leaving the region for College Park
Tennessee Tech researchers win a nearly $5 million grant to help improve the nation’s electric vehicle battery recycling ecosystem.
From Knoxville and Oak Ridge:
The University of Maryland (UMD) at College Park has announced that a well-known materials scientist, innovator, and strategic partnership leader from the Knoxville-Oak Ridge region is joining the institution in 2025.
Suresh Babu will join the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in 2025 as a Clark Distinguished Chair, bringing decades of experience and receiving more than $78 million in research and education awards in the past eight years alone. He joins UMD from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he has served as the Governor’s Chair for Advanced Manufacturing, as well as a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
“The A. James Clark School of Engineering is recognized for cutting-edge research in aerospace, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and materials science. My goal is to democratize access to advanced materials and manufacturing technologies across Maryland and the nation to enhance our competitiveness,” said Babu.
As a scholar, Babu’s expertise has extended to more than 378 peer-reviewed journals and earned over 24,458 citations, which led to numerous awards, including the American Welding Society’s (AWS) William Irrgang Memorial Award, the R&D 100 Award for additive manufacturing, and UT’s Outstanding Faculty Initiative and Leadership Award. He is also a fellow of AWS, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, ASM International and SME.
As a faculty member at UTK, Babu previously directed the Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education from 2021–2022 and served as the inaugural Senior Advisor for Research and STEM to the Provost and Vice Chancellor of Research from 2022–2024. He has advised more than 45 doctoral and master’s students.
Another from Knoxville and Oak Ridge:
Agriwater, an alum of the “Innovation Crossroads” (IC) program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is a participant in the inaugural “Techstars WaterTech and Sustainability Accelerator” that wraps-up with a Demo Day Tuesday night in Tuscaloosa. Founded be Dr. Bianca Bailey, the start-up turns poop into profit by converting liquid manure into clean water and valuable commodities, empowering farmers to manage spills and reduce emissions. She was a member of the 2022 IC cohort.
From Cookeville:
Researchers at Tennessee Tech University (TTU) are set to receive a nearly $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help improve the nation’s electric vehicle battery recycling ecosystem.
The effort is part of a $45 million federal initiative supporting projects at eight businesses or institutions, including companies like General Motors, Caterpillar Inc., and Siemens Corporation. TTU is the only grant recipient in the southeast. Pingen Chen, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, will serve as project lead for the university.
A longtime advocate for electric vehicle technology, Chen has been awarded millions in previous federal grants to help spur electric vehicle adoption and proliferate electric vehicle charging stations in rural communities. Last year, he helped bring a fully electric shuttle vehicle to Tech’s campus, the first such vehicle found anywhere outside of an urban center in Tennessee.
Today, electric vehicle battery recycling can be a complex process. Tech’s project aims to make the system more seamless and user-friendly by developing a first-of-its-kind “mobile preprocessing hub” that can be taken to local collection sites, allowing electric vehicle owners to have batteries safely disassembled and shredded on-site.
The batteries’ raw materials will then be extracted, studied and reused in battery manufacturing – creating a circular economy that protects scarce minerals and supports the sustainability of the electric vehicle industry.
From Nashville:
If you are looking for something from the State of Tennessee under your Christmas Tree this year or next, you might be disappointed.
That’s according to a report in the Tennessee Lookout that says Tennessee’s State Funding Board has approved conservative growth rates as revenue flags in the wake of a major business tax reduction. The Board is comprised of the state’s three Constitutional Officers – Comptroller of the Treasury, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer – and the Commissioner of Finance and Administration.
The four members set a growth rate in general fund revenue of 1 to 2 percent and total tax growth at 1.25 to 2.15 percent for fiscal 2025-26. According to the report, the Board also set the current year’s overall budget at $52.8 billion, which reflects a negative-1.68 to a negative-1.34 percent.
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