Archives for 2012
Student Snap: Kathryn Gosselin “UConn’s a really up-and-coming university where we’re leaps and bounds ahead of where we were ten years ago and there’s just so much research money coming in and people are starting to look at UConn as a great engineering school,” says alumna and graduate student Kathryn Gosselin, a Ph.D. candidate working in the Optical Diagnostics Laboratory under the thoughtful guidance of Dr. Michael Renfro. |
UConn Students Design Sensory Board for Adam’s Adventure Playground Three UConn biomedical engineering students are using their college education to assist a Tolland endeavor: the creation of a handicap-accessible playground at the Cross Farms Recreation Center. Seniors Alyssa Smith, Christine Wakefield and Danielle Napoli are designing a sensory board for the children to interact with at the playground as part of their senior design project. |
Alumnus Creates Scholarship for Structural Engineering, Helping the Next Generation Keith Kesner (B.S. Civil Engineering,’92) knows firsthand how difficult it is for students to afford college. As an undergraduate, he worked multiple construction jobs over the course of a summer to pay for the coming year at UConn. |
Trustees Approve Formation of Two Departments During its mid-November meeting, the UConn Board of Trustees approved the establishment of two new departments in the School of Engineering: Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (CBE). The departments will emerge as separate units from the current Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering effective July 1, 2013. |
Exciting developments are always percolating within UConn Engineering. Read a few of the highlights here, from student awards and activities to faculty honors. |
What are your UConn Engineering friends up to these days? Read what’s new in the careers of Thomas Benjamin, Shar Govindan, Jason Harmon and Chris Xue. Then share your career news with us, too! |
On Friday, November 30th, UConn celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Women’s Center. In concert with the day’s events, the School of Engineering hosted a panel of four female engineering alumnae representing four decades of experience. |
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies. |
Student Contributes to Tumor Detection Device Umar Alqasemi, a graduate student advised by Dr. Quing Zhu in UConn’s Optical and Ultrasound Imaging Laboratory, is working on technology that combines photo-acoustic imaging with ultrasound imaging to help physicians more accurately detect tumors. |
Engineering Captures Top Environmental Honors Dr. Allison MacKay, doctoral student Udayarka Karra, and UConn’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders – Nicaragua Team, along with undergraduate Nirav Patel and Ph.D. student Carlo Santoro, were honored recently during the 2010-2012 Environmental Leadership Awards ceremony. |
UConn Student Wins Prestigious Marshall Scholarship Ethan Butler, a 2012 chemical engineering graduate and past president of the UConn chapter of Engineers Without Borders, has received a prestigious Marshall Scholarship enabling him to spent the next two years in the UK pursuing his graduate studies at one, and possibly two, of Britain’s finest academic and research institutions. |
2012 Pavement Preservation Technical Showcase a Success! The CT Technology Transfer Center’s Pavement Preservation Showcase attracted almost 100 public works professionals who were eager to explore the current state of pavement preservation in Connecticut. |
UConn’s Nanoelectronics Lab: Building Community Over the summer, UConn’s Nanoelectronics Lab, headed by Drs. Ali Gokirmak and Helena Silva, hosted two middle school teachers, Doug and Annie Perkins, and seven high school student who were participants in UConn’s Mentor Connection summer program. The two researchers and their graduate students involved the visitors in a variety of research projects involving electronics that expanded the reach of the UConn engineering community. |
Enter to Win Free Football Tickets Enter your name for a chance to win a pair of football tickets to the UConn Huskies vs. Cincinnati Bearcats football game on Saturday, December 1st. 1 Grand Prize: Two (2) tickets to the Huskies vs. Bearcats game in East Hartford, CT at Rentschler Field on December 1. Contest dates: November 15, 2012 12:00 AM […] |
Exciting developments are always percolating within UConn Engineering. Read a few of the highlights here, from student awards and activities to faculty honors. |
Great Ticket Giveaway Official Contest Rules NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. 1. Eligibility ENTER TO WIN emagination Great Ticket Giveaway! (“Contest”) is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of […] |
Drs. Shor & Gage Win Gates Grant Two UConn professor, Drs. Leslie M. Shor (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering) and Daniel J. Gage (Molecular & Cell Biology), have been awarded a Grand Challenges Explorations grant, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to conduct innovative global health and development research project intended to increase crop yields in developing countries through the expanded use of beneficial bacteria. |
What are your UConn Engineering friends up to these days? Read what’s new in the careers of Peter Lewis, Michael Pazzani, Tom Prete and Robert Roche. Then share your career news with us, too! |
UConn Partners with Penn State Altoona to Advance Solar Power Technology UConn Engineering is partnering with Penn State Altoona in a collaborative research initiative, supported by a $650k NSF grant. The project is entitled “Electro-optical studies of nanoscale, geometrically asymmetric tunnel junctions for collection and rectification of light from infrared through visible” |
“I have no hesitation in saying the education and experiences I received at UