AGP Executive Report

Mobility Tech in Tennessee: Nashville’s LUCI, which builds tech for power wheelchair riders, is partnering with National Seating & Mobility as a preferred national partner to expand access to collision-avoidance and curb drop-off protection. World Cup Science (Turf + Heat): Michigan State and UT researchers helped engineer consistent World Cup turf across climates, while Spain’s squad is training with Adidas gel cooling vests to manage extreme heat. AI Data Centers, Politics Collide: Lawmakers are trying to curb AI data center growth, but bills stall as Republicans split and tech firms lobby hard. Telehealth GLP-1 Safety: A Hendersonville patient says a telehealth-prescribed semaglutide dose was about nine times typical first-dose levels, leading to hospitalization and lingering side effects. Food Safety: The FDA upgraded an Alfredo sauce recall to the highest risk level after Salmonella contamination concerns. Local Public Safety: Collegedale police arrested an 18-year-old tied to the suspicious death of a missing man, citing forensic analysis and multiple charges. Health Fundraising: Swim Across America returns to Nashville, with proceeds staying at Vanderbilt to support cancer research and treatments.

Health Tech in Tennessee: Nashville-based LUCI, which builds tech for power wheelchair riders, is teaming with National Seating & Mobility as a preferred national partner to expand access to collision-avoidance and visibility features. Local Public Health & Research: At Vanderbilt, researchers discussed a bladder-cancer approach using an engineered, attenuated salmonella therapy designed to boost the immune response without systemic side effects. AI + Community Fight in Nashville: A Nashville Metro Planning Commission hearing drew more than 150 opponents to proposed data centers near the Nashville Zoo, with residents citing power, water, noise, and neighborhood impacts. Sports Tech & Heat Safety: Spain’s World Cup training uses Adidas cooling vests with frozen gel to reduce core and skin temperatures during hot conditions. STEM Education & Workforce: UT Extension announced new food-preservation classes in Tennessee, including canning and freezing sessions tied to safety research. Tennessee Tech & Mobility: Memphis Light, Gas & Water said modernization is changing job classifications and requirements as systems get updated. Public Safety: A missing Middle Tennessee man was found dead in an Alabama river after sonar helped locate him.

Data Center Backlash in Nashville: More than 150 people packed Nashville’s Metro Planning Commission to oppose two proposed data center projects and push zoning limits, turning the meeting into a high-stakes referendum on AI-driven growth. Memphis Utility Modernization: MLGW told employees they must reapply as job classifications shift with new technology, with the company citing updated skills and new supervisory roles. SpaceX IPO and AI Compute: SpaceX’s record IPO sent shares soaring and spotlighted its role in AI infrastructure, including major compute deals tied to its Memphis operations. Weather Watch for Tennessee Region: A cold front may bring scattered strong to severe storms Sunday, with damaging winds over 70 mph and isolated tornadoes the main threats. UT Extension Food Safety: UT Extension announced canning and freezing classes in Hamilton County, plus guidance for entering home preserves at the Tennessee State Fair. Healthcare Tech in Nashville: A Nashville mobility tech firm LUCI is partnering with NSM to expand access to power wheelchair independence features. World Cup Tech and Turf: Rutgers researchers’ grass strain is being used across World Cup venues, selected for durability and consistent play conditions.

Quantum Push in Knoxville: UT Knoxville will build a 100,000-square-foot Knoxville Quantum Accelerator, hiring up to 10 faculty over four years and linking with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TVA, and IonQ to grow secure communications, medical imaging, and quantum computing research. Data Center Backlash in Nashville: Hundreds packed Metro’s Planning Commission to demand stronger Davidson County rules after DC Blox’s Nashville Zoo-area proposal raised alarms about noise, light, waste, and health impacts on kids and residents. AI Policy Fight: Tennessee Rep. Matt Van Epps’ bill would let “critical infrastructure” data center owners carry anti-drone systems, while a coalition of state AGs opened an OpenAI investigation amid federal talks on preempting parts of state AI laws. Public Health Update: The CDC says Chagas disease is now recognized as endemic in the U.S., estimating about 300,000 Americans may have it without knowing—an issue that matters as kissing bugs spread the parasite. School Tech Accountability: A report argues ed-tech shouldn’t be judged only by test scores, noting many tools aim to support accessibility, participation, and teacher differentiation. Local Tech & Mobility: Nashville’s LUCI, which adds independence features for power wheelchair riders, is partnering with National Seating & Mobility to expand clinical training and access.

