{"id":1844,"date":"2026-03-30T13:48:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T17:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/mae\/?p=1844"},"modified":"2026-03-30T13:48:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T17:48:48","slug":"kurr-honored-with-trailblazer-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/mae\/news\/kurr-honored-with-trailblazer-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Kurr Honored with Trailblazer Award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Amy Kurr has been selected as this year\u2019s recipient of the Trailblazer Award, which is the highest doctoral student honor conferred by the University of Tennessee.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kurr is pursuing her PhD through the Bredesen Center in Energy Science and Engineering with a focus on polymer engineering. Her research within the Center for Renewable Carbon at the UT Institute of Agriculture focuses on the degradation and decomposition of electrical wire and cables in the automotive and energy industries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recipients of the Trailblazer Award, which is new this year, must demonstrate high academic achievement and outstanding commitment to others as demonstrated by the student\u2019s various activities and significant contributions to the university or their discipline. They must embody the Volunteer Spirit, displaying initiative and excellence in service and leadership, and have demonstrated resilience during their life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am surprised, grateful, and humbled to receive\u202fthe Trailblazer Award,\u201d Kurr said. \u201cI am surprised\u202fthat I was selected among the dozens and dozens of amazing PhD students I have met and collaborated with over the past few years. I am grateful\u202fto have had such a large impact on the University of Tennessee and the lives of the individuals I have met while studying, and I am humbled\u202fto think where I’d be if hundreds of people had not endlessly reached out their hands to help me along this journey.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Trailblazer
Amy Kurr poses for group photo during a 2026 Trailblazer award surprise on March 17, 2026. Photo by Jared Worsham\/University of Tennessee.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kurr is funded under a Graduate Advancement & Training Education (GATE) Fellowship from the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kurr is a program manager and founder of the Technical Standards in Engineering Program, which serves as a resource for educators providing free, open-source curriculum delivering foundational technical standards training for young engineers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kurr, who can speak three languages and excels in strongman powerlifting, is the founder and president of UT\u2019s Society of Women Engineers Graduate Group (GradSWE), and a member of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI surmise that my nomination package for this award reflected the value I see in those around me and the ways I\u2019ve worked to cheerlead, refine, and reaffirm that value,\u201d Kurr said. \u201cWith the help of many, I\u2019ve worked to build programs, reshape structures, and create networks that elevate others and strengthen our community.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kurr will be celebrated alongside other award winners at the upcoming Chancellor\u2019s Honors Banquet.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amy Kurr has been selected as this year\u2019s recipient of the Trailblazer Award, which is the highest doctoral student honor conferred by the University of Tennessee.    Kurr is pursuing her PhD through the Bredesen Center in Energy Science and Engineering with a focus on polymer engineering. Her research within the Center for Renewable Carbon at the UT Institute of Agriculture focuses on the degradation and decomposition of electrical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":1845,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,382],"tags":[534,524,533],"class_list":["post-1844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-student","tag-amy-kurr","tag-awards","tag-trailblazer-award"],"yoast_head":"\nKurr Honored with Trailblazer Award - Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"MAE PhD student Amy Kurr was awarded the\u00a0Trailblazer\u00a0Award, the highest\u00a0doctoral\u00a0student honor conferred\u00a0by\u00a0the University of Tennessee.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/mae\/news\/kurr-honored-with-trailblazer-award\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kurr Honored with Trailblazer Award - 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