Grace Chrisman

Hometown: Oak Ridge, TN

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE because I took a pottery class and a chemistry class at the same time, and it made me really curious about where they overlap. I asked enough questions to eventually lead to the field of materials science and engineering.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Materials Advantage Volunteer Chair
• Intern at Safire Technology Group
• Research in hybrid inorganic-organic perovskites under Dr. Bin Hu

Randi Gill

Hometown: Fort Lee, NJ

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE because materials are the foundation of our world. Materials science and engineering provide a really good mix of physics, chemistry, and engineering, as well as the hands-on aspect that I really enjoy.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Research in High-Entropy Steels under Dr. Eric Lass
• NSF IRES 2026: Food Science Research Program throughout 2026 under Dr. Michael Danquah
• Material Advantage Member

Megan Gillespie

Hometown: Portland, TN

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Research in the Scantillation Materials Research Center

Vincent Hefferen

Hometown: Gatlinburg, TN

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2029

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE after attending the Governor’s School for MSE in high school, where I discovered a love for the program.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Research in lost foam casting with Dr. Gilmer

Owen Hollis

Hometown: Columbia, TN

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028

Reason I chose MSE: I enjoy learning about why things behave in certain ways, I like solving problems/helping people, and I wanted something interdisciplinary that allowed me a lot of options and opportunities in the world.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Pride of the Southland Marching Band
• Gift of Life campus ambassador

Callie Jee

Hometown: Whitinsville, MA

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE because of how applicable it is in real life, the chemistry components, and the hands-on experiences.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Materials Advantage Programming Chair
• Research in biodegradable polymer composites at the Center for Renewable Carbon at the Institute of Agriculture
• Society of Women Engineers member

Kate Klemenswicz

Hometown: Bloomingdale, IL

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028

Reason I chose MSE: I appreciate how many opportunities and different paths that you can go after graduation The entire department is also closeknit and helps your prepare for life after college.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Society of Women Engineers
• Materials Advantage Member
• EF Teaching Assistant

Will Locke

Hometown: Franklin, TN

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE because of its interdisciplinary nature and closeness to both pure research and practical engineering.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Materials Characterization Research
• Theta Tau member

Mary Redmore

Hometown: Binghamton, NY

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE because of its widespread application and how it blends many fields of engineering together!

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Alpha Omicron Pi member
• Theta Tau member
• Research in molecular dynamics simulations of deformation in high-entropy alloys under Dr. Zaeem

Findley Thomas

Hometown: Greensboro, NC

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE at UT for the great number of opportunities for research and resources available to me, even from my first year.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Undergraduate Research Assistant to Dr. Xu

Luke Wathen

Hometown: Nashville, TN

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026

Reason I chose MSE: I chose MSE because of a mentor from high school telling me that it was the best place to go because of my interest in metals and advanced material.

Extracurricular & Research Activities:

• Blacksmithing Club
• Intramural Tennis