Vishal Kennedy Awarded CETEP’s Tom Gilbert Graduate Award
University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) PhD student Vishal Kennedy has been selected to receive the Tom Gilbert Graduate Award from the Center for Energy, Transportation and Environmental Policy (CETEP) at the Baker School to support his project, Assessing the Representation of US Ecosystems in Protected Areas: Identifying Over- and Under-Represented Vegetation Groups.
Established in 2024, the Tom Gilbert Award is given to a talented, full-time graduate student conducting cutting-edge research on environmental policy, natural resource management or the intersection between economic development and the environment. The award was established through the generosity of UT alumnus Vernon (Tom) Gilbert, a lifelong champion of conservation and education programs for natural resources.
“We had very strong applicants for the award this year, and Vishal’s work stood out because of its policy relevance, connection to stakeholders and alignment with Tom Gilbert’s conservation interests,” said CETEP Acting Director and Associate Professor Dale Manning. “Vishal’s work is a great example of how science can inform and improve conservation policies and their ability to meet objectives.”
Kennedy is pursuing a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology in Dr. Paul Armsworth’s lab. He will explore conservation management and planning with a strong focus on policy, spatial modeling and temporal analysis. By leveraging ecological data and niche modeling, his work aims to generate actionable insights that guide real-world conservation decisions. His project aligns with the values that defined Gilbert’s work. By identifying which ecosystems are systematically underrepresented in the protected areas network and offering a framework for prioritizing future protection, the project seeks to extend Gilbert’s legacy by bridging analytical depth with an actionable conservation strategy.
“This award comes at a pivotal moment in my doctoral research and will support my efforts to develop policy-relevant insights that inform conservation planning and decision-making,” Kennedy said. “I am especially thankful to my advisor, Dr. Paul Armsworth, and to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Baker School for their continued support. It is a privilege to be associated with an award that reflects Tom Gilbert’s legacy of applied conservation, and I look forward to advancing this work to help guide future conservation priorities.”
Kennedy is a National Wildlife EcoLeader Fellow and contributes to the management and gamification of the EcoLeader platform using data-driven insights. He is the recipient of the A.J. and Evelyn Sharp Award and the Breedlove Dennis Award. He earned Bachelor’s and Master of Science degrees from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research. In addition to his research, Kennedy is actively involved in environmental leadership on campus and plans to pursue a career at the intersection of conservation science and environmental policy.
Gilbert’s legacy includes biosphere reserves to preserve diverse and unique ecosystems. He also founded the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere (SAMAB) Cooperative, which supports integrated environmental research, education and training to foster ecological and community resilience across the Southern Appalachians.
About the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs
The Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, prepares skilled public problem solvers, grounded in the legacy of Howard H. Baker, Jr., and prepared to take leadership roles in their communities. The first and only institution of its kind in Tennessee, the Baker School offers academic programs, research opportunities, and outreach initiatives that foster thoughtful dialogue and informed decision-making at the local, national, and global levels. For more information, visit baker.utk.edu.