By David Goddard.
MABE alumnus and Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Emeritus Lee Martin first came to UT in 1974 to pursue his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, eventually earning the highest honor a student can receive by being named a Torchbearer.
Now he has been recognized for the highest honor an alumnus or alumna can receive by being selected to receive the 2022 Nathan W. Dougherty Award.
“I’m overwhelmed by this selection, and very honored and thankful,” said Martin. “There is a lot of amazing work being done by faculty, staff, and students, so to be chosen as a recipient of this award and thus to represent them and all of our alumni is very humbling.”
After graduating, Martin went on to earn his master’s in mechanical engineering from Purdue in 1979 before returning to UT to earn his doctorate in the same field in 1986.
That same year he founded TeleRobotics, combining his knowledge of image processing with robotics. The company eventually became iPix, and Martin left in 1999.
His next venture was the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, run under then governor Don Sundquist. Through it, Martin traveled the state to drum up support for new ideas and innovations with an entrepreneurial touch.
Martin’s ideas have led to several patents, public offerings, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
His success in those areas led him back to UT, where he created the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program and taught students, among other things, how to recognize and seize chances to create their own ventures.
“It has been awesome to see the college grow and expand over the years, from something that impacted the state, then the region, then the nation and the world,” said Martin. “The Tickle College of Engineering’s reach is truly global.”
Martin has stayed busy since his retirement, founding the Pavilion of Pickleball to provide opportunities for people to enjoy that sport. It has proven so successful that there is now a wait list for new members. He also serves on the department’s board of advisors.
Reflecting Dougherty’s success in engineering and education, the award singles out those who have “brought honor and distinction to the college through their achievements or who have made significant contributions to the engineering profession in Tennessee through their professional activities.” It has been given annually since 1957.
Dougherty was a captain of UT’s football and basketball teams as a student–athlete in the early 1900s. He went on to hire Robert Neyland as UT’s football coach and served as dean of the college from 1940 to 1956. He was appointed acting SEC commissioner in 1947 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967.