University of Tennessee
Materials Science & Engineering Department


MSE @ EURēCA Awards Reception
Knoxville, TN, April 27, 2026


The Materials Science & Engineering Department was well represented at the 2026 Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA), an annual poster event and competition at the University of Tennessee. There were 18 posters including faculty and students from MSE.

Four posters from the Materials Science & Engineering Department were recognized with awards.


Brennan Cawley, a freshman in MSE, received Honorable Mention for his poster, 'Investigating Scintillation Properties of Doped and Undoped Polycrystalline Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Materials'. Brennan is co-advised by Prof. Chuck Melcher and Prof. Mariya Zhuravleva in the Scintillation Materials Research Center.


Jocelyn Hess, a senior in MSE, received a Bronze Award for Excellent Poster Presentation for her poster, 'Viability and Impacts of Additives in Automotive Pulp Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composites'. Ronan Tollefsen, a junior in MSE, received Honorable Mention for his poster, 'Introduction of Additives into Lignin-based Electrospun Fabrics'. Jocelyn and Ronan are co-advised by Prof. Harper and Prof. Keffer.


The MSE senior design team, composed of Jacob Phillips, Jon McColl, Megan Gillespie and Marlena Alexander received a Silver Award for Distinguished Poster Presentation for their poster, 'Effects of Site Substitution and Size Disorder on La-Containing Pyrochlores'. This team was mentored by Prof. Claudia, Rawn, Prof. Kate Page & Prof. Philip Rack.

Congratulations to all the undergraduate researchers who showcased their work at EURēCA. The opportunity for undergraduates to participate in the research process is the calling card of the UTK MSE department. You all have shown the great accomplishments that can be achieved. To all the faculty, post-docs and graduate students who took the time to mentor these young researchers, you have our gratitude.


More photos on the Keffer research group site.