Research
Grants and Contracts
Over the last 10 years, from 2011 to 2021, the Center has been awarded $6.76 million in grants from a variety of private sponsors, as well as from state and federal agencies.
These grants have supported important policy-relevant interdisciplinary research and initiatives on topics as wide-ranging as educational investments in Appalachian coal communities and solar markets, to maritime piracy and rebel group conflict, to substance use disorder and rural health disparities. In addition, the Center makes a concerted effort to provide students, undergraduate and graduate, opportunities to put their education into practice by working as research assistants on these projects.
Contracts are also frequently awarded to the Center’s faculty and fellows to complete targeted research on areas of specific interest to sponsors. Some, but not all, of the contracts are included below.
If you have any questions about any of these projects, or if you are interested in partnering with the Center’s highly motivated team of experts, please contact the Center at bakercenter@utk.edu.
Energy and Environment Grants and Contracts
UTIA Subcontract USDA-AFRI 2017
Sponsor: USDA – NIFA – National Institute of Food and Agriculture
PI: Paul Armsworth
Award Period: 5/22/17 – open
Ecosystem Services in the Northern Rockies
Sponsor: USDA – Forest Service – Rocky Mountain Research Station (MRS)
PI: Charles Sims
Award Period: 7/28/16 to 6/1/21
Sloan Foundation Energy and Environment Program
Sponsor: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
PI: Charles Sims
Award Period: 1/15/19 to 1/14/21
Hazen, ERC Planning Grant
Sponsor: US – NSF – National Science Foundation
PI: Terry Hazen
Award Period: 5/30/19 – open
Causal Impacts of Coal Employment and Coal Production on Local Funding Support for Elementary and Secondary Education
Sponsor: West Virginia University (WVU)
PI: Matthew Murray
Award Period: 7/1/19 to 9/30/20
Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) – Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation
Sponsor: Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST)
PI: Charles Sims
Award Period: 9/1/19 to 8/31/21
Assistance Designing a Used Vehicle Model for and Developing Methods to Incorporate Loss Aversion into ORNL’s MA3T Model
Sponsor: DOE – ORNL – UT-Battelle – Oak Ridge National Laboratory
PI: David Greene
Award Period: 11/4/19 to 10/31/20
To Conduct an Examination of the Economic Impact of UCOR on The State of Tennessee
Sponsor: DOE – UCOR – URS CH2M Oak Ridge LLC
PI: Matthew N Murray
Award Period: 11/4/19 to 5/11/20
Novel Molecules and Thin Film Materials Containing Radioactive Elements
Sponsor: Department of Energy – Oak Ridge National Laboratory / UT-Battelle
PI: Deborah Penchoff
Award Period: 1/1/20 to 7/31/20
Actinium Complexation (for Cancer Treatment)
Sponsor: Department of Energy – Oak Ridge National Laboratory / UT-Battelle
PI: Deborah Penchoff
Award Period: 11/1/19 to 5/31/20
State Energy Policy Council
Sponsor: State of Tennessee
PI: Matthew Murray
Award Period: 9/16/19 to 6/30/21
Novel Radioactive Materials
Sponsor: Department of Energy – Oak Ridge National Laboratory / UT-Battelle
PI: Deborah Penchoff
Award Period: 9/21/20 to 9/30/23
Enhance Energy and Environment Microeconomic Simulation Models to Better Inform Decision-Making
Sponsor: Resources for the Future, sub-award from Sloan Foundation
PI: Benjamin Leard
Award Period: 7/2/20 to 9/30/21
Calibrate and Assist with Implementation of a Used Vehicle Model for the MA3T Model
Sponsor: DOE – ORNL – UT-Battelle – Oak Ridge National Laboratory
PI: Benjamin Leard and David Greene
Award Period: 4/16/21 to 12/31/22
Global Security and Trade Grants and Contracts
Issues in Civil Wars Dataset
Sponsor: US – NSF – National Science Foundation
PI: Krista Wiegand
Award Period: 8/15/18 to 7/31/20
University Engagement for Nuclear Nonproliferation Courses
Sponsor: DOE – ORNL – UT-Battelle – Oak Ridge National Laboratory
PI: Matthew Buehler
Award Period: 7/16/18 – open
Nuclear Security Research
Sponsor: Department of Energy – Y12 – Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS)
PI: Krista Wiegand
Award Period: 10/1/20 to 9/30/21
Maritime Law Enforcement in the Indo-Pacific: Building Capacity to Confront Militia Groups and Maritime Crime
Sponsor: Department of Defense
PI: Brandon Prins
Award Period: 11/20/20 to 11/19/23
Leadership and Governance Grants and Contracts
Healthy Appalachia Study
Sponsor: Remote Area Medical (RAM) with the Trinity Health Foundation
PI: Katie Cahill
Award Period: 1/1/19 to 7/31/21
Appalachian Leadership Institute
Sponsor: US – ARC – Appalachian Regional Commission
PIs: Timothy Ezzell and Katie Cahill
Award Period: 10/16/18 – open
Tennessee Pulse Survey, Tennessee Economic Recovery Group
Sponsor: State of Tennessee
PIs: Matthew Murray, Katie Cahill, and Linda Daugherty
Award Period: 5/01/20 to 12/30/20
Vols Vote
Sponsor: Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP)
PI: Katie Cahill
Award Period: 9/25/20 to 11/15/20
