Rural Reimagined Student Success Story

Rural Reimagined recognizes and congratulates students from the College of Interdisciplinary Studies on presenting their rural-related projects at Tennessee Tech’s 2022 Research and Creative Inquiry Day.  These students researched ways to directly transform rural living through their projects, which included topics such as  planning educational woodland workshops, developing forest health curricula, researching needs for further STEM education, and providing the Bridgestone Nature Reserve at Chestnut Mountain with geographic information systems, wind power initiatives, solar power generation systems, and solar energy. In total, 23 undergraduate students participated as co-authors or collaborators on these projects, and Rural Reimagined is proud of their hard work towards transforming rural. 

Within the School of Environmental Studies, four student teams presented rural-related projects at Research and Creative Inquiry Day. Macklin Allan, a student in Environment and Sustainability Studies, along with co-authors Christopher Ingham and Devin Hudgins, were advised by Dr. Steven Sharp on their research “GIS Applications for Bridgestone Nature Reserve.” Through this research, Allan and co-authors examined the most cost-effective method for ensuring energy generation using the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platform, which would benefit the Nature Conservancy’s Bridgestone Reserve’s solar energy efforts and outreach projects for nearby landowners. Isabella Kinsey and co-authors Grace Cooke, Evan Langley, and Spencer Brantley were also advised by Dr. Sharp on their research examining the feasibility of wind power for the reserve, in which they sought to use wind power as a renewable source of energy for lowering carbon footprints. 

Another project within the School of Environmental Studies was titled “Learning the Land: Private Woodland Workshop,” with primary author Charleston Pritchett, and other undergraduate co-authors including Tim Cooper, Megan Flynn, Kati Lowe, Andrew Williamson, and Dr. Tammy Boles. These students, advised by Dr. Tammy Boles, created an annual workshop for those in the Upper Cumberland region to learn more about forest health, plant species identification, financial management of woodlands, and landowner resources for cost-sharing. Also under the advisement of Dr. Tammy Boles, Hayley Reed and co-authors Hannah Ruth Brown, Chloe Green, Jonah Lawson, Savannah Smith, and Mallory Williams created curricula for helping female private woodland owners in the Upper Cumberland learn about their land, with topics such as carbon sequestration, soil health, native and invasive plant species, plant species identification and foraging, and grant funding. Rachel Reed and co-authors Samantha Snyder, Luke Fraley, and Ashley Daniel were advised by Dr. Steven Sharp on their project, which explored solar power generation systems as a potential renewable energy source for the Bridgestone Nature Reserve facility. 

Brandon Pierce, from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, presented his project “The Need for STEM Workshops and Clubs in Carter County Tennessee,” advised by Dr. Ann Manginelli. In his project, Pierce sought to identify problems and solutions for STEM education activities in Carter County, in addition to developing an online STEM activity curriculum with tutorial videos for at-home and after-school program activities, as well as creating connections between Carter County and outside entities to expand STEM educational opportunities. Additionally, Pierce won the 2022 Eagle Works Award for presenting his non-profit company “Future Innovators,” which stemmed from his presented research and passion for providing STEM education to rural areas. 

Rural Reimagined is proud to recognize these students from the College of Interdisciplinary Studies for targeting their research to help our surrounding rural areas. Wings up!