The Brain Autonomy and Resiliency (BAR) Lab is proud to highlight the achievement of our lab member Seth Hatchett, who earned an Honorable Mention in the UT Solar Innovators Challenge as part of the West Tennessee Solar Farm Pitch Competition, sponsored by the University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF).
The competition brought together innovative student teams from the University of Tennessee at Martin to develop comprehensive business plans integrating the West Tennessee Solar Farm, its educational exhibit, and interstate-facing signage. The goal: to strategically leverage UT’s assets to promote innovation, advanced energy initiatives, educational opportunity, and public engagement through 2030 and beyond.
Participants presented their proposals before a panel of judges that included UT President Randy Boyd and UT Extension Specialist Jeffrey Silvers, manager of the solar farm exhibit. Their involvement underscored the university’s continued commitment to supporting student innovation and forward-looking energy solutions.
The BAR Lab congratulates Seth for his outstanding work and recognition in this competitive, university-wide event. His participation reflects our lab’s ongoing mission to support student-driven innovation at the intersection of technology, autonomy, and resilient energy systems.
The BAR Lab’s proposed business plan, submitted to the UT System Solar Innovation Design Competition, outlines a cost-effective, high-impact initiative designed to strengthen both the operational performance and public engagement value of the West Tennessee Solar Farm. The plan establishes an annual, multidisciplinary competition in which student teams develop practical engineering and innovation solutions—ranging from maintenance and reliability improvements to sustainability and educational enhancements—based on real needs identified by UT System staff. With an annual operating cost under $10,000, the program would boost STEM education, expand statewide visibility, encourage cross-campus and industry collaboration, and support UT’s clean-energy and workforce-development priorities. Over time, the initiative aims to become a signature Tennessee STEM event, featuring winning student designs as permanent exhibits and continuously improving the efficiency, resilience, and public outreach of the state’s largest solar farm.
Congratulations, Seth, and congratulations to all participating UTM students for their exceptional achievements!
