T.J. Graveline is currently a Research Specialist I for the UT Tree Improvement Program. T.J. is responsible for facilitating the daily activities of the program such as nursery stock propagation and maintenance, data collection, greenhouse maintenance, experimental planting implementation, seed and scion collection, and grafting.

T.J. earned his Bachelor’s Degree with honors in public horticulture from the University of TN in 2016. His undergraduate experiences included interning with the UT Kitchen Garden and working in the landscaping field around Knoxville and Harriman TN as well as volunteering for various local nonprofits such as Trees Knoxville, The Native Plant Rescue Squad, and the Sustainable Future Center. Following graduation, T.J. completed a live-in internship on a permaculture demonstration site in Asheville NC, where he learned concepts such as nutrient cycling, intercropping, soil building through various composting methods and crop preservation techniques. Today, T.J. continues his education on his own through attending seminars, volunteering and doing his own small scale experimenting with gardening methods in his spare time, while working for the UT-TIPT and advocating for more sustainable and regenerative practices in the green industries.