KNOXVILLE – Kevin Tomsovic has been appointed the first CTI Molecular Imaging Chair and professor and head of the newly established Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Engineering (COE).
The CTI Molecular Imaging Chair was established in 2006 with a gift of $1 million to the university from the founders of CTI Molecular Engineering, all of whom are COE alumni.
Ronald Nutt, Michael Crabtree, Kelly Milam and Terry Douglass made the gift announcement at the 2006 COE Honors Banquet. Nutt also made a $1 million gift to the department at the 2005 COE Honors Banquet.
CTI Molecular Imaging, which was founded by the four men in the early 1980s, is a leader in the research and development of positron emission tomography (PET) medical equipment. The founders became acquainted during their years as students at UT, and also through working together at EG&G Ortec, an Oak Ridge technology company.
The CTI Molecular Imaging Chair will provide the college an opportunity to focus on emerging technologies in vital areas such as health care and homeland security.
The college’s department of electrical and computer engineering was merged with the College of Arts and Sciences’ department of computer science in July 2007. As head of the merged entity, Tomsovic will lead one of the largest departments in the COE.
Tomsovic, the former program director of electrical and communications systems for the National Science Foundation and professor at Washington State University, received his doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Washington.
He served as the Kyushu Electric Endowed Chair for Advanced Technology for Electrical Energy at Kumamoto University in Japan from 1999 to 2000 and was also a visiting professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.
“We all recognize that electrical engineering and computer science are very important in our country’s efforts to maintain our technological leadership,” said Nutt. “We are pleased to have Dr. Tomsovic leading our efforts at the University of Tennessee and look forward to continuing growth as we set our goals to be one of the best departments among the public schools in the country.”
—
Contacts:
Kim Cowart (865-974-0686, kcowart@utk.edu)