University of Tennessee ecology and evolutionary biology professor Nina Fefferman was recently awarded $18 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to study how infectious diseases can spread to cause an epidemic or pandemic rather than dying out.

The University of Memphis is building a $9.2 million facility to test drones in adverse weather conditions, sponsored by the U.S. Navy. Led by professor Eddie Jacobs, the facility will feature a "wind wall" of computer-controlled fans and a rain-making system, allowing researchers to develop drones that can operate in challenging conditions like wind and rain, improving future drone technology.