Research and Creative Achievement honors are bestowed to senior faculty in recognition of excellence in research, scholarship, and creative achievement.
Scott E. Crouter
Scott Crouter is a professor of exercise physiology director of the Applied Exercise Physiology and Physical Activity Assessment Laboratories. His research focuses on using machine learning for classification of physical activity type and energy expenditure using wearable sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. His cutting-edge research has been funded by NIH, published in high impact journals, and led to work on several national and international advisory committees.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“Being a Volunteer has allowed me to be part of a community that places value on diversity and community. It allows for not only guiding the next generation of students and researchers but also learning from them. UT is a place for visionaries that allows the boundaries to be pushed for scientific inquiry both within and across disciplines. I am proud to be a part of this innovative community that is training the next great visionaries.”
Adam Cureton
Adam Cureton is an internationally recognized disability scholar and advocate. His research focuses on the ethics of informal attitudes towards people with disabilities, such as pity and misplaced admiration, as well as how disabled people should aspire to regard and treat themselves. He explores how ideas of respect and dignity enhance our understanding of disability as a core feature of the human condition. Cureton is a Lindsay Young Professor and a Rhodes Scholar with 6 books and 45 articles.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“UT has provided an ideal environment for me to pursue and disseminate my research on the ethical treatment of disabled people. I received generous research support from the Humanities Center, the College of Arts and Sciences, and my Department Heads. I have also engaged with talented and wise colleagues and groups across the University to put some of my philosophical work into practice supporting our disabled faculty, staff, and students.”
James Fellenbaum
James Fellenbaum is the Director of Orchestras at UT, where he oversees and conducts the Orchestra Program, which includes the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, and the Opera Orchestra. He is also the Resident Conductor of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Music Director of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of Bugs Bunny at the Symphony, and Artistic Director of the Brevard Philharmonic, NC.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“Since I joined UT, the sense of community, resources, excellent and supportive leadership, and outstanding faculty colleagues have allowed me to flourish as a conductor, and develop the UT Orchestra Program to become an example of performance and education excellence. Being a Vol has meant a lot to me – I get to share my love of music, I am blessed with a wonderful family that started here in Knoxville, and I look forward to contributing back to a community that has given me so much.”
Kai Sun
Prof. Sun earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in Control Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University, China, in 1999 and 2004. He joined UTK in 2012 as a tenure-track assistant professor at UTK, achieving tenure and being promoted to associate professor in 2017, and subsequently, to full professor in 2022. Prof. Sun was the recipient of the NSF CAREER award in 2016 and an IEEE Fellow.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“Being a volunteer means dedicating my time and effort to effect change in my field and the world. UT has provided me with an excellent platform to grow my career and engage with diverse research and academic efforts. I have collaborated with numerous experts in power and energy and other related fields, receiving strong support from many kind and professional individuals. I cannot imagine achieving such success elsewhere.”