Tennessee Tech University
Cookeville, Tennessee, US
Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee Tech) is a public university in Cookeville, focused on providing strong programs in engineering, business, education, and the sciences. As a STEM-focused institution serving rural Tennessee, Tennessee Tech combines rigorous academics with practical learning experiences that prepare graduates for leadership roles in the state's evolving technological and industrial landscape.
Tennessee Technological University has developed significant research capabilities through its Center for Manufacturing Research and Center for Energy Systems Research, which conduct applied studies addressing specific challenges faced by Tennessee's manufacturing and energy sectors. The university's College of Engineering maintains specialized facilities for advanced manufacturing, materials testing, and energy systems that support both fundamental research and industry partnerships addressing technical challenges while creating opportunities for technology transfer.
Tennessee Tech's College of Business has established distinctive programs in rural entrepreneurship and information technology that support economic development throughout the Upper Cumberland region. The university's commitment to regional development is reflected in initiatives like the iCube innovation center, which connects academic resources with industry and community needs through collaborative projects that address specific challenges while creating opportunities for students to apply disciplinary knowledge in authentic contexts that enhance both their professional preparation and the region's innovation capacity.Top industry applications
Halo’s AI pipeline combines publication data and faculty input to determine the industry applications with greatest concentration of publishing faculty. It then surfaces those with the strongest industry collaboration evidence.
Digital & computing technologies
Cybersecurity & data protection
Tennessee Tech researchers advance AI-driven cybersecurity and data-protection solutions for critical infrastructure, using federated learning and zero-trust architectures to secure electric-vehicle charging networks, IoT ecosystems, and financial systems without centralizing sensitive data. Their applied work spans automated smart-contract vulnerability scanning, real-time intrusion detection for industrial control and 5G systems, and RF fingerprinting to authenticate connected hardware—meeting urgent industry demand in automotive, energy, and cloud-security markets. By deploying machine learning to counter adversarial attacks on autonomous vehicles, blockchain consensus, and edge devices, the team delivers commercially ready defenses against ransomware, counterfeit electronics, and stealthy cyber threats.Relevant Innovators
WE
William Eberle
Principal Investigator
Cybersecurity & data protectionSmart grid technology
Cybersecurity & data protectionSmart grid technologyAH
Amr Hilal
Principal Investigator
Cybersecurity & data protection
Cybersecurity & data protectionMaanak Gupta
Unclaimed
Cybersecurity & data protectionFossil fuel optimizationNatural resource extraction
Cybersecurity & data protectionFossil fuel optimizationNatural resource extractionTransportation & mobility
Electric vehicle technology
Tennessee Tech researchers are closing critical commercialization gaps in EV technology by advancing dynamic wireless charging, high-efficiency power converters, and AI-driven battery management that extend range and battery life. Their work on second-life battery integration, vehicle-to-grid coordination, and charging-station cybersecurity directly addresses infrastructure costs, grid stability, and network vulnerability for fleet operators and utilities. Coupled with eco-driving platooning and smart routing algorithms, these innovations offer scalable, near-term solutions to reduce range anxiety and accelerate mass EV adoption.Energy & natural resources
Energy storage systems
Tennessee Tech engineers are developing advanced battery chemistries—including sodium-ion, zinc-air, and solid-state electrolytes—to boost energy density and safety for electric vehicles and grid-scale storage. Their work on second-life battery systems repurposes retired EV packs into cost-effective stationary and mobile charging stations, turning waste into infrastructure while supporting the circular economy. Integrated machine learning and intelligent control strategies further optimize battery health forecasting, charging coordination, and thermal management across distributed energy networks.Relevant Innovators
AA
Ali Arzani
Principal Investigator
Energy storage systemsSmart grid technology
Energy storage systemsSmart grid technologyMohamed Mahmoud
Unclaimed
Energy storage systemsSmart grid technology
Energy storage systemsSmart grid technologyDavid Schäfer
Unclaimed
Energy storage systemsSustainable aviation technology