Quantum Research in Knoxville: UT Knoxville will build the 100,000-square-foot Knoxville Quantum Accelerator (K-Quantum) and hire up to 10 faculty to grow a regional quantum hub tied to partners like Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TVA, and IonQ. School Bus Safety Tech: After an MNPS crash, the NTSB’s push for alcohol-detection systems is reigniting debate over whether Tennessee districts should adopt ignition interlock-style tools. Nashville Data Center Fight: Metro leaders deferred action on rules after more than 100 residents spoke against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo, citing noise, vibration, light, and pollution risks to animals. State Fusion Regulation: Tennessee became the first U.S. state to set a regulatory framework for nuclear fusion machines, creating rules for registering and licensing fusion-related activities. Cyber Defense for Local Governments: Anthropic launched a $15M program offering Claude credits and training to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments close security gaps. Immersive Mobility Tech in Nashville: NSM became LUCI’s preferred national partner to expand access to power wheelchair independence features and training across the U.S. and Canada.

AI & Public Backlash in Tennessee: Nashville Zoo supporters and neighbors packed the fight against a proposed mega AI data center next door, warning about noise, fumes, and light affecting endangered animals; Metro Planning Commission hearings also drew attention to similar opposition at Fisk University. Local Tech for Safety: Williamson County launched a voluntary camera registry, Connect Williamson, to help deputies locate nearby cameras and request footage—without automatic access to live feeds. Mobility Tech in Music City: Nashville-based LUCI, which builds tech for power wheelchair riders, named National Seating & Mobility as a preferred partner to expand complex rehab technology access across 180+ locations. EV Battery Shift: GM signaled it may drop lithium-iron phosphate for future EVs, while keeping Tennessee production focused on LFP for energy storage. Energy Policy Watch: Tennessee’s tech-and-infrastructure ecosystem also faces scrutiny as Memphis and other areas weigh long-running construction and modernization plans.

Space & STEM: UT alum Randy Bresnik was named commander of NASA’s Artemis III, adding to Tennessee’s growing footprint in human spaceflight. Healthcare Tech: Insight Molecular Diagnostics says its GraftAssure kidney transplant rejection assay outperformed other dd-cfDNA approaches in a newly published American Journal of Transplantation study. Weather & Agriculture: NOAA officially declared El Niño has developed, with a 63% chance it strengthens to “very strong,” raising stakes for summer planning across the region. Local Innovation & Jobs: Tennessee Tech graduate Aimee Slagle turned a Frist Art Museum internship into a full-time graphic design role. Business & Mobility Tech: Nashville’s LUCI partnership expands access to power wheelchair independence through NSM’s preferred national network. Public Safety & Forensics: TBI’s Knoxville Crime Lab earned a Project FORESIGHT Maximus Award for top-tier lab performance. Tech in the Marketplace: SlickText launched basic RCS messaging with verified sender profiles to boost trust and engagement. Aerospace M&A: XLCS Partners advised Aero Controls on its acquisition by Air Transport Components, expanding a specialized MRO platform. Community Tech Conflict: Nashville Zoo residents and conservationists are pushing back on a proposed nearby AI data center over animal and environmental concerns. Housing Policy: ThinkTennessee says a new Tennessee law could make the federal LIHTC tool more effective for attainable rental housing. Healthcare Accountability: A $56.5M settlement targets alleged inflated Medicare Advantage diagnoses tied to in-home assessments.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leadership: ORNL named James “Jim” Serafin Jr. director of Facilities and Operations, overseeing infrastructure and modernization across about 185 facilities—an operational boost for the lab’s growing research mission. EV Battery Shift: General Motors signaled it may drop lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) for future EVs in favor of lithium manganese-rich (LMR), while noting Tennessee LFP production is aimed at energy storage. Oncology Deal Watch: GSK’s $10.6B Nuvalent acquisition (codenamed “Nashville”) is set to accelerate its cancer rebuild with two lung-cancer treatments and help offset later patent cliffs. AI in Tennessee Classrooms: Alcoa Intermediate students won a national Presidential AI Competition with a homework-assist app that adapts to learning styles and helps with time management. Data Center Pressure in Tennessee: Memphis records show a $25M purchase of the former Fred’s HQ for a 5C data center expansion, while Nashville Zoo opponents say a proposed nearby data center could strain power and water and disrupt animal habitats. Public Safety & Health: Kansas City hospitals are coordinating for World Cup medical demand, focusing on translation and helping visitors navigate U.S. care costs and options. STEM & Teaching: Pellissippi State instructor Jessie Tipton received the Roger Crowe Excellence in Teaching Award for hands-on, real-world video production training.

