Oak Ridge Today

State selling award-winning ‘green’ house in Norris

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New Norris House

The state of Tennessee is selling the award-winning “green” New Norris House in Norris. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee)

KNOXVILLE—The state of Tennessee is selling one of the greenest homes in the state—the New Norris House.

Sealed bids will be taken through 1:30 p.m. (CST) on May 5. An open house will be held April 12, 2-4 p.m., at 143 Oak Road in Norris.

The New Norris House was completed in 2011 after a student-led team at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville worked for three years to bring the concept, first conceived in a classroom, to a modern and appealing home.

The house is a technologically advanced reinterpretation of the historic homes first built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1933 as part of the Norris Dam project. It has become a nationally recognized model for efficient and sustainable living. [Read more…]

ORISE: Number of health physics degrees up for undergrads, down for grads

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Enrollment data suggests current trend likely to continue in 2014 and 2015

The number of college students graduating with majors in health physics has increased slightly for bachelor’s degrees, but decreased for both master’s and doctoral candidates.

The report, titled “Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2013 Data,” surveyed 22 academic programs with enrollment and degree data between Sept. 1, 2012, and Aug. 31, 2013, including both students majoring in health physics or those enrolled in an option program equivalent to a major.

Undergraduate degrees increase while graduate degrees fall slightly [Read more…]

Featured at Obama speech, Sleek SuperTruck saves fuel, money

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David Koeberlein SuperTruck Cummins Engine

David Koeberlein, director of advanced engineering for Cummins and principal investigator on the SuperTruck project, says the prototype tractor-trailer uses exhaust heat that would otherwise be wasted to help power the crankshaft. (All photos courtesy ORNL/Genevieve Martin unless indicated otherwise)

Note: This story was last updated at 2 p.m.

Tractor-trailer prototype uses probe developed by ORNL for better gas mileage, cleaner exhaust

It’s a sleek, aerodynamic freight-hauling machine. With its wide tires, rounded edges, and body parts that hug the ground, this million-dollar prototype looks like it could be at home on a race track.

It’s already achieved celebrity status, serving as the backdrop for President Barack Obama during a February speech on greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards.

But the SuperTruck is more likely to end up hauling meat and potatoes from Boise to Boston.

SuperTruck at ORNL

The fuel-efficient SuperTruck, the result of a four-year collaboration between the trucking industry and the federal government, made a pit stop at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Tuesday.

Still, researchers have reason to celebrate. On Tuesday, they said the high-tech tractor-trailer has increased fuel efficiency by 75 percent. Fully loaded, the SuperTruck can drive 10.7 miles on a gallon of gas. That compares to an industry average of 5.8 to 6.5 miles per gallon.

“This is a really big deal,” said Claus Daniel, deputy director of sustainable transportation projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where the SuperTruck made a pit stop on Tuesday.

It’s the result of a collaboration between the trucking industry and the U.S. Department of Energy. It’s not clear how soon the new technologies tested in the Cummins/Peterbilt tractor-trailer, which was built in Denton, Texas, will show up on the nation’s highways. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Eight Y-12 employees awarded master’s in engineering management

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Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

Eight employees at the Y‑12 National Security Complex, pictured above, recently earned a master’s in industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Eight employees at the Y‑12 National Security Complex recently earned a master’s in industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Students pursuing this degree complete the 16-course, four-semester program as an ensemble, attending all-day Friday classes not held on the university campus.

“This particular program is one of the success stories of the Y‑12/University of Tennessee Partnership,” reported Debbie Reed, Y‑12’s UT liaison director. “But setting up the program was the easy part. Being a nontraditional student isn’t easy. Anyone who works full-time and still has the discipline and drive to take on college studies deserves special recognition. Putting in a 4/10 workweek and then taking another full day of classes—along with doing the homework that comes with those classes—that’s a lot of extra effort.” [Read more…]

UT, ORNL, NASA, TVA help robotic ‘football’ kick off this week

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FIRST Robotics' Aerial Assist

This image shows what a game of FIRST Robotics’ Aerial Assist, a football-like game played by robots, might look like. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee)

KNOXVILLE—Football season is still months away, but those needing a quick fix before fall can get a chance to see a version of the game played by competitors functioning like well-oiled machines.

The FIRST Robotics Competition Smoky Mountain Regional returns to the Knoxville Convention Center March 26-29, and is centered around a game featuring strong elements from football and soccer called Aerial Assist.

The idea behind Aerial Assist is that the 50 teams at the competition—from as far away as St. Louis and as close as the L&N STEM Academy across World’s Fair Park—will each build a robot capable of throwing, kicking, or running with a round ball with the goal of scoring a goal at each end of a field, or one capable of playing defense.

The University of Tennessee’s College of Engineering in Knoxville helps sponsor the event along with various technology and industry organizations such as NASA, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. [Read more…]

Roane State has open house for home-schoolers, private school students

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Roane State Community College will host an April 3 open house for home-school students, private school students, and their families.

