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Dr. Jin to Named as ISE Department Head

May 3, 2023

Mingzhou Jin has been selected as the new head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, becoming the 12th person to hold the position in a full-time or interim basis in the program’s 77-year history, effective August 1. He is also currently the director of the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment and will continue this role.

“I am honored and humbled to have been chosen to lead our department,” said Jin, who is John D. Tickle Professor and served as associate head of the department prior to his selection. “We have a tremendous history to build on, and a bright future ahead of us. This is a special time to be in ISE, and it is only getting better.”

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Quick Look – ISSE Centers & Programs

Appalachian Leadership Institute is a comprehensive leadership and economic development training opportunity for people who live or work in Appalachia and are passionate about helping their communities thrive. Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellows participate in an extensive training curriculum developed by the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact.


ISSE Climate Change Initiative Climate change is one of the most critical challenges faced by humans and our planet. Researchers at ISSE, working closely with the Climate Change Science Institute at Oak Ridge National Lab, are advancing our understanding of climate change and its impacts on human and natural systems. We use Earth system modeling, integrated ground and remote sensing observations, and advanced data analytical tools to study climate change and its effects on water availability, soil moisture, wildfires, and vegetation. Team members are Drs. Yaoping Yao, Yulong Zhang, Jiafu Mao, Joshua Fu, Mingzhou Jin.


DriveElectricTN promotes the adoption of electric vehicles for fleets and individuals across Tennessee with a goal of getting 200,000 EVs on TN’s roads by 2028. An autonomous program of TNCleanFuels, DriveElectricTN is supported by 60+ stakeholders from across Tennessee and the United States, with focus areas such as EV Awareness, EV Policies & Program, and EV Infrastructure intended to achieve precise, targeted development goals for electric vehicles in our state. DriveElectricTN and Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association volunteers chat with Ijams Nature Center visitors during a Drive Electric Earth Day Showcase. The new Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford’s latest and most visible electric car is pictured in the background.


East Tennessee Clean Fuels‘s mission is to increase the use of cleaner American fuels and vehicles and energy-saving transportation technologies to improve air quality and health, curb dependence on imported petroleum and support Tennessee’s economy. More specifically, we work to implement alt fuel projects in East Tennessee and work to make ETCleanFuels a sustainable coalition of involved participants from across East Tennessee. We serve as fleet guides to navigate alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in the 21st century. ETCleanFuels is a nonprofit and a designated participant in U.S. DOE’s Clean Cities Program.


FEWSUS stands for International Research Coordination Network to Create Transdisciplinary Nodes of Food-Energy-Water to Support Sustainable Urban Systems. FEWSUS is funded by the US National Science Foundation. The grant, awarded to faculty and scientists at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, supports the development of an International Research Coordination Network, designed to facilitate transdisciplinary, multinational communications and accelerate the development and transfer of multisectoral data, standards, analysis tools, new technologies, and a trained workforce among differently urbanized countries. 


Methane Center integrates science, engineering, and business models to create a broad conceptual understanding of CH4 (methane) as a driver of ecosystem processes and services. This understanding helps to create a lifecycle assessment framework for environmentally sustainable generation, management, and utilization of CH4. Our mission is to provide fundamental and technological research advances and training in CH4 environmental science that leads to a cohort of young engineers and scientists who communicate meaningful scientific findings and provide a structured rationale for economic and environmental policy decisions and regulations.


The Tennessee Water Resources Research Center (TNWRRC) is a federally designated state research institute supported in part by the U.S. Geological Survey. It serves as a primary link among water-resource experts in academia, government, and the private sector. Our staffs’ backgrounds are broad, deep, and highly diversified, allowing TNWRRC to establish a range of productive partnerships. TNWRRC is housed within the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment (ISSE) at the University of Tennessee.

ISSE Magazines & Annual Reports


Sustainability News

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $1 billion over five years to address infrastructure barriers that limit mobility, access, or economic development for communities across the country

How can we resolve EV battery supply issues?

Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center Study Analyzes Academic Contribution and Stakeholder Use of Collaborative Research. 

Distinct pathways to stakeholder use versus academic contribution in climate adaptation research, has been published in the journal, Conservation Letters.

Upcoming Events

CEE Seminar: Mike Fiske | 4:05 p.m. April 27, 405 Tickle | Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT)

ISE Seminar: Reha Uzsoy | 2:15 p.m. April 28, 500 Tickle | “Funding Perspectives from the National Science Foundation.”

Relay for Life | Student Union plaza, 2 p.m.–10 p.m. April 30 | A day full of activities, zumba, speakers, food, music, and more.

ORIED Energy Faire | 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. May 2, Toyota Auditorium, Baker Center | Opportunity for faculty, students, and staff to make connections, learn about funding, and see impact and innovation of UT scientists.

TCE Senior Design Showcase | 1–3 p.m. May 5, Zeanah | Student teams present solutions to real-world challenges.