Nashville Data Center Fight: Brad Paisley and Sheryl Crow are among hundreds of thousands opposing a proposed data center beside the Nashville Zoo, arguing it would strain power and water, worsen noise/light impacts, and threaten the zoo’s endangered animals. AI in Schools: Metro Nashville is using AI to redesign parts of its district organization chart, aiming to bring order to a sprawling workforce. Public Safety Tech: Tennessee’s backlog of untested sexual assault kits is shrinking after Metro approved a $250,000 recurring federal grant to send 183 kits to a higher-capacity lab. Healthcare Tech in Tennessee: West Tennessee Healthcare is expanding its eICU program across 127 ICU beds and 17 mobile emergency carts, pairing remote monitoring with virtual care tools. Mobility Tech: Nashville-based LUCI’s power-wheelchair independence push gets a boost as National Seating & Mobility becomes its preferred national partner. Space Leadership: NASA named Santa Monica native Randy Bresnik to command Artemis III, a key step toward a crewed return to the moon. EV Battery Watch: GM may shift away from LFP for EVs, though it’s still producing LFP cells in Tennessee for energy storage. Legal/Policy: A lawsuit challenges Tennessee’s cross-border remittance tax as unconstitutional, setting up a long court fight.

Mobility Tech in Tennessee: Nashville’s LUCI, which builds tech for power wheelchair riders, is partnering with National Seating & Mobility to expand access to its independence and safety features, including collision-avoidance and rider visibility tools. Healthcare Tech Under Scrutiny: A Tennessee Board of Nursing order describes how AI medication-monitoring software failed to catch fentanyl diversion at Erlanger Baroness, turning a high-tech safety promise into a cautionary tale. Hospital Pricing Pressure: The Trump administration warned 16 Tennessee hospitals to post clearer price information or face steep fines, pushing more transparency into everyday care costs. Nuclear Watch in Oak Ridge: The DOE’s NNSA has started building ATOLL, a new Oak Ridge National Laboratory nuclear monitoring hub aimed at detecting and analyzing weapons-related activity, with completion targeted for 2028. Energy Storage Shift: General Motors is moving beyond lithium iron phosphate with sodium-ion plans tied to grid-scale storage, signaling a new push for faster, cheaper deployment. STEM & Research: Vanderbilt genetic medicine research highlights high hereditary breast cancer variant rates in young Black women, reinforcing the need for broader testing. Cyber/Forensics: The TBI Knoxville Crime Laboratory earned a top global Maximus Award for performance and efficiency in forensic testing.

Mobility Tech in Tennessee: Nashville’s LUCI is teaming with National Seating & Mobility to expand access to power-wheelchair safety tech, including collision-avoidance features and 360-degree rider visibility. Medical Education Reform: Federal health leaders say nutrition training will move into the core of medical school starting fall 2026, with licensing exams set to test nutrition content. Agritech & Climate: UT researchers won $2.5 million to develop nitrogen-efficient corn using synthetic-biology and microbial approaches to cut fertilizer emissions. Health Tech for Transplants: iMDx will spotlight in-house transplant rejection testing at the American Transplant Congress, aiming for faster, lower-cost monitoring at local labs. Public Safety & Science: A magnitude 2.2 earthquake rattled western Tennessee near the New Madrid Seismic Zone, with no reported damage. AI in Schools: Melania Trump announced winners of a 2026 AI challenge for elementary through high school students, pushing AI-based solutions to community problems. Nuclear Outlook: NRC Chair Ho K. Nieh says advanced small modular reactors could be operating in the U.S. by 2030. Forensics in Knoxville: TBI’s Knoxville Crime Laboratory earned a Project FORESIGHT Maximus Award for top-tier performance and efficiency. Local Education Policy: A Tennessee state takeover of Memphis schools could revive a pattern of closures seen in other districts under similar oversight.

AI & IPO Watch: OpenAI filed confidentially for an initial public offering, setting up a potential mega-debut as AI rivals like SpaceX and Anthropic also line up for Wall Street. Local Tech & Community Impact: The Nashville Zoo is pushing back hard on a proposed 70,000-square-foot AI data center next door, warning about risks to rare animals and rallying a fast-growing petition. Energy & Reliability: TVA’s Cumberland Fossil Plant is set to receive more than $46 million in federal support to extend the life of coal-fired units after a board reversal on retirement plans. Health Tech & Cancer: GSK agreed to buy Nuvalent for $10.6 billion, a major move to expand targeted lung cancer treatments. Tennessee Research Leadership: ORNL named Jim Serafin Jr. director of Facilities and Operations, tasked with supporting the lab’s infrastructure and modernization. Education & Learning: New reporting highlights a “learning recession” in U.S. reading and math tied to smartphones and social media, while teacher prep programs still lag on evidence-based reading instruction. Mobility Innovation: Nashville’s LUCI is partnering with NSM to expand access to power wheelchair tech aimed at improving safety and independence.

