By Randall Brown.
In the entertainment world, a performer who earns the top awards for television, music, film, and stage is said to have reached EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) status.
Jason Fowlkes might have achieved the MSE equivalent of this accomplishment, having received accolades as a student, a faculty member, and now an outstanding MSE alumnus for 2022.
“Jason was a graduate student when I joined the department as an assistant professor,” said Department Head and Chancellor’s Professor Veerle Keppens. “I was told by many of my new colleagues how amazing he was. After graduation, he had the opportunity to become an ORNL-based joint faculty member in our department and enthusiastically joined us in that role. He started teaching one of our core undergraduate classes, and he quickly became one of our students’ favorite professors.”
Fowlkes completed his undergraduate degree in 1997 and his PhD in 2002. A native of Wytheville, Virginia, he was drawn to UT after visiting and seeing firsthand the quality of metallurgical sciences here. He had the opportunity to study with some legendary faculty of the MSE department.
“I had the likes of Ben Oliver, Charlie Brooks, A. J. Pedraza, David Keffer, and Joe Spruiell as professors,” said Fowlkes. “Everyone was supportive. Faculty pushed me to participate in conferences, poster competitions, and professional talks and seminars early in my graduate career. And trust me, I needed a push!”
Their influence combined with timely opportunities in the nanosciences. By the time Fowlkes was a graduate student, the National Nanotechology Initiative had launched and Pedraza, his graduate advisor, had landed a National Science Foundation grant, in collaboration with the late Doug Lowndes, another MSE professor emeritus, to develop a laboratory around laser processing toward synthesizing nanoscale materials.
“I helped build the laboratory, in addition to the graduate research activities,” said Fowlkes. “It was an incredible opportunity. This funding also opened up opportunities for me to collaborate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Later in my career, I went on to work at an ORNL’s Center for Nanophase Materials for 10-plus years.”
His appreciation of MSE’s supportive research community grew as he shifted from student to faculty colleague.
“Every single MSE team member was supportive, encouraging, and available when I needed support, advice, or assistance regarding teaching,” said Fowlkes. “Teaching a core class in the MSE department at UT was an amazing experience. I loved every second of it.”
His experiences have now carried him to a position at General Graphene in west Knoxville, where he continues to put his Engineering Vol education to work.
“I received a topically broad yet scientifically thorough education in the MSE department,” he said. “This has allowed me to quickly adapt to transitions when I have been exposed to new scientific research directions.”
Fowlkes heartily appreciates the recognition this year as an outstanding alumnus, continuing his connection to the department: “UT MSE is a family environment, and this recognition is just further evidence of the support that you receive—starting from the day that you walk in the door as an undergraduate and into your professional years.”