jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv tˌɛnəsˈiː fˈækəlti mˈɛmbɚ wˈɪljəm dʒˈiː. pˈɑːlɑːɹd dɪvˈɛləpt ðɪ ˌɪnstɪtˈuːʃən fɹʌm ɐ sədʒˈɛstʃən baɪ ˈɔːɹnəl fˈɪzɪsˌɪst kˈæθɑːɹɹˌiːn wˈeɪ; pˈɑːlɑːɹd wʊd biː ᵻlˈɛktᵻd ðɪ ˈɪnstɪtˌuːts fˈɜːst ɛɡzˈɛkjuːtˌɪv dᵻɹˈɛktɚ, ɐ pəzˈɪʃən hiː wʊd hˈoʊld ʌntˈɪl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ.
University of Tennessee faculty member William G. Pollard developed the institution from a suggestion by ORNL physicist Katharine Way; Pollard would be elected the Institute's first executive director, a position he would hold until 1974.