Archives for 2007
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SPIE President Visits UConn, Offers Inspirational Reminders by Christopher Falkner* Engineers are dedicated. Perhaps so much so that we often find ourselves easily frustrated with the prospect of making little (or even no) progress despite many restless hours of work, inching along toward a seemingly unreachable goal. It is refreshing, then, to get a definitive reminder now and again of why we, […] |
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Chemical Engineering Professors to Study Artificial Antibodies Two faculty members in the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering, Yong Wang and Lei Zhu, landed a $450,000 grant to develop artificial antibodies capable of locating and destroying tumors. Antibodies are proteins produced in the white blood cells of humans and other vertebrates, and they move freely through blood and fluids, where they […] |
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Since graduating in May ’08 with his B.S. in Civil Engineering, Ethan Cote moved to New York City and began working at the Times Square headquarters offices of Hardesty & Hanover, LLP, an engineering consulting firm. He has been involved in the preliminary stages of a large project for the Kew Gardens Interchange in Queens, […] |
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IEEE Honors Three Engineering Faculty Three engineering faculty members have been selected by IEEE to receive prestigious 2008 honors: Drs. Yaakov Bar-Shalom and Bahram Javidi, both of the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Sanguthevar Rajasekaran of the department of Computer Science & Engineering. Drs. Bar-Shalom and Javidi will receive their awards officially in fall ’08. Dr. Yaakov Bar-Shalom, the […] |
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Engineering Programs Undergo Accreditation Review In October, following two years of preparation and extensive reporting, the School hosted evaluators from the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET), who reviewed 11 of the School’s undergraduate programs. ABET is the nationally specialized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology. In addition, the Computer Accreditation Commission […] |
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On October 17, more than 50 employers from throughout the region came to campus for the 2nd Annual Engineering Career Fair. The event afforded students and employers a venue in which to meet and discuss opportunities, from full-time employment to co-ops and internships. The fair attracted a diverse array of employers, from jet engine manufacturers […] |
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Since graduating in May ’08 (B.S. Electrical Engineering), Kathleen went to work at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Newport, RI, where she is conducting work on passive sonar for submarines in the Passive Systems Engineering Branch. Read Kathleen’s pre-graduation profile, below. High School: Newtown High School, Newtown, CT What attracted you to UConn “I […] |
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Ethiopian Hydrologic Studies Excite Multi-Institutional Student Team A team of nine undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. and Ethiopia spent the summer intensively studying the hydrology of a key Ethiopian watershed as part of a three-year National Science Foundation-funded project headed by Dr. Mekonnen Gebremichael, assistant professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE). The team seeks to develop reliable methods of […] |
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UConn Team to Develop Electronic Explosives Sniffer Dogs, pigs – even dolphins – have been trained to sniff out different agents, from illicit drugs and rare truffles to explosives. The exquisite sensitivity of their olfactory glands allows these mammals to distinguish unique aromas associated with the targeted agent. Many bombs use nitrated compounds – such as TNT or dynamite, which contain volatile […] |
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An Honors Scholar who graduated #1 in his class (B.S. Computer Science & Engineering, Dec. ’07), is now working at Lockheed Martin and planning to attend law school with the goal of becoming a patent attorney. While interning at Lockheed Martin, Matt co-invented an Automated Passenger Screening System [for Trace Detection of Explosives], which was […] |
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Engineering Announces Chess Match, $14K in Scholarships Studies suggest that students who engage in chess play hone their creative, concentration, critical thinking and reasoning skills – all characteristics typical of good engineers. So the UConn School of Engineering, like Texas Tech, the University of Maryland and several other college programs across the nation, has in recent years rewarded superb chess play with […] |
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Alumnus Bernie Berson (’57) Takes Reins at NSPE Bernard R. Berson, P.E., who earned his B.S. in civil engineering at UConn in 1957, was installed as president of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) during the annual conference in Denver (July 26-29). The NSPE serves 45,000 members through 500 chapters nationwide and promotes engineering licensure and ethics, continuing education opportunities and other […] |
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Seven new faculty members joined the School of Engineering and commenced their academic duties at the start of the fall ’07 term. The new faculty members, whose brief profiles appear below, bring expertise in areas of strategic importance to the School as it plots its research future, including environmental and transportation engineering, biomaterials and biomedical […] |
