Plowman Discusses Research and Expanding Opportunity on Innovators Podcast
Chancellor Donde Plowman recently joined the Innovators podcast with host Richard Skinner to discuss the success UT Knoxville has achieved during her tenure and how public research universities can navigate challenges in the higher education landscape.
Innovators is produced by Harris Search Associates, a leading higher education executive search firm. Skinner serves as a senior consultant for the organization. Launched in 2018, the podcast features timely conversations with global thought leaders in higher education, research, engineering, technology, and the health sciences. Plowman is the first guest to be invited to return for a second appearance.
During the conversation, Plowman recounted the early days of her tenure and reflected on how the university has evolved since she came on as chancellor in 2019. With added emphasis on UT’s land-grant mission, she noted how the university is stepping forward as an innovator, aligning its research and academic expertise with the priorities of the state, such as nuclear energy.
“We are trying to seize the moment and use the strengths that we have to leverage what’s next for us,” Plowman said.
As part of that effort, the university is recruiting additional preeminent faculty members to work at UT, specifically those who have expertise in fields vital to Tennessee’s needs. Plowman explained how faculty and leadership across the university are excited about the initiative and working collaboratively to maximize resources.
When asked why she thinks UT is experiencing such strong momentum, Plowman said the university has earned the trust of key stakeholders in recent years by focusing on solving problems that matter to the region.
“I think the more we try to fix some of those problems—talk about jobs, talk about the workforce, talk about research that matters to your state—and guess what? The state will listen,” she said. “We have their trust right now. It’s a precious commodity, and we have to protect it.”
You can listen to the full interview at HarrisSearch.com and on leading podcast platforms.