Two visitors from the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce recently toured various research laboratories while visiting The University of Tennessee Space Institute.

Garrett Harper, director of the Chamber, and Donna Mattick, director of Partnership 2010 Investor Relations, Economic Development, spent half a day at UTSI on Nov. 14.

Ahmad Vakil, who heads the Institute’s research in pitch-based carbon fiber productions and applications research and development, showed them around the “spin lab” and explained near term and long-range goals of attracting business partners to assist in establishing a manufacturing capability in Middle Tennessee.

James Goodman, director of UTSI’s Technical Research Support Group, discussed various work taking place in the Institute’s labs, and demonstrated the water and wind tunnels.

Bill Hofmeister and Lino Costa explained various aspects of work taking place in the Center of Excellence for Laser Applications including nano technology.