Materials Science Professor Katharine Page was one of six University of Tennessee faculty members to receive the Athletics Professor of Excellence award for the 2026-27 academic year.
The Athletics Professor of Excellence awards recognize professional excellence and outstanding university citizenship at the department, college, or university levels. The awards launched in the 2024-25 academic year as a result of the advocacy of the Faculty Senate, in partnership with the UT Athletics Department. The awards come with a $15,000 honorarium, which is funded by UT Athletics.
The six recipients were selected from a field of 18 nominations and were chosen by a committee of faculty and administrators. Honorees hold the title for one academic year.
“Receiving the Athletics Professor of Excellence Award is especially meaningful to me because athletics helped shape the professor, mentor, and colleague I strive to be,” Page said. “Growing up in a rural community and attending a land-grant university gave me a deep appreciation for institutions that expand opportunity and help people and communities thrive. I am grateful to be part of the University of Tennessee, where the lessons I learned through athletics—discipline, resilience, teamwork, and helping others succeed—are reflected in our students, our collaborative community, and the Volunteer Spirit.”
Page has a strong athletic background of her own. She is a former three-time collegiate national champion in Olympic-style weightlifting who competed at the 2008 Olympic Trials. She also competed in track and field for the University of Maine, where she held the school record in women’s discus (144 feet, 10 inches) for more than a decade. Page was the track and field team captain for her junior and senior seasons and a strength and conditioning All-American.
“As an engineering student balancing two varsity sports at a fellow land-grant institution, I learned lessons that continue to shape how I approach scholarship, leadership, and mentorship today,” Page said. “Athletics taught me the importance of preparation, discipline, resilience, and performing under pressure, but perhaps more importantly, it taught me the value of teamwork and shared purpose. As a team captain, I learned how meaningful calm encouragement and leading by example could be for younger teammates navigating challenges and moments of uncertainty, lessons that continue to shape how I mentor students and foster collaborative research teams today.”
Page’s research group in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering combines materials chemistry, crystallography, and advanced neutron and X-ray scattering approaches to understand complex ceramic materials for applications in energy, manufacturing, catalysis, and extreme environments. Page received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Award in 2026, and the Professional Promise in Research and Creative Achievement award in 2023.
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])