The Global Research Office catalyzes UT’s faculty to extend their research across the world. It does so by supporting faculty initiatives to cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships and international research initiatives. These initiatives can be broadly defined, but encompass collaborations that build on expertise across two or more countries, internationally-based or focused topics and research that is undergirded by an international affiliation or memorandum of understanding.
Read more about the impact the Global Research Office had in 2021 when it comes to successful international research grants, faculty and staff travel, and active international agreements by college and world region.
$656,756
Successful international research grants supported by the Global Research Office across 2020–21.
$167,918
Global Catalyst Grant award amount for 2021–22. Joint effort between CGE and the Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development.
Student and Faculty/Staff Travel by Academic Year 2016–22
Beginning the recovery from the pandemic.
Number of Active International Agreements by College 2020–21
Number of Active Agreements by World Region 2020–21
Professor Orou Gaoue and team conduct ecological research in Benin with the support of the Global Research Office
In Their Words: Orou Gaoue
In Benin, human activity is threatening to disturb the mutualistic relationship between African mahogany trees and the weaver ants occupying their leaves.
Orou Gaoue, associate professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, observed this phenomenon while researching in Benin, where he was born and raised.
“Humans’ interference on the dynamics of native species is something that I’ve been interested in for a very long time now, because those species tend to have socioeconomic value for local people,” Gaoue said.
Gaoue channeled these interests into a now-accepted proposal for a National Science Foundation grant,“International Research Experience for Students,” which will fund student ecological research in Benin.
During the proposal process, Gaoue collaborated with the Global Research Office. Part of the office’s role is to support faculty members’ international research development, Director Jamie McGowan says. Read Orou Gaoue’s full story here.