Governor’s Chair in Circular Biomaterials at InsideHigherEd

Governor’s Chair in Circular Biomaterials

Location:
Knoxville, TN / Oak Ridge, TN
Open Date:
Jul 9, 2025
Description:
The University of Tennessee (UT) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are seeking a highly accomplished researcher, thought leader, and educator to join the biology, renewable feedstocks, and materials programs as a Governor’s Chair Professor in Circular Biomaterials. The primary employer may be selected as either UTK or ORNL, with a joint appointment at the other institution. 

Established in 2006 and funded by the State of Tennessee and ORNL, the prestigious Governor’s Chair program, managed by the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII), attracts science and technology leaders to broaden and enhance the research partnership between the UT System and ORNL (the nation’s largest multiprogram science laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle LLC for the US Department of Energy).

The rapid expansion of biomaterials within the Bioeconomy presents both exciting opportunities and significant challenges, including production methods, sustainable end-of-life considerations, and predicting material properties. Understanding the behavior of multiphase systems in biocomposite materials is crucial, influenced by the properties of pure components and interface characteristics. Controlling these properties can unlock new potential for biomaterials, fostering advancements for a sustainable bioeconomy and innovative solutions across industries.

The envisioned candidate would balance a focus on discovery for greater insight with actual impact for greater performance enhancements (e.g., strength, durability, etc.) while introducing new strategies for end-of-life repurposing. Production can involve synthetic biology or catalytic upgrading, forming intermediates that are purified and converted into final materials. The successful candidate might explore advanced manufacturing, 3-D printing, recyclability, biodegradation, and upcycling as critical research areas. Other areas of exploration could include renewable carbon materials starting from lignin, carbohydrates, or fiber from renewable feedstocks, processed through biological, thermochemical, separation, or mechanical routes. The output from these processes can be a subset of a range of value-added products such as fibers, biopolymers, composites, chemicals, nanocellulose, carbon fiber, phenolic resins, chelators, or modified sugars.

Strategic Priorities Alignment

This proposed topic aligns with several priorities at both UT and ORNL. The recently established UT-ORII Convergent Research Initiative (CRI) on Circular Bioeconomy Systems (CBS) includes a significant research component targeting novel composite materials from agricultural and forest biomass to further applications in low-carbon automotive and packaging products. This person will be working with the CBS-CRI leadership in establishing relationships and programs. Also, the program would fill an existing gap in biomaterials research that is important as the Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) evolves to consider low carbon materials in its next work plan. In filling this critical gap, the candidate would also integrate with existing Governor’s Chairs engaged in the bioeconomy and CBI and create strong opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations with neutron sciences, nanomaterials characterization, high-performance computing and data science initiatives, while also positioning the program to lead national and international partnerships. 

Governor’s Chair Task Areas Strategic

Leadership: Collaborate with faculty and program leadership at UT (including UT Institute of Agriculture) and ORNL to further develop the Circular Biomaterials program strategy and execute critically important activities such as staffing, student recruitment, and stakeholder relationship management.

Academic Quality: Pursue leading research and support ongoing efforts to create an environment of simultaneous excellence in research, innovation, education, and workforce development.

Collaborations: Expand collaborations among UT, ORNL, and other regional, national, and international partners. Funding: Leverage all relevant assets at UT and ORNL to lead the management of stakeholder relationships and capture significant extramural funds for a solid and sustained portfolio of well-funded activities in R&D and education.

Community Relations: UT and ORNL are recognized for their excellence in community relations, thereby amplifying their impact on the state's socio-economic ecosystem. The Governor’s Chair is expected to engage with these activities and amplify this impact with a specific focus on Circular Biomaterials.

Qualifications:
REQUIRED: 

Candidates for the Governor's Chair in Circular Biomaterials will hold a PhD. Since this position crosses multiple fields, the degree may include engineering, biology, agriculture, or materials science, or a closely related field. 

Tenured professor or a senior researcher at a research institution.

