{"id":899,"date":"2023-11-13T20:06:47","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T20:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tickle1stg.wpenginepowered.com\/mse\/?page_id=899"},"modified":"2026-03-27T18:15:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T22:15:32","slug":"department-ambassadors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/mse\/academics\/department-ambassadors\/","title":{"rendered":"Department Ambassadors"},"content":{"rendered":"

MSE Ambassadors are current undergraduate students who <\/span>assist<\/span> with recruitment events, plan fun activities for students, and lead department tours.<\/span> During a visit to campus, they are available to answer questions about their experiences with MSE.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Visit the department<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Grace Chrisman<\/h2>\n

Hometown:<\/strong> Oak Ridge, TN<\/p>\n

Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2027<\/p>\n

Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • Materials Advantage Volunteer Chair<\/li>\n
  • Intern at Safire Technology Group<\/li>\n
  • Research in hybrid inorganic-organic perovskites under Dr. Bin Hu<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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    Randi Gill<\/h2>\n

    Hometown:<\/strong> Fort Lee, NJ<\/p>\n

    Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2028<\/p>\n

    Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

    Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    • Research in High-Entropy Steels under Dr. Eric Lass<\/li>\n
    • NSF IRES 2026: Food Science Research Program throughout 2026 under Dr. Michael Danquah<\/li>\n
    • Material Advantage Member<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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      Megan Gillespie<\/h2>\n

      Hometown:<\/strong> Portland, TN<\/p>\n

      Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2026<\/p>\n

      Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      • Research in the Scantillation Materials Research Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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        Vincent Hefferen<\/h2>\n

        Hometown:<\/strong> Gatlinburg, TN<\/p>\n

        Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2029<\/p>\n

        Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> I chose MSE after attending the Governor\u2019s School for MSE in high school, where I discovered a love for the program.<\/p>\n

        Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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        • Research in lost foam casting with Dr. Gilmer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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          Owen Hollis<\/h2>\n

          Hometown:<\/strong> Columbia, TN<\/p>\n

          Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2028<\/p>\n

          Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

          Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • Pride of the Southland Marching Band<\/li>\n
          • Gift of Life campus ambassador<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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            Callie Jee<\/h2>\n

            Hometown:<\/strong> Whitinsville, MA<\/p>\n

            Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2028<\/p>\n

            Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> I chose MSE because of how applicable it is in real life, the chemistry components, and the hands-on experiences.<\/p>\n

            Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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            • Materials Advantage Programming Chair<\/li>\n
            • Research in biodegradable polymer composites at the Center for Renewable Carbon at the Institute of Agriculture<\/li>\n
            • Society of Women Engineers member<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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              Kate Klemenswicz<\/h2>\n

              Hometown:<\/strong> Bloomingdale, IL<\/p>\n

              Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2028<\/p>\n

              Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

              Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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              • Society of Women Engineers<\/li>\n
              • Materials Advantage Member<\/li>\n
              • EF Teaching Assistant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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                Will Locke<\/h2>\n

                Hometown:<\/strong> Franklin, TN<\/p>\n

                Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2028<\/p>\n

                Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> I chose MSE because of its interdisciplinary nature and closeness to both pure research and practical engineering.<\/p>\n

                Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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                • Materials Characterization Research<\/li>\n
                • Theta Tau member<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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                  Mary Redmore<\/h2>\n

                  Hometown:<\/strong> Binghamton, NY<\/p>\n

                  Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2028<\/p>\n

                  Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> I chose MSE because of its widespread application and how it blends many fields of engineering together!<\/p>\n

                  Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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                  • Alpha Omicron Pi member<\/li>\n
                  • Theta Tau member<\/li>\n
                  • Research in molecular dynamics simulations of deformation in high-entropy alloys under Dr. Zaeem<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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                    Findley Thomas<\/h2>\n

                    Hometown:<\/strong> Greensboro, NC<\/p>\n

                    Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2027<\/p>\n

                    Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> I chose MSE at UT for the great number of opportunities for research and resources available to me, even from my first year.<\/p>\n

                    Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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                    • Undergraduate Research Assistant to Dr. Xu<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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                      Luke Wathen<\/h2>\n

                      Hometown:<\/strong> Nashville, TN<\/p>\n

                      Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2026<\/p>\n

                      Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

                      Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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                      • Blacksmithing Club<\/li>\n
                      • Intramural Tennis<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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                        Not Pictured<\/h2>\n
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                        Marlena Alexander<\/h2>\n

                        Hometown:<\/strong> Kingston, TN<\/p>\n

                        Anticipated Graduation Date:<\/strong> May 2026<\/p>\n

                        Reason I chose MSE:<\/strong> I loved physics and chemistry in high school! I was a part of Materials Camp my Junior year and fell in love with the MSE program at UTK.<\/p>\n

                        Extracurricular & Research Activities:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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                        • Weightlifting<\/li>\n
                        • Tennis<\/li>\n
                        • Research in High Temperature Ceramics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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