CURENT researchers may spend most of their time thinking about power grids, converters, and electrical energy – but for CURENT Director Dr. Fran Li, some of that competitive energy carries over beyond the lab.
At the 2026 Tennessee Senior Olympics (TSO), Dr. Li traded power systems for paddles, balls, and beanbags, competing in nine events across three sports: table tennis, pickleball (4.0 & 4.5 levels), and cornhole.
The Tennessee Senior Olympics is an annual Olympic-style competition for amateur athletes aged 50 and older. Competing in the 50-54 age group, Dr. Li entered men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles in each of the three sports. By the end of the competition, he had medaled in all nine events, bringing home an impressive eight gold medals and one bronze.
Fran’s Senior Olympics journey began in 2023 with table tennis, a sport he had played competitively for decades at the state and national levels. He added pickleball in 2024 and, apparently deciding that two sports weren’t enough, added cornhole in 2026.
Over four years of TSO competition, Fran has now entered 22 events and medaled in every one of them, collecting 16 golds, 3 silvers, and 3 bronzes. This makes him one of the most decorated athletes at TSO in recent years.
So, while CURENT is best known for advancing the future of electric power engineering, our faculty, staff, students, and researchers have plenty of interests beyond research. In Dr. Li’s case, that means moving from the power grid to the ping-pong table, pickleball court, and cornhole boards—and demonstrating that CURENT people can be VERY competitive off the clock, too.
Fran Li won Gold in the Pickleball Men’s Singles 4.0-level event at 2026 TSO
Eight golds and one bronze at 2026 TSO.