We are positioned to take advantage of unprecedented opportunities for the benefit of all Tennesseans.
At the University of Tennessee we have clearly defined our role, and at the same time raised the bar, in educating the state’s workforce, in driving economic development and in enhancing healthcare delivery. The governor and legislature have responded with the largest increase in state appropriations in recent years. Together with the support of visionary state leadership, we are positioned as well as, or perhaps better than, any other university in the country to take advantage of unprecedented opportunities for the benefit of all Tennesseans.
We have extraordinary assets. Our challenge—and opportunity—is to use them to transform education, research, and economic development for the state and the nation. We are in the midst of revolutionizing science and engineering through cyberinfrastructure. Supercomputing will continue to be a high priority in federal funding. Assuming successful completion of the recent National Science Foundation award of a $65 million grant to UT, we will have the nation’s most powerful open-resource computer.
The university has very specific windows of opportunity to make further strides for Tennessee. Our biofuels initiative holds great promise for our state’s farmers and rural communities. The state of Tennessee is strongly and boldly positioned in energy research and production. UT is poised to drive that research, and Tennessee could become the energy leader of the South.
The UT-Oak Ridge Partnership, with a focus on computation, neutron science, nanomaterials, and biological sciences, is an unparalleled resource for this state.
The next major step in our vision will be planning for the Cherokee Farm campus, a high-technology research center in Knoxville—termed a “one-in-the-world,” blank canvas opportunity to create a platform for world-class academic and economic partnership.
We have many partners eager to pursue a brighter future for Tennessee. The investments and encouragement of enlightened leadership have positioned us well and are critical to our continued success. The university very much appreciates the leadership of Governor Phil Bredesen, who has encouraged and supported the transformational role of the statewide University of Tennessee. Members of the General Assembly have been strong supporters of our plans and priorities. Tennessee’s delegation in Washington plays a key part in the university’s success, as well. Our alumni and other friends are generous with both their time and resources.
We have much work to do. The state is our campus, and we are committed to providing the people of Tennessee with access to quality higher education, economic development, and enhanced quality-of-life opportunities. We welcome the challenge.
John Petersen
