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The UT-Oak Ridge Partnership

In Tennessee, federal and state leaders and a public research university have forged a unique partnership that promises to play a major role in setting the national and international science agenda.

The University of Tennessee—through its managing partnership with UT-Battelle of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and with enthusiastic and substantial support from the state of Tennessee—manages $3 billion in research facilities, equipment and expertise in East Tennessee. This infusion of resources—including a $1.4 billion science project, the world’s largest unclassified supercomputer, joint research centers, state tax exemptions, and funding for faculty appointments—forms the basis for the UT-Oak Ridge partnership and is unique and uniquely successful.

The UT-Oak Ridge partnership recently received an “A” in its latest performance evaluation by the U.S. Department of Energy. The infusion of scientific capability the partners bring to the region provides a critical mass to address today’s and tomorrow’s most pressing scientific questions. Because of the close proximity of UT’s flagship campus and the national laboratory, the research and academic linkages are strong. To illustrate this point, the partnership has more than $6 million in funding for the 35 faculty with joint appointments to UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

By linking faculty expertise to world-class facilities, the potential is enormous. In key areas like high-performance computing, neutron scattering, nanotechnology and materials science, this partnership has put together the facilities, expertise and vision to be among the world leaders. It is critical that our higher educational system take a leadership role in marshalling these resources, partners, and vision so our nation can remain competitive in science and research. That’s more true than ever today as we face growing international challenges from China and India and elsewhere around the world.

Why is the UT-Oak ridge partnership significant?

With the strong backing of the state and Gov. Phil Bredesen (a Harvard-trained physicist), the UT-Oak Ridge partnership is significant for several reasons:

  • The UT partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory is positioned to be among the leaders of the world science agenda in the areas of high-performance computing, materials research, and nanotechnology. With UT as ORNL’s managing partner through UT-Battelle, the university and lab are making major strides in science.
  • This partnership was the first to see state-funded construction of research facilities at a national lab.
  • Spallation Neutron Source is the world’s largest science program at a cost of $1.4 billion. This instantly catapults UT and ORNL into a global leadership position in neutron scattering ­research—the key to increasing our understanding of particles at the smallest levels.
  • SNS has already drawn global interest, and the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL, along with the UT-ORNL Joint Institute for Neutron Sciences, make the SNS campus the top destination in the field. If scientists want to use neutrons, they will come to East Tennessee.
  • The Joint Institute for Computational Sciences is already home to one of the top 10 most powerful computers in the world. This computing power allows scientists to effectively process and understand the massive data created by a project like SNS. ORNL is on track to have the world’s most powerful unclassified supercomputer.
  • As these major projects come online, outstanding faculty are drawn from around the world to UT and ORNL. They are attracted by the scientific opportunities available, as well as the advantages of holding joint appointments between the two institutions. Support from the state of Tennessee has led to the creation of the Governor’s Chair positions, already drawing top scientists.
  • The UT-Oak Ridge partnership has also paid dividends in economic development. Since UT moved into its role as the lab’s managing partner, ORNL’s technology commercialization program has spun off 62 new companies. These companies lead to new jobs and opportunity in the East ­Tennessee area and beyond, and the program serves to draw the most talented researchers to the lab.

The university and the laboratory also cooperate to offer the Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology.

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