Energy storage systemsSustainable aviation technologyEnergy & natural resources
Smart grid technology
Tennessee Tech engineers AI-powered cybersecurity tools that detect electricity theft and false data attacks in real time, hardening smart grid infrastructure against escalating cyber threats. They also advance intelligent demand response, EV charging coordination, and battery storage scheduling to balance distributed renewables and shave peak loads. These innovations deliver deployable, market-ready solutions for utilities and energy technology providers seeking a more resilient and efficient grid.Relevant Innovators
Vineeth Vijayan
Unclaimed
Smart grid technology
Smart grid technologySatish M. Mahajan
Unclaimed
Electric vehicle technologyEnergy storage systemsSmart grid technology
Electric vehicle technologyEnergy storage systemsSmart grid technologyGhadir Radman
Unclaimed
Electric vehicle technologyRenewable energy generationSmart grid technology
Electric vehicle technologyRenewable energy generationSmart grid technologyDigital & computing technologies
Network & communication technologies
Tennessee Tech researchers are advancing next-generation wireless and supercomputing networks—from terahertz beamforming and open radio access to GPU-accelerated distributed computing—to unlock faster, more efficient connectivity for 6G, cloud, and AI workloads. They are also hardening IoT, vehicular, and drone networks with physical-layer security, intrusion detection, and resilient data protocols, delivering practical solutions for autonomous systems, smart infrastructure, and edge-computing markets.Relevant Innovators
AS
Anthony Skjellum
Principal Investigator
Network & communication technologies
Network & communication technologiesSS
Susmit Shannigrahi
Principal Investigator
Network & communication technologies
Network & communication technologiesAllen B. Mac Kenzie
Unclaimed
Network & communication technologies
Network & communication technologiesEnergy & natural resources
Nuclear energy applications
Tennessee Tech researchers develop selective chemical extractants to separate minor actinides from spent nuclear fuel, advancing closed fuel cycles that reduce long-term waste and support commercial reprocessing. Their applied work includes thermal-hydraulic modeling for small modular and research reactors, radiation detection systems for real-time isotope monitoring, and large-scale americium processing to secure critical industrial isotopes. Complementary advances in high-level waste vitrification and additive manufacturing of refractory alloys address disposal and materials challenges for next-generation nuclear power.Relevant Innovators
JC
Jesse Carrick
Principal Investigator
Nuclear energy applicationsNuclear energy applicationsPharmaceuticals and drug deliveryPharmaceuticals and drug delivery
Nuclear energy applicationsNuclear energy applicationsPharmaceuticals and drug deliveryPharmaceuticals and drug deliverySU
Shoaib Usman
Principal Investigator
Nuclear energy applications
Nuclear energy applicationsMR
Mustafa Rajabali
Principal Investigator
Nuclear energy applications
Nuclear energy applicationsIndustrial materials
Metallurgical processing
Tennessee Tech researchers are advancing wire-arc and electroslag additive manufacturing to build large, near-net-shape industrial components from refractory and dissimilar alloys. They combine AI-driven monitoring, digital twins, and advanced heat treatments to control defects, residual stress, and mechanical integrity. The work targets commercial markets for rapid repair, multi-material fabrication, and high-throughput metallurgical production.Industrial materials
Construction materials
Tennessee Tech engineers are formulating low-carbon cement and concrete using locally sourced calcined clays, natural zeolites, and waste-derived fillers like eggshell and rice husk to cut embodied carbon while improving durability and shrinkage performance. The team is also converting waste plastics and textiles into pyrolysis oils that rejuvenate reclaimed asphalt binders, delivering recycled pavement materials with strong moisture resistance and rutting performance. Complementing these material advances, they are developing 3D-printable cement-hydrogel pastes and digital manufacturing methods to accelerate construction speed and enable complex infrastructure geometries.Last updated by Halo AI Feb 6, 2026. Please verify key information.
OpenAlex
OpenAlexFor general inquiries
MA
Michael Aikens
Director of Center for Rural Innovation, Tennessee Tech University
Have a specific need?
Post a free request to Tennessee Tech University faculty.
Post a free request to Tennessee Tech University faculty.
Top industry applications
Cybersecurity & data protectionElectric vehicle technologyEnergy storage systemsSmart grid technologyNetwork & communication technologiesNuclear energy applicationsMetallurgical processingConstruction materials
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