ORAU executives and board members gather after a ceremonial tree planting. In front, from left, are Keri Cagle, senior vice president and ORISE director; Meghan Millwood, president and CEO; Cathy Fore, senior director of university partnerships; and Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., chief growth and partnerships officer. In back, from left, are board members Joseph Heppert, Ph.D.; Samuel Visner; and Lt. Gen. John Regni.
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) commemorated its 80th anniversary with a ceremonial tree planting today on nearly an acre of its main campus near the Pollard Center. In partnership with Trees Knoxville, ORAU planted 15 native canopy trees symbolizing the organization’s legacy, growth and longstanding commitment to collaboration.
The planting includes one tree representing ORAU and 14 trees honoring the organization’s original consortium member institutions founded in 1946. Because the 80th anniversary is traditionally known as the “oak anniversary,” and ORAU was born out of the Manhattan Project with its main campus located in Oak Ridge, the planting includes six oak trees.
“ORAU was founded through the power of partnership and collaboration among leading southern universities,” said Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., ORAU chief growth and partnerships officer. “This tree planting is both a meaningful reflection of our history and an investment in the trees symbolize our roots in Oak Ridge and the collaborative spirit that has defined ORAU since it was established through the Manhattan Project. Today, our partnerships with universities, national laboratories, government agencies and research institutions continue to advance scientific discovery, strengthen the workforce and help drive our nation forward.”
ORAU employees plant 15 trees on the company’s main campus in Oak Ridge in honor of ORAU’s 80th anniversary.
The trees and the institutions they represent include:
|
Institution |
Tree |
|
Auburn University |
Post Oak |
|
Catholic University of America |
Scarlet Oak |
|
Duke University |
Eastern Red Cedar |
|
Emory University |
White Oak |
|
Georgia Institute of Technology |
White Oak |
|
Louisiana State University |
Southern Magnolia |
|
ORAU |
Sycamore |
|
Tulane University |
Nuttall Oak |
|
University of Alabama |
Southern Magnolia |
|
University of Kentucky |
Bur Oak |
|
University of North Carolina |
Tulip Poplar |
|
University of Tennessee |
Tulip Poplar |
|
University of Texas at Austin |
Pecan |
|
University of Virginia |
Ginkgo |
|
Vanderbilt University |
Japanese Zelkova |
Founded in 1946, ORAU began as a consortium of 14 universities working together to advance scientific research and education in support of national priorities – the origin of the organization’s name. Today, ORAU’s consortium includes more than 170 major Ph.D.-granting and research institutions.
Trees Knoxville is a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to preserving and expanding the urban tree canopy in our community. Through partnerships, education, volunteer plantings and tree giveaways, the organization protects and advocates for a healthy, diverse community forest.
Trees Knoxville plants approximately 1000 large public trees annually at parks, greenways, schools and other community spaces, and distributes hundreds of additional trees each year to local residents through tree adoption events. At planting events, volunteers learn proper tree planting and care techniques while helping plant and mulch trees under guidance of Trees Knoxville staff. Learn more at treesknoxville.org.