Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education

To celebrate GPSAW, we would like to recognize the research developments of DSE student Joseph Agada. Joseph is currently in the early stages of his research at the intersection of machine learning and the determination of crystal structures from X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns. Most existing machine learning models in this domain are trained exclusively on XRD patterns simulated from theoretical models, due to the practical challenges of collecting large-scale experimental data. While these models often achieve excellent performance on simulated data, their accuracy drops significantly when applied to real experimental data—limiting their real-world applicability. His research aims to bridge this gap by developing domain-aware machine learning models that maintain state-of-the-art performance on experimental XRD data, thereby enhancing their reliability and practical utility in materials science. We are so proud of the contributions our students continue to make to scientific advancement! #GPSAW . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Graduate School Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Congratulations to ESE student, Arjun Bhattacharyya! Arjun is part of the Electrification and Energy Infrastructure Division at ORNL and recently published his third conference paper as a lead author for the reputable IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference (IEEE REPC). His paper is titled: Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Reliability and Operational Efficiency of Small-Scale Hydroelectric Distributed Generation. He will be presenting this paper at a conference in Westminster, Colorado at the end of this month. We are so proud of the contributions our students continue to make to scientific advancement! #GPSAW  . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville Oak Ridge National Laboratory University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Graduate School

As part of GPSAW week, we would like to recognize ESE student Jose Martinez! Jose was recently recognized with a national award for leadership and service from the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE). 👏 We are proud of his hard work and commitment to scientific advancement! #GPSAW . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville Oak Ridge National Laboratory SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MATERIALS & PROCESSING ENGINEERING, INC

GPSAW week is here and we are excited to show our appreciation for your hard work! Let us know what you have been working on so we can celebrate with you! 👇 Visit tiny.utk.edu/gpsaw for more information about events happening this week and how you can get involved! . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Join us this Friday for Coffee Connects! It's the perfect time to connect with program directors and fellow students. We'll see you there! 🎉 . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Dr. Christoph Metzner, a recent Data Science and Engineering graduate, continues to make a big impact in the advancement of scientific research! While he was a Bredesen Center student, his research focused on attention mechanisms to improve machine learning-based clinical text classification models. His work on the novel deformable phrase-level attention mechanism enabled transformers to achieve state-of-the-art performance in extracting critical cancer information from thousands of electronic pathology reports. This research is helping pave the way for near real-time, population-level health surveillance and cancer prevention. Now, Dr. Metzner is taking his expertise to Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading provider of news and information-based tools to professionals, where he continues to make an impact. 👏 🌟 . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Graduate School Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Are you an incoming student looking for an advisor? Check out what Dr. Cheekatamarla is working on and how you can get involved! 🔎Research Projects: Our research focuses on enhancing the energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and lowering costs of building-scale appliances and equipment (e.g. dryers, freezers, etc.). Additional focus is on hydrogen powered industrial heating equipment along with high temperature electrolyzer development. We also work with developing sensors for detecting various pollutants in building environment. 🔬Desired Skills: Chemical or Mechanical Engineering background with a strong interest in experimental work, data analysis, and simulation. Modify commercial equipment and perform energy consumption studies. Willingness to contribute to publication-related activities. . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville Oak Ridge National Laboratory

This past week, we welcomed recruits from across the country to explore the interdisciplinary research opportunities at the Bredesen Center. 🌎✨ From networking with world-class faculty and ORNL scientists to discovering groundbreaking projects, recruits learned how they can get involved in shaping the future of scientific research. . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Congratulations to Bredesen Center Graduate Dr. Sara Sultan, Ph.D., for her induction in to the Volunteer 40 Under 40, Class of 2025! Sara earned her doctorate in Energy Science Engineering (ESE) with distinction and was honored as the 2023 Volunteer of Distinction. She received a prestigious fellowship from the US Department of Energy to work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where she led groundbreaking research on integrating thermal energy storage with heat pumps. Currently at the California Energy Commission, she oversees the Building Envelope program. Sultan founded SHEnergy, LLC to empower future leaders, particularly women in STEM. Her contributions extend to creative writing and community leadership, inspiring many through seminars, articles, and workshops on women’s empowerment and STEM career success. As Dr. Sultan reflected on her journey, she shared that after a career transition and the birth of her baby, she initially doubted her worth and didn’t feel deserving of. She had similar doubts when applying for her Ph.D. at the Bredesen Center, questioning her abilities as a scientist. However, by learning to see the value in herself and recognizing the impact of her work, she was able to overcome the imposter syndrome. She hopes that other women will follow suit and encourages everyone to recognize their worth and embrace the accomplishments throughout their careers. . . University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Tennessee System Oak Ridge National Laboratory University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute

Are you ready to gain hands on experience, collaborate with experts, and contribute to groundbreaking scientific solutions? Your journey to making a real-world impact starts here! 🌟 . . University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Graduate School Oak Ridge National Laboratory