Sports Tourism & Urban Planning: New data points to sports events turning into multi-day, family-focused trips, with travelers favoring cities that connect stadiums to walkable entertainment corridors. AI Policy & Liability: A revised federal NO FAKES Act would set a clearer liability and takedown framework for nonconsensual AI voice and face replicas, including a counter-notice process. Workforce Development: Bloomberg Philanthropies’ $90M initiative is bringing a Chattanooga-Hamilton County pre-apprenticeship pipeline for high schoolers into registered skilled trades, targeting local labor shortages. Sustainability in Manufacturing: TDEC’s Green Star Partnership added Clayton Appalachia, citing ISO 14001 and major gains in waste diversion plus water-saving testing methods. Public Health & Education: HHS launched a $2.1M NIH challenge to bring nutrition back into medical and nursing training, with nutrition content slated to expand across licensing exams. Tennessee Research: UT researchers identified a tick protein that may help block disease transmission, advancing work against vector-borne illness. Tech in Healthcare: HST Pathways secured a Novo Holdings growth investment to expand AI-enabled tools for ambulatory surgery centers. Energy & Grid Resilience: Utilities are increasingly adopting more granular forecasting and grid hardening tech to reduce outage risk during severe weather. Local Tech Debate: Nashville Zoo officials are pushing back on a proposed nearby AI data center over animal safety and environmental concerns.

Nashville Tech & Energy: A petition against a proposed data center next to the Nashville Zoo has surged past 288,000 signatures, with residents warning about impacts to animals and the community while the developer says it will address concerns. AI Infrastructure: SpaceX is set to supply Google with about 110,000 Nvidia GPUs for Gemini services under a deal reported at roughly $920 million per month, underscoring how Tennessee-area compute hubs are becoming central to AI growth. Nuclear in Tennessee: White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Oak Ridge nuclear experts as Iran talks enter a critical phase, keeping Tennessee’s nuclear research footprint in the spotlight. Health Genetics: A new study links BRCA1/BRCA2 and other gene variants to aggressive early-onset breast cancer risk in Black women, strengthening the case for genetic testing and earlier screening. STEM Education: Oak Ridge Schools paused plans for a new $35 million elementary school after a nearly 7.5% enrollment dip, while still pushing an Innovation Center for career and technical education. Sports Science: FIFA’s World Cup pitches rely on years of turf engineering with UT researchers helping deliver consistent natural grass across venues.

World Cup Tech in Tennessee: FIFA says it’s fully ready for kickoff after installing advanced hybrid turf at the final 16th venue, with the system built to keep play consistent across 48 teams and 104 matches. Local Science Spotlight: University of Tennessee turfgrass experts helped develop the mostly-natural hybrid fields, using modular layers and years of testing to reduce injury risk and keep ball behavior steady. AI Compute Boom (Memphis): SpaceX is set to supply Google with up to $30B in AI computing access, with the deal tied to SpaceX’s Colossus data center in Memphis and about 110,000 Nvidia GPUs. Nuclear Diplomacy Watch (Oak Ridge): Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Oak Ridge to consult nuclear experts as Iran talks move toward a possible deal. Policy & Tech Governance: GOP Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Lindsey Graham push a plan to incentivize states to cross-check voter rolls quarterly against DHS non-citizen data.

Nuclear Diplomacy in Tennessee: White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner made an unannounced stop at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the nearby Y-12 complex to brief roughly 100 nuclear experts on what an Iran deal would require—covering uranium processing, centrifuge know-how, and how verification would work on the ground. AI Power Crunch: A new report says data centers are driving electricity demand sharply higher, pushing tech giants to secure nuclear and other carbon-free capacity to feed AI’s growth. World Cup Turf Science (UT): University of Tennessee turfgrass researchers helped develop the hybrid grass used across the 2026 World Cup fields, aiming for consistent, injury-safe play under FIFA pitch rules. AI Compute Deal (Memphis): Google is set to pay SpaceX about $920 million a month for cloud compute access, including tens of thousands of Nvidia chips, as AI demand surges. Health Tech Policy (Nashville): Local advocates are pushing for earlier Alzheimer’s detection, including insurance coverage for biomarker testing via the ASAP Act. Urgent Care Expansion (SC via Nashville): HCA is buying about a dozen MedCare clinics in South Carolina, rebranding them to HCA CareNow, with Nashville-based Urgent Care Group as the seller.