Celebrating Five Years of the VW Innovation Hub
When we opened the Volkswagen Innovation Hub at the UT Research Park, I was just six months into my role as chancellor. Yet even then it was easy to see the possibilities. I was excited to watch our faculty, students, and partners bring new technologies to life.
Recently, we celebrated five years of partnership with Volkswagen—one of our most significant and strategic partners.
We are proud to host Volkswagen’s first university-based innovation hub outside of their own property—a distinction that reflects the depth of trust and shared ambition between our institutions. What started as a bold idea has become a shining example of what’s possible when public institutions and private industry unite around a shared vision.
Together we are engaged in around 30 research projects. We’ve co-authored more than 15 publications and filed multiple patents. And through our joint Volkswagen PhD Fellows Program, we are preparing students for high-impact careers in electric vehicles, sustainability, and connected systems.
UT’s faculty and students are working side by side with Volkswagen scientists to tackle urgent challenges: developing longer-lasting batteries, improving gas mileage, using recycled and plant-based materials, and creating lighter, more efficient vehicles.
With support from Oak Ridge National Laboratory—one of the nation’s top science labs—we’re pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced materials to develop the next generation of safe, resilient, and sustainable vehicle technologies.
We are solving problems that matter—to industry, to consumers, and to Tennesseans.
Innovation thrives in ecosystems—where world-class talent, cutting-edge research, and industry expertise intersect to tackle the big challenges. These shared projects reflect a clear alignment between the university’s research strengths and the needs of its partners.
UT’s partnership with Volkswagen and ORNL exemplifies what it means to be a modern land-grant university. It’s about translating knowledge into action, creating opportunities for students, and solving the problems that matter to the state and the nation. Shared challenges lead to shared progress. And we are proud to be helping build an ecosystem where industry, academia, and government come together to create meaningful change.
This anniversary is far more than a marker on a calendar—it is a milestone in innovation. I am proud of what we have accomplished and even more excited for what’s to come.
