We are moving forward on our first three cluster hire projects: data sciences, quantum materials for future technologies, and the Center of Food and Activity for Healthy Communities.
Cristian Batista, Willis Lincoln Chair of Excellence and professor of physics, who proposed the quantum science cluster, said a search committee has been formed to hire a full professor in computational condensed matter physics for the cluster. The person hired could hold a joint appointment in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Search committee members are Elbio Dagotto, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Distinguished Scientist at ORNL; Steve Johnston, assistant professor of physics; Veerle Keppens, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and director of the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials; Maxim Lavrentovich, assistant professor of physics; Bruce MacLennan, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science; Adriana Moreo, professor of physics; Thomas Papenbrock, professor of physics; Clayton Webster, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and a Distinguished Scientist and group leader in the Computational and Applied Mathematics Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and Hanno Weitering, professor and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
In addition, a job description has been approved for a full-time professor to be part of the Center of Food and Activity for Healthy Communities cluster proposed by Hollie Raynor, professor of nutrition and interim assistant dean for research in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.
The search committee includes Raynor; David Bassett, professor and head of the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies; Scott Crouter, associate professor of exercise physiology; Matt Harris, assistant professor of economics in the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, Michael Stahl, PEMBA Fellow and the Kay and Bill Whitman Faculty Research Fellow in the Haslam College of Business; Ronald Kalafsky, professor and head of the Department of Geography; Heejin (Jeanie) Lim, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management; and Michael Mason, Betsey R. Bush Endowed Professor in Children and Families at Risk in the Center for Behavioral Health Research in the College of Social Work.
Kimberly Eck, assistant vice chancellor for research development, said searches for two more faculty members for the clusters are expected to launch during the 2019–2020 academic year.
Meetings also have been taking place between UT and ORNL researchers to identify current resources and needs for our new data sciences cluster. We have engaged with a search firm, and we are preparing to hire a new Governor’s Chair in Data Science and Technology. That search will begin this spring.