Bill Dunne, associate dean, research & facilities for the Tickle College of Engineering, was named the recipient of the 2026 Extraordinary Service to the University Award.
The award is given to an outstanding individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make lasting contributions to the university. Dunne was honored at the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet, which was held on April 28 at the University of Tennessee Student Union.
Dunne has spent nearly three decades at UT, providing high-impact service across colleges, departments, and central administration.
“When they write the history of UT, I will not be in there. But that is not important to me, because my goal in life is to help the people around me to be successful—be it clearing the way, finding the right connection, being a cheerleader, or providing the needed critical evaluation,” Dunne said. “This focus scales from individuals to groups to departments to colleges to the university. It is all good because it all contributes to the success of folks. So, I take this recognition to mean that I have had some success across many parts of the university in helping folks to be respected, successful, and cared about.”
Dunne’s service record at UT spans 29 years and includes leadership roles as head of the department of geological sciences (1997-2002), associate dean for research, facilities, and graduate student polices in the College of Arts and Sciences (2002-2009), and his current role within TCE (2009-present).
Dunne is well known across campus for his contributions to planning and facilities. He has chaired multiple planning committees and become a trusted resource across UT for anything related to facilities. Dunne has also integrated safety into the culture of TCE’s research enterprise through a lab safety advocate system and training protocol that has earned campuswide recognition.
During the Covid outbreak, Dunne stepped forward to lead a research enterprise ad-hoc team that helped manage the crisis, create policy, and keep the campus community informed of the rapidly changing environment. The role was on top of Dunne’s full-time responsibilities within TCE.
“I am happy to see Bill win this award, as he has spent his career in service to the university,” said TCE Dean Matthew Mench, the Wayne T. Davis Chair of the college. “He is known campuswide for his many contributions, and he has certainly earned this recognition, as he has always been willing to go above and beyond to serve the greater needs of the university and its faculty, staff, and student body.”
Along with Dunne, other TCE representatives were also honored at the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet:
- Torchbearers: Justin Henley and Marlena Alexander
- Beacon Award: Lauren Bailey
- Trailblazer Award: Amy Kurr
- Individual Innovation in Action: Jian Huang, computer science professor
- Charles R. Burchett Extraordinary Contributions to Campus Life Award: Engineering Professional Practice ambassadors
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])