The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) continues to accelerate its mission to expand access to future-focused education, research, and workforce development through several major grant awards this year. These competitive investments from federal agencies, statewide initiatives, and regional partners highlight CECS’s growing leadership in emerging technologies, K–12 talent pipelines, and research that strengthens Tennessee communities.
“These awards reflect the power of collaboration at UT,” said Ozlem Kilic, Vice Provost and Founding Dean of CECS. “We are building curriculum and pathways that prepare learners of all ages for the opportunities shaping our world, including artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and more. It’s inspiring to see our faculty leading projects that deliver real impact for Tennessee and beyond.”
CECS has been awarded more than three million in research funding since 2024.
THEC Rural Health Pathways Grant
CECS has been awarded $2 million from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to launch the HEALTH program, an ambitious new initiative designed to expand Tennessee’s rural healthcare workforce pipeline. Built on CECS’s flexible-pathways model, HEALTH is anchored by a deep, region-spanning partnership with the UT Health Science Center’s Graduate School of Medicine (GSM) in Knoxville. This collaboration ensures that students can move seamlessly from high school preparation to clinical training to advanced medical education. including a guaranteed interview with GSM.
This collaborative approach brings together the UT Medical Center; Roane State and Walters State Community Colleges; Claiborne and Roane County Schools; and regional hospitals including Claiborne Medical Center, Roane Medical Center, and Rhea Medical Center. Knox County Schools will also serve as a guiding partner in extending the successful 865 Academies model to rural communities.
Each partner contributes critical resources such as mentorship, clinical placements, and expanded educational access to ensure students across the region can pursue high-wage, high-impact careers in healthcare. The HEALTH program represents a major step toward strengthening Tennessee’s rural health infrastructure and creating sustainable workforce pathways for future generations.
SCORE Future Forward Innovation Grant
CECS, in partnership with the Niswonger Foundation, Kingsport City Schools, Sullivan County Schools, and Ballad Health, has been selected as one of seven recipients of the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) Future Forward Innovation Grant.
This project will launch an artificial intelligence and data science credential for high school students by leveraging Tennessee’s computer science course requirement as an accessible entry point. The pathway will enable students to earn industry-aligned credentials that prepare them for careers in healthcare, technology, and other emerging sectors.
CECS will contribute faculty expertise, curriculum design, and program support to help advance equitable, future-ready talent development across the state.
Appalachian Leadership Institute: New Curriculum Partnership
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has selected CECS as a curriculum partner for the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a program designed to develop mid-career leaders across the 13-state Appalachian region.
CECS faculty will help shape programming focused on emerging technologies, digital infrastructure, and workforce development. With an emphasis on innovation leadership, the curriculum will prepare participants to leverage artificial intelligence, automation, data analytics, and cybersecurity to strengthen local and regional economies.
This partnership brings together the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment in the Tickle College of Engineering, Tuskegee University, Collective Impact, and CECS in a collaborative effort to drive long-term regional growth.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Research Award
In partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Political Science and the Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Affairs, CECS was awarded a federal research grant from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).
The team utilized the grant to study disinformation related to weapons of mass destruction in the U.S. and key NATO partner states. With the rapid spread of digital communication technologies, adversaries like Russia have increasingly deployed propaganda to undermine global stability and U.S. national security. This award supports research under DTRA’s strategic thrust on WMDs and future battlespaces, helping policymakers better understand and respond to these information threats.
National Science Foundation ExLENT
UT Knoxville was awarded a $1 million National Science Foundation (NSF) ExLENT grant to prepare Tennessee’s high school students and teachers for high-demand careers in the semiconductor industry.
Led by CECS in partnership with the Tickle College of Engineering and the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, this three-year project, Explorations: Tennessee Experiential Learning for Teachers and Students to Empower Pathways into Microelectronics will deliver hands-on teacher training, student engagement opportunities, and statewide workforce development strategies.
Twenty teachers will receive training in chip design and manufacturing, supported by lab kits and ongoing classroom assistance while students will participate in lab visits, lectures, and paid work-based learning with partners such as Siemens, Texas Instruments, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Additionally, CECS and regional community colleges will launch Tennessee’s first semiconductor-focused high school–to–college credential. A train-the-trainer model will help scale the program across Tennessee, ensuring broad access to microelectronics education.
These awards illustrate how collaborative, interdisciplinary work can unlock new pathways for students, support teachers, and strengthen communities.
With momentum building and partnerships deepening, CECS is well-positioned to continue driving meaningful research, workforce development, and technological advancement for Tennessee and the region.