Research activities will be in one or more of the following areas: materials science, biopolymers, bioprocessing, synthetic biology for these materials, fiber, chemical or agricultural engineering, manufacturing, recycling, polymer upcycling and reuse, biodegradation, or industrial and agricultural economics. 

Successful record in building productive R&D teams, capturing extramural funding, and are widely recognized as thought leaders in their area of specialization. 

Vision for advancing circular biomaterials foundations, demonstrating the value of this technology, and educating the next generation of experts in these areas.

This position requires the ability to be granted a site-access badge for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.   
Application Instructions:
Application materials must be submitted to Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/170098. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Required Application Materials include:   

• Cover Letter: The applicants should describe how they embody the goals of the Governor’s Chair program and their expertise in the area of circular biomaterials.  

• Curriculum Vitae: Including research and teaching/mentoring experience, a list of publications, and grants.   

• Research Statement: The applicant should articulate a plan for transitioning their research program to UT and ORNL.     

• Teaching & Mentoring Statement: The applicant should discuss prior teaching and/or mentoring experience, and how they can enhance the educational mission of the relevant academic departments at UT.  

For further information or guidance on how to apply, please email [email protected] or [email protected]. 

Proposed Timeline:

Remote initial discussions with candidates are expected to take place from July 2025 to December 2025. We expect site visits by finalist candidates to be conducted from December to February 2026.

Resources and Facilities 

The University of Tennessee 

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. UTK is a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates, a premier graduate institution with multiple nationally and internationally ranked programs, and the home of national and international leadership in numerous fields. UT Knoxville, which includes the UT Space Institute and the UT Institute of Agriculture, serves the state by educating its citizens, enhancing its culture, and making a difference in people’s lives through research and service. We embody excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, outreach, and engagement.

A core component of UT's mission is embodied by the UT Institute of Agriculture (UTIA), which seeks to fulfill the land grant mission by addressing pressing societal issues through research, teaching, and Extension efforts. As Tennessee's 1862 land-grant institution, UT integrates basic and applied sciences to enhance urban and rural quality of life, improve environmental and animal well-being, and support sustainable agriculture-centered business models. UT AgResearch pioneers advancements in precision agriculture through data extraction innovations from sensor technologies; fosters cleaner environments with strategies for maintaining biodiverse ecosystems to mitigate disease risks; introduces enhanced crops and livestock catering to global food, fuels, and fibers demands; protects Tennesseans' health with safe food technologies; support sustainable transportation fuels by introducing innovative products with novel properties into new markets, adding value to our agricultural and natural resources.

The institute boasts cutting-edge facilities, including the Agriculture and Natural Resources Building—a five-story structure featuring a living green roof that links research spaces—alongside ten AgResearch Centers that represent Tennessee's diverse agricultural landscapes. These centers span over 39,000 acres statewide where more than 1,000 field trials are annually conducted by nearly 900 faculty members. A recent $50 million investment is propelling significant advancements in precision agriculture capabilities within these centers, reinforcing UTIA's leadership in innovative agricultural production technologies.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

ORNL is a premier research institution leading the Department of Energy's most diverse science and energy portfolio. The Biological and Environmental Systems Science Directorate (BESSD) leads convergence research in biology, ecology, engineering, data discovery, physical sciences, and computing. One goal is to strengthen the U.S. bioeconomy. The Biosciences Division (BSD) focuses on advancing science and technology to better understand complex biological systems with expertise and unique facilities in genomics, synthetic biology, computational biology, microbiology, microbial ecology, biophysics and structural biology, and plant sciences. This collective expertise includes collaborations within and outside ORNL and addresses scientific challenges in biology for the Department of Energy (DOE) missions in energy and the environment. This position will also have access to collaborate across ORNL. Particulars relevant are the capabilities in the Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) in breakthrough research in materials science, chemistry, and physics which leverage ORNL's world-class facilities in quantum characterization, materials synthesis, and neutron scattering. The Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) has key facilities for advanced manufacturing the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and the Carbon Fiber Technology Facility.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to [email protected], or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to [email protected], or by phone at 865-974-0717.