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Engineering Launches Eminent Faculty Initiative in Sustainable Energy During a joint press conference on September 18th, held at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, the University of Connecticut formally unveiled an ambitious new research campaign, the Eminent Faculty Initiative in Sustainable Energy, which will reside in the School of Engineering. The University of Connecticut’s new president, Dr. Michael Hogan – joined by Connecticut […] |
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FuelCell Energy Celebrates Successful Demo at Fuel Cell Center Danbury-based FuelCell Energy (FCE) hosted a celebratory summit at the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2) on Thursday, September 6th to announce its successful demonstration of a novel distributed generation hydrogen production technology called Electrochemical Hydrogen Separator (EHS). The successful demonstration offers promise that hydrogen-powered automobiles may become a reality. The summit featured remarks by […] |
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Alumni-Led Company a Profile in Excellence A small high-tech company co-founded by two UConn engineering alumni, Phonon Corporation of Simsbury, has carved out a niche as one of the leading military surface acoustic wave – or SAW – device designers and manufacturers in the world. Led by Tom A. Martin (M.S., Ph.D., ’71, ’74), President and Chairman of the Board, and […] |
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Engineering Welcomes New Academic Advisor: Brian Schwarz The School of Engineering is pleased to welcome a new Director of Advising, A. Brian Schwarz, who joined the School in August following the retirement of Dr. David Jordan, emeritus professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, who served as Director of Advising for seven years. With oversight from Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education Marty Wood, […] |
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Bright Ideas Shine at Invention Convention How do educators foster creative problem solving skills among school-age children? It’s one of the more difficult challenges teachers face, particularly as pressures mount to prepare children for high-stakes standardized testing at the state and federal levels. A novel problem-solving curriculum developed under the auspices of the Connecticut Invention Convention helps K-8 teachers infuse their […] |
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BRIDGE Program Leverages Freshman Year Forty teenagers have willingly committed five precious summer weeks to beginning their engineering studies on the UConn campus as part of a unique residential readiness program designed to prepare incoming students for the freshman-year experience. The program is called BRIDGE, and it is intended to prime incoming students for the engineering curriculum through preliminary coursework […] |
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Douglas Family Establishes Scholarship University of Connecticut alumni Joel S. and Heidi (Seifert) Douglas have established a scholarship for freshman engineering students, the Joel S. and Heidi S. Douglas Engineering Scholarship, which will be supported by their generous donation. Preference will be given to female students who graduated from eastern Connecticut high schools. “We are pleased to be able […] |
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Chris Wall: Mixing Fun with Academic Challenges Christopher Wall, a senior in Civil & Environmental Engineering, is proud of the fact that he has been actively involved in the Concrete Canoe Club for three consecutive years. As president of the club this year, Chris has rallied his UConn teammates to prepare early for the New England ASCE Concrete Canoe competition at Wentworth […] |
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Shidler Family Establishes Scholarship Alumnus Douglas Shidler (B.S. Electrical Engineering, ’83) and his wife, Trish Shidler, have pledged funds to establish the Shidler Scholarship for Engineering. The scholarship will target full-time undergraduate engineering students who maintain good academic standing and are in need of financial support. Summarizing his family’s philosophy, Doug said “There is a time to learn, a […] |
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Lauren Vitti Hones Leadership Skills within Engineering Sorority While pursuing a challenging Engineering Physics/Materials Science major, fourth-year student Lauren Vitti still carves out time for her sorority, the six-year old Theta chapter of Phi Sigma Rho, a national engineering women’s social organization. At the UConn campus, Phi Sigma Rho affords female engineering students an academic and social support network that strengthens their sense […] |
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Distinguished Lecturers to Present Energy Vision The School of Engineering is pleased to announce a Distinguished Lecture Series, Challenges for a New Energy Frontier. Click to view the article. (PDF) |
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25th Engineering Banquet to Honor Top Alumni and Students Outstanding alumni and student scholars will be feted during the School of Engineering’s annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony on the evening of Tuesday, April 17 in the Lewis B. Rome ballroom located in the South Campus complex. The event is expected to draw nearly 700 alumni, corporate friends, sponsors, faculty, scholarship awardees and parents of […] |
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Alumni Reception Marks Year’s End More than 75 UConn engineering alumni and faculty members celebrated the year’s successes during a gala reception held at The Bushnell on the evening of December 6. The event marked the conclusion of the year as well as the term of Interim Dean Erling Smith, who will return to regular faculty duties prior to taking […] |
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Engineering Alumni Web Pages Expanded Visitors to our website will notice that we’ve upgraded the alumni pages to include more news options, an exciting new format for alumni reception events, and easy links for those who wish to donate or visit the UConn Alumni Association. Find our alumni website athttp://www.engr.uconn.edu/alumni. One appealing feature is the introduction of a photo album […] |
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Shaw Provides Leadership to Department in Transition In August, Professor Montgomery Shaw was appointed Interim Head of the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering (CMBE). The department emerged from the July 2006 merger of the formerly autonomous departments of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering. Dr. Shaw, who has served on the faculty for nearly three decades, is responsible for […] |
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Dr. John Chandy, assistant professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, was awarded a three-year, $538,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct research in the area of computer storage subsystems. Dr. Chandy will seek to solve the problem of slow access times for network disk storage performance, which limit computer system performance. His […] |
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State Launches Loan Reimbursement for New Engineering Grads Working in Connecticut The Connecticut General Assembly announced a new loan reimbursement program, the Connecticut Engineering Loan Reimbursement Program, which targets recent engineering graduates working in Connecticut. The program provides a one-time reimbursement of up to $5,000 for engineering graduates who have outstanding student loans and were hired full-time as engineers in Connecticut since January 1, 2006. The […] |
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School Seeks New Director for Center for Clean Energy Engineering Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education Mehdi Anwar announced that the School of Engineering has launched a search for a permanent Director of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2). The C2E2, established in 2001 with significant investment from Connecticut Innovations and Connecticut industry, is housed in a dedicated, state-of-the-art facility located at the […] |
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Fuel Cell Research Attracted Ph.D. Student Kyle Grew Graduate student Kyle Grew, a native of the farm belt state of Ohio, came to UConn in 2005 to pursue his doctoral studies after earning his B.S. in mechanical engineering at the University of Dayton, OH. Reason for Coming to UConn: “While finishing up my B.S. degree, I was becoming interested in advanced energy systems […] |
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MacKay Research Examines Impact of Antibiotics in Environment Research conducted by associate professor Allison MacKay (Civil & Environmental Engineering) is aimed at helping scientists better understand how antibiotics and other organic compounds enter the nation’s waterways, disperse and change over time. In 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published disturbing findings from a study of water and fish in tributaries of the Potomac […] |
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Raytheon Partners with UConn for Advanced Materials A team of engineering faculty members received a $1.47 million subcontract from defense giant Raytheon Company to assist in the development of engineered nanocomposites for optical applications. The project is being funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and managed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The project team includes principal investigator […] |
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Connecticut Bridges Safer Thanks to DeWolf In the wake of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, which sent cars and trucks plummeting 60 feet into the Mississippi River during the evening rush hour on August 1, it is reassuring to know that Connecticut has a secret weapon in the battle to ensure bridge safety. Dr. John DeWolf, a professor of Civil & Environmental […] |
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Quing Zhu Awarded $1.36 Million NIH Grant Dr. Quing Zhu, associate professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, has garnered a four-year, $1.36 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct larger-scale clinical trials at the University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC) and Hartford Hospital using a novel device that combines near infrared (NIR) and ultrasound imaging. Dr. Zhu’s research team […] |
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UConn Demonstrates Continuous Biodiesel Production Faculty and students associated with the multidisciplinary Biofuel Consortium at the University of Connecticut staged a technological first for academic biodiesel production: the continuous 16-hour operation of a pilot-scale reactor converting waste cooking oil to pure biodiesel. Following several short-run trials of the reactor, aimed at determining the conversion efficiency of the device (it was […] |
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Michael Smith Mixes Ballroom Dancing with Computer Science The campus diversity and strong curriculum were deciding factors in Michael Smith’s decision to choose UConn for his university experience. The junior Computer Science major has found not only his engineering niche but also extracurricular activities, such as such as leading the DanceSport competitive ballroom dance team, since coming to UConn from Wakefield, RI. High […] |
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Provost Names Choi as Dean of Engineering The School of Engineering is delighted to welcome Dr. Mun Choi as Dean, effective January 2008. UConn Provost Dr. Peter Nicholls announced Dr. Choi’s appointment, the culmination of an extensive national search, in early July. Dr. Erling Smith will continue as Interim Dean through the end of 2007. During interviews and campus visits, Dr. Choi […] |
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Bar-Shalom Research to Aid Defense Dr. Yaakov Bar-Shalom, Marianne E. Klewin Professor in Engineering and a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, has received a $630,000 three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop practical multi-target tracking and multi-sensor data fusion algorithms that will aid the U.S. military in accurate detection and characterization of […] |
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Enderle Receives ASEE Merryfield Award Dr. John D. Enderle, professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering and director of the Biomedical Engineering program, will receive the 2007 Fred Merryfield Design Award in recognition of his distinguished accomplishments in senior design. The Merryfield Award is presented by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and is one of three national engineering awards […] |
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Parnas Named an Environmental Leader Richard Parnas, associate professor and director of the Chemical Engineering program, and member of the Polymer Program in the Institute of Materials Science, was presented the 2006-07 faculty Environmental Leadership Award. Dr. Parnas, who received several nominations, including a departmental nomination, was selected in recognition for his efforts to not only reduce the CO2 footprint […] |
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What motivated senior Andrea Ryan, an Iowa native and valedictorian of her Bettendorf High School class, to pursue her engineering studies halfway across the country in Storrs? This chemical engineering major was attracted by the combination of academic excellence, a compact campus, and a competitive swim team. Reason for Coming to UConn: “UConn offered me […] |
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Engineering 2000: Engaging HS Students This week, more than 90 rising high school juniors and seniors are on campus for a one-week residential summer program, Engineering 2000 (E2K), which introduces them to engineering fundamentals and careers. The students hail from schools throughout the region, including New Jersey, Maine, New York and Massachusetts. “We are very pleased with the 2007 E2K […] |
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Six Engineering Faculty Elected to CASE Six engineering faculty members have been elected to membership in the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) in honor of their career accomplishments. They were among 26 individuals inducted during the Academy’s annual meeting and dinner on May 22 in Mystic, CT. Famed deep-sea explorer Dr. Robert Ballard, who discovered the RMS Titanic, discussed […] |
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School Awards 210 Bachelor’s Degrees On the afternoon of Sunday, May 6th, 210 engineering seniors and their families participated in commencement exercises in a packed Gampel Pavilion on the Storrs campus. British novelist Fay Weldon presented keynote remarks during both morning and the afternoon ceremonies for different schools, at which more than 4,500 undergraduates were presented certificates. Following the university […] |
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UConn Honors Engineering Alumnus John Krenicki School of Engineering alumnus John Krenicki, Jr. (B.S.E. Mechanical Eng. ’84) was presented an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut during the May 2007 commencement ceremonies. UConn President Philip Austin presented the honorary degree, lauding Mr. Krenicki for his impressive career accomplishments and international recognition as one of the nation’s top […] |
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The School of Engineering wishes to thank alumni and friends for generously supporting the School during the last year, through the endowment of scholarships and contributions to the university’s current Dean’s Fund fundraising drive. “Donations and gifts are absolutely critical,” said Interim Dean Erling Smith. “They support many important programs within our school, from undergraduate […] |
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Student Profile: Kolawole Ladoja A childhood lesson instilled at his father’s knee led senior computer engineering major (Dec. ’07) Kolawole Ladoja to decide at an early age that he wanted to be an engineer. Returning to the U.S. after many years in Nigeria, Kolawole was convinced by both his impressions of the university and his mother’s urging, to attend […] |
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da Vinci Project Places Teachers in the Classroom Engineering is a seldom-taught discipline in most secondary school systems nationwide. Yet engineering incorporates many of the core science and math subjects taught in America’s middle and high schools. The School of Engineering developed the da Vinci Project expressly to help teachers link the traditional math/science subjects with engineering in classrooms throughout New England. This […] |
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Faculty Win Navy Young Investigator Awards Two engineering faculty have captured competitive Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program (YIP) awards to carry out research involving underwater communications channels and microreactors for use in fuel cells. Drs. Benjamin Wilhite, an assistant professor of Chemical Engineering, and Shengli Zhou, an assistant professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, garnered the YIP awards, which […] |
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Seniors Flex Their Design Muscles One of the significant challenges engineering students face during their undergraduate years is also one of the most exciting and valuable facets of their education: the capstone senior design experience. In this course, conducted over one or two sequential semesters, students work closely with an industrial mentor or other sponsor and a faculty advisor to […] |
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Sudha Balla, a doctoral candidate in the Computer Science & Engineering department, has won a prestigious Sallie Rosen Kaplan (SRK) Fellowship for Women Scientists in Cancer Research, awarded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Ms. Balla is one of only seven researchers nationwide to receive the 2007 award, which is […] |
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Distinguished Alumni, Friends and Scholars Recognized The School of Engineering honored six outstanding individuals with special recognitions during the annual banquet and awards ceremony April 17th. Five of the honorees were named to the School’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers and one was presented the 2007 Distinguished Engineering Service Award. The event, which also included the award of merit scholarships to outstanding […] |
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Career Fair Highlights Demand for Civil Engineers On March 27, the University of Connecticut chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosted its annual career fair in the Lewis B. Rome Ballroom. Over 40 regional civil and environmental engineering employers attended the event with the goal of recruiting entry-level engineers and interns from among the student population at UConn. The […] |
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Opportunities Excite Female Students On Friday, April 13, just over 150 female eighth-graders convened at the UConn Storrs campus for a “lucky” one-day Multiply Your Options (MYO) conference spotlighting science and engineering. In a dozen rooms within the Student Union, groups of young women engaged in constructing rudimentary motors from magnets, wire and batteries; designing and assembling prototype sails […] |
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A passion for volunteerism, combined with a strong interest in building construction and an impressive scholarship opportunity, led senior Civil Engineering student Anizka Garcia to UConn. Ms. Garcia has invested dedication and hard work into her undergraduate years; in early May, she will embark on the next stage of her education. Read her profile below. […] |
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Dr. Ilies Captures NSF CAREER Award Dr. Horea Ilies, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, was named aNational Science Foundation Early Career Development (CAREER) Award winner in 2007. The five-year $400,000 award will support his investigation into ways to improve the design and manufacture of mechanical systems whose function depends on inherent contact between moving geometries. Such systems are typically encountered in […] |
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Student Profile: Colette Opsahl Mechanical Engineering senior Colette Opsahl (’08) considered lots of other schools before choosing UConn. High School: Westover School, Middlebury, CT Reason for Coming to UConn: “I had a scholarship to RPI. But I visited UConn with my parents and fell in love with the campus and the breadth of opportunities. Even at a big university, […] |
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Steel Bridge Team to Compete in Nationals The UConn Steel Bridge team hosted and competed in the 2007 Northeast Regional Steel Bridge Competition in Storrs on March 17, 2007. In spite of winter’s last blast of heavy snowfall the preceding day, the competition went on as planned, bringing teams from throughout the Northeast, including UConn, the Université Laval in Quebec, Merrimack College, […] |
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Intramural Sports a Home Run for Kyle Crosby Graduating senior Kyle Crosby carves out time in his busy academic schedule to compete on intramural basketball and softball teams during the school year. The B.S. program in Materials Science & Engineering, combined with active intramural leagues and attractive scholarship incentives factored heavily in Kyle’s decision to come to UConn from his rural Pennsylvania home. […] |
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Dr. C. Barry Carter to Head Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering Department Interim Dean Erling Smith announced last week that Dr. C. Barry Carter will join the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering (CMBE) Department as Head, effective July 1, 2007. “We are very excited to bring an individual of Barry’s scholarly accomplishments and sterling reputation to UConn,” said Dean Smith. Dr. Carter was selected from a national […] |
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2007 Science Bowl: Wit vs. Weather Foul weather and a delayed start failed to dampen the spirits of the 27 teams participating in the 2007 Northeast Regional Science Bowl (NRSB) for high school students, which took place March 17th at the UConn Storrs campus. While heavy snow blanketed the New England landscape, shades of spring green – in honor of St. […] |
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Steel Bridge Team Ready for March Competition The UConn Steel Bridge team, which will both host and compete in the 2007 Northeast Regional Steel Bridge Competition in Storrs, has completed fabrication and successfully tested its model for the March 17, 2007 match. The UConn team, comprising members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter, captured top honors in the […] |
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Katherine Etter: Finding the Balance – Engineering, Political Leadership and Mentoring Biomedical Engineering student Katherine “Kade” Etter (Spring ’08) is sharpening her mastery of juggling, a skill that will serve her well in her career – whether medicine or law, or a marriage of both. Careful time management and focus allow Kade to balance competing demands in her roles as Senior Development Advisor of the Undergraduate […] |
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Record-Setting Number of CAREER Awards in CSE Department Four faculty members in the Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) Department have garnered coveted National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards for the period 2007-2011, bringing the departmental total to eight – and the School-wide total to 15 – NSF CAREER Award recipients. In securing four CAREER Awards in one year, the department […] |