The open house will be Thursday, April 3, from 6-8 p.m. in the City Room at the college’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave.

Visitors will learn about Roane State’s academic programs and its dual enrollment program, which allows students to earn college credit and high school credit at the same time. Guests will also be able to meet with Roane State faculty and staff.

For more information about the April 3 open house, contact Priscilla Gitschlag at (865) 354-3000 ext. 2200, or gitschlagp@roanestate.edu. Please RSVP by March 31.

DOE report co-chaired by UT professor calls for renewed focus on high-end math research

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Jack Dongarra

Jack Dongarra

Professor also ORNL researcher, co-author of Top 500 ranking of the world’s most powerful supercomputers

KNOXVILLE—The U.S. Department of Energy recently released a report co-chaired by Jack Dongarra, a distinguished professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, in which he stresses the importance of prioritizing research into high-end mathematics to help keep the United States on the cutting edge of computing.

“Exascale computing (capable of one quintillion floating point operations per second) will enable us to solve problems in ways that are not feasible today and will result in significant scientific breakthroughs,” said Dongarra, of UT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “However, the transition to exascale poses numerous scientific and technological challenges.”

Dongarra, one of five National Academy of Engineering members on the faculty of UT’s College of Engineering, said that increased funding for the development of new models and ways of gathering data is key to unlocking a number of those challenges. [Read more…]

Spotlight: REAC/TS gives tour to radiologic technology class from Roane State

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Roane State REAC/TS Tour

The Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS) leads a recent tour of the REAC/TS facility with a radiologic technology class from Roane State Community College. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

Submitted

A former REAC/TS participant and current professor at Roane State Community recently led a radiologic technology class on a tour of REAC/TS.

REAC/TS is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education facility managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities for the U.S. Department of Energy with the mission to strengthen the medical response to radiological and nuclear incidents. REAC/TS provides 24/7 medical support and deployment to provide emergency medical consultation for incidents involving radioactive materials and ionizing radiation worldwide. REAC/TS also conducts ongoing research into the biological effects of radiation and provides continuing medical education for healthcare providers.

Pictured above from left are nurse/paramedic Rob Beauchamp from the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS); Julie Hall, right, Roane State Community College radiologic technology program director and assistant professor, and one of her students, Drew Campbell, back. Hall is a former student of the Roane State Radiologic Program who went to REAC/TS as a student for assistance in her research and studies.

ORION astronomy club to meet Wednesday at Grove Theater

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The ORION astronomy club presents Linda C. Kah, a University of Tennessee Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences professor, on Wednesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. Her presentation will be on Mars and titled “Curioser and Curioser: The Curiosity Rover’s adventure in Gale Crater.”

This talk will highlight the first 1.5 years of surface mission activities and explore ancient environments of Mars.

This free presentation will be at the Grove Theater. For more information, go to http://orionastronomy.wordpress.com. [Read more…]

Fifth in nation: UT graduate program in nuclear engineering

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The graduate program in nuclear engineering at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville has risen to fifth place among all universities in the country, according to the 2015 U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings released last week.

Nuclear engineering ranked sixth in the nation in last year’s list. In a press release, the University of Tennessee said it’s one of the college’s fastest growing graduate programs.

The College of Engineering’s overall graduate program also climbed to 36th among all public universities, moving up three spots since last year, the UT press release said. [Read more…]

ORAU welcomes four new universities as sponsoring institutions

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities recently welcomed The City College of New York, the Illinois Institute of Technology, Temple University, and University of Colorado at Boulder as its newest sponsoring institutions. They were welcomed during the 69th annual meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions, held in Oak Ridge. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center upgraded its membership to sponsoring institution.

“We’re honored to have these four institutions join our growing university consortium,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page. “The research and education capabilities of these universities strengthen the value of our consortium.”

ORAU has 114 members in more than 31 states ranging from Florida to Idaho and Pennsylvania to Nevada, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and England. According to the National Science Foundation Federal R&D Expenditures rankings, 44 ORAU member institutions are in the Top 100 universities. ORAU was formed 67 years ago under the auspices of the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies and originally consisted of 14 southern schools. [Read more…]

UT professor tapped to lead national STEM education effort

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Lou Gross

Lou Gross

KNOXVILLE—Part of a national effort to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate education is being directed by a professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Three five-day National Science Foundation Ideas Labs—one for biology, one for engineering, and one for geosciences—are being held this month through April 4 in the Washington, D.C., area. Each lab involves participants from various disciplines and backgrounds, as well as prospective employers and representatives of scientific and professional societies. The goals of the labs are to incubate innovative approaches to improve undergraduate STEM education and produce research agendas that address workforce development needs.

A UT press release said Louis Gross, director of the university’s National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, will serve as director of the Biology Ideas Lab, to be held March 30 to April 4 in Leesburg, Va. [Read more…]