New Denbo Fellows to Continue Dynamic Interdisciplinary Research
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New Denbo Fellows to Continue Dynamic Interdisciplinary Research
March 20, 2026
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Fellowship Residencies bring new interdisciplinary opportunities to Denbo Center for Humanities and the Arts.
At UT Knoxville, arts and humanities research is thriving! The Denbo Center for Humanities and the Arts (DCHA) has reported another groundbreaking year, with new staff hires, new program planning, and new cross-disciplinary collaborations.
The DCHA’s Fellowship Residencies in particular support trailblazing research and creative activity at the University of Tennessee. The fellowship program is open to UT faculty and graduate students working on research projects involving humanistic research topics and methods. A nationally recognized program, it features external review of all applications much like an external grant competition.
Offering a full year of research time to complete books and dissertations, the fellowship builds an annual cohort of 10 faculty and students who present their work, participate in writing groups, and interface with visiting speakers. Fellows are given their own DCHA offices and travel allowances to support their work.
Associate Director Katie Burnett introduced the latest fellows and their projects during the Center’s 2026 spring celebration.
“Across the board, the external reviewers called these projects ‘imaginative,’ ‘elegant and provocative,’ ‘dynamic,’ and ‘innovative,’” remarked Burnett.
Denbo Center Director Amy Elias, Chancellor’s Professor and Distinguished Professor of English, expressed gratitude to the DCHA’s supporters and joy in being in community with such inspiring scholars.
“UT arts and humanities scholars are recognized throughout the world for their commitment to research excellence,” Elias noted. “Our faculty edit top journals in their fields, publish books with internationally acclaimed presses, and see their work cited in outlets from Teen Vogue to the New York Times.”
2026-2027 Faculty Fellows:
- Amanda Evans, Assistant Professor, School of Art
- R.D. Perry, Associate Professor, Department of English
- Rachel Schneider, Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies
- Emma Schroeder, Assistant Professor, Department of History
- Moussa Seck, Assistant Professor, Department of World Languages and Cultures
- Marie Balsley Taylor, Assistant Professor, Department of English
2026-2027 Graduate Fellows:
- Annamaria Haden, Department of History
- Morgan Schneider, Department of World Languages and Cultures
- Dave Strickler, Department of History
- Maggie Warren, Department of English
Other Current Denbo Center Activities
What does it mean to live an authentic life in a time of radical change? In fall of 2026, the Denbo Center will launch a new “theme” to fund arts and humanities programming that addresses this question.
Throughout 2026–2029, the center will feature the theme “Authenticity.” Each year will emphasize a different aspect of the theme, with the first year focused on “Authenticity: Identity and Place.” The theme will be built into existing programing, such as the regular Distinguished Lecture Series and faculty research seminars, but it will also structure new programming for each year, such as an annual summer conference and new collaborations across the state of Tennessee.
Stay tuned for more news of events and opportunities moving forward!