KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The former University of Tennessee system president who helped East Tennessee become a leader in supercomputers and faced friction with the Knoxville campus has died.

Dr. John Petersen, who served as the University of Tennessee system president from 2004 to 2009, died at 77 on Sept. 11. The chemist-by-training oversaw several notable research milestones during his tenure, including the opening of the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and a $65 million National Science Foundation grant that positioned UT and ORNL as leaders in supercomputing, current UT System President Randy Boyd shared on social media.

Saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. John Petersen, who served as UT System president from 2004 to 2009. A chemist by training, his t

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