An associate professor at UTC has been awarded a $227,172 contract from the city of Chattanooga to study how urban development is affecting Friar Branch Creek and its surrounding watershed.
Azad Hossain, an environmental geoscientist in the university’s Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science, will lead the project through September 2029. The research will examine how land use changes impact water quality, sediment transport and the physical structure of the creek.
The study focuses on Friar Branch Creek, part of the South Chickamauga Creek watershed, one of Chattanooga’s most urbanized drainage areas. Rapid development in areas such as Hamilton Place and the Brainerd corridor has increased hard surfaces like roads and rooftops, accelerating stormwater runoff.
“When you have more development, you have more runoff,” Hossain says. “The water moves quickly, and with that water comes sediment.”
Researchers will combine decades of satellite imagery with new field data to map land use changes over the past 40 years. That data will feed into advanced watershed and hydrodynamic models to simulate how water and sediment move through the creek under current and future development scenarios.
City officials identified sediment transport and channel widening as key concerns. Excess sediment can carry pollutants, degrade aquatic habitats and alter stream channels over time.
The project will also incorporate total maximum daily load standards to help determine how much pollution the creek can sustain while meeting water quality requirements.
Hossain said the goal is to provide actionable data for city planners and environmental managers.
The collaboration includes city officials, UTC researchers and partners from the University of Mississippi, while also providing hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
Mocs add platform for NIL merchandise
The Chattanooga Mocs have partnered with Influxer to expand name, image and likeness opportunities for more than 300 student-athletes across 17 intercollegiate sports.
The platform allows student-athletes and spirit group members at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to create and sell customized merchandise through personalized online storefronts. Participants can opt into the program, where Influxer manages production, sales and fulfillment.
Each athlete’s store features officially licensed designs approved by the university and shared across teammates within the same sport. Merchandise offerings include hats, shirts, sweatshirts, jerseys and tumblers, with additional products expected throughout the year.
In addition to merchandise sales, Influxer provides educational resources aimed at helping student-athletes navigate the evolving NIL landscape. The company offers free one-on-one coaching on topics such as social media marketing, taxes and contract literacy.
Internship opportunities in areas including marketing, graphic design and business operations are also available on partner campuses.
The Mocs join more than 600 schools nationwide currently licensed with Influxer.
UTC student earns regional botany award
A graduate student at UTC has received a regional honor for research focused on plant conservation and biodiversity in northwest Georgia.
Andy Wall was selected for the 2026 North Carolina Botanical Garden Award at the recent Association for Southeastern Biologists conference in Mobile, Alabama. The award recognizes an outstanding presentation advancing the understanding of southeastern plant biology and ecosystems.
Wall is the second consecutive UTC environmental science graduate student to earn the distinction, following 2025 recipient Julia Prins.
Working under Professor Joey Shaw, Wall conducted research at Cloudland Canyon State Park, an ecologically diverse area known for its rugged terrain. His study examined vascular plant species and used distribution modeling to better understand two rare species within the park.
Between late 2023 and the end of the 2025 growing season, Wall completed 52 site visits and conducted a comprehensive floristic inventory. His work documented 665 species and subspecific taxa across 361 genera and 122 plant families, combining field observations with existing herbarium records.
The study identified 28 rare species and generated more than 200 county-level records, offering valuable data for park managers tasked with conservation and invasive species control.
In addition to fieldwork, Wall collected hundreds of plant specimens, contributing them to UTC’s herbarium for future research and educational use.
Wall is scheduled to graduate in May.
UTC students win policy presentation prize
Students from UTC earned top honors for the fourth consecutive year at Social Work Day on the Hill, winning a statewide policy presentation competition at the Tennessee State Capitol.
The event, organized by the National Association of Social Workers, brought together students from 11 universities to engage with lawmakers and learn about the legislative process.
UTC seniors Justine Hernandez, Tyler Parrott and Alexia Carroll received the award for a presentation on proposed legislation they said could harm undocumented K-12 students by allowing school systems to deny enrollment or charge tuition.
The trio delivered their presentation in the Tennessee House chambers before state legislators and an audience of more than 300 students and faculty.
UTC’s delegation of 38 students participated in committee meetings and met with lawmakers, including Sen. Bo Watson and Rep. Greg Martin, to discuss policy issues tied to their studies.
Associate Professor Bethany Womack says the experience is especially important as students prepare to enter the profession.
“There are moments when vulnerable populations feel more vulnerable because of policy. That makes it even more important for our students to understand how to use their voices.”
Clinical Associate Professor Harlee Milligan says the event highlights how policy shapes social work practice.
“They were able to see a side of social work that not many social workers go into, but it informs everything we do.”
She adds that students gain confidence and learn how to effectively communicate with policymakers.
Source: UTC