Dialogue: Looking Back at the 1982 World's Fair, the Knoxville International Energy Exposition

By Chrissy Keuper,

Published May 4, 2022 at 11:21 AM EDT

Forty years ago, the world came to Knoxville for the 1982 World’s Fair, which was formally known as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition. WUOT's Chrissy Keuper and Todd Steed take a look back at the event that put Knoxville in the spotlight, built the iconic Sunsphere, and changed the city. But what were those changes? And what was expected from the fair that didn't happen?
Our guests: Jack Neely, Knoxville historian and Executive Director of the Knoxville History Project; Ernie Freeberg, University of Tennessee History Department Chair; and Eric Dawson, Manager of the Knox County Public Library's McClung Historical Collection.

Dialogue

Chrissy Keuper

Chrissy served as WUOT's News Director and host of monthly public affairs talk show Dialogue from late 2021 to early 2023. Her first job with the station was as weekend student announcer while earning her bachelor's in Anthropology from the University of Tennessee. She had previously been the station's local host for NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered news programs; occasionally filled in as host for WUOT's Morning and Afternoon Concerts; and won multiple awards for her interviews, feature stories, and Dialogue.

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Todd Steed

A Knoxville native, Todd began working at WUOT in 2006 as jazz coordinator now serves as music director and host of Studio 865/Flipside, Improvisations and Changing Course. Todd's newest podcast is Improvisations to Go. Todd got his start in radio at WUTK, where he served as both news and music director while earning his undergraduate degree in journalism at UT. He later earned a master’s degree in education, also at UT. Recently, Todd was inducted into the East Tennessee Writer's Hall of Fame.

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