News
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Institute of American Civics’ William Lyons Receives Leadership Tennessee Civic Understanding Pillar Award
Dr. William Lyons, professor emeritus and associate director for community outreach at the University of Tennessee’s Institute of American Civics, has been named an inaugural recipient of Leadership Tennessee’s Civic Understanding Pillar Award. Presented as part of the organization’s inaugural Civic Leadership Awards, the Civic Understanding Pillar Award recognizes individuals and organizations that help Tennesseans better understand the…
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US Senator Bill Hagerty to Keynote the 2026 Southeast Energy Policy Forum at UT
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty will deliver a keynote address at the 2026 Southeast Energy Policy Forum, hosted August 11-12 by the Center for Energy, Transportation and Environmental Policy at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs. The annual forum brings together leaders from government, industry, higher education and the nonprofit sector to…
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The Conversation: Czech nonprofits applied lessons learned during the COVID‑19 pandemic to the Ukrainian refugee crisis – but had little say in key decisions
In this analysis, Bryan explores how nonprofits used existing partnerships, volunteer networks and crisis-response experience to provide critical support, while also highlighting the challenges they faced when they had limited influence in key decision-making processes.
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Institute of American Civics to Launch First Undergraduate Degree Program
Beginning this fall, University of Tennessee, Knoxville students can major in Civic and Constitutional Thought through the Institute of American Civics (IAC) following approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The new Bachelor of Arts degree is the IAC’s first academic degree program and is designed to prepare students for thoughtful leadership by studying American political thought, constitutionalism, political…
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Record 41 UT Students Head to Washington for Summer Policy Internships
June 1, 2026 A record 41 University of Tennessee, Knoxville, students will spend the summer in Washington, D.C., gaining hands-on experience in public policy, government, and public service through internships supported by the Howard H. Baker, Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and the Institute of American Civics (IAC). Students who are accepted…
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Baker School Celebrates Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honoring Excellence in Teaching, Academics, Leadership and Service
The Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs recognized excellence in academics, teaching, leadership and service during its inaugural Baker Awards ceremony on May 14.
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How much is a bat worth? Protecting these tiny insect‑eaters isn’t just good for farms – their deaths cost taxpayers and the wider economy
Most Americans tend to think about bats only around Halloween, but the U.S. economy benefits from these furry flying mammals every day.
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New study explores energy and resource impacts of quantum computing
As quantum computing moves closer to large-scale deployment, new research is examining its future energy, water, and material demands.
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Keels Inspires Next Generation National Security Leaders with support from Battelle
As national and nuclear security challenges intensified in the fall of 2025, the need for a stronger, more prepared workforce came into sharper focus.
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UT’s Julia Dieter Receives Truman Scholarship
A single conversation set Julia Dieter on the path to one of the nation’s most prestigious public service honors.