THEC CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

The THEC Center of Excellence Program is designed to build upon the research strengths of THEC campuses to expand the State’s research base and to increase the State’s national and international stature and its economic competitiveness. THEC Centers of Excellence are expected to use their state funding: a) as “seed” money to attract outside funding, b) to provide an avenue for bridging gaps between disciplines and in the various stages of research, and c) to enable the dissemination of research findings and technology transfer to business and industry. THEC Centers also provide a neutral ground where scholars with similar research interests can develop research teams. All respondents are strongly advised to carefully read the Center's Mission, Goals and Objectives given below to ensure that submitted whitepapers and proposals support these concepts. To this end, the center solicits requests for funding from qualified UTC faculty, in accordance with the following requirements.

MISSION - The Center’s Mission is to establish a cohesive and expanding base of multidisciplinary research in applied computational science and engineering that produces sustained growth in research funding, excellence in integrated research and education, and increases in national and international stature and economic competitiveness for Tennessee.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES - The overarching goal of the Center is to develop and earn recognition as a premier center of excellence for computational applications in the physical sciences, with national and international stature. In keeping with the enabling legislation, the activities and funding of the Center will be used to pursue goals and objectives that enable the Center

• to strengthen the University’s research capabilities in the area of applied computational science and engineering by seeding research activities that broaden and expand the Center’s base of research expertise, thereby helping to attract new research funding
• to expand the Center’s research base through participation of additional faculty, graduate and undergraduate students in the Center’s research efforts, and where possible to assist in the recruitment of new faculty and students to the University
• to engage in research activities that are directly or indirectly supportive of economic development initiatives that benefit Tennessee, in particular activities that create collateral opportunities for new research
• to seek appropriate opportunities for educational outreach activities that a) help to create awareness and to stimulate interest in science and engineering among pre-college students, and b) help to stimulate interest in graduate study at UTC among undergraduate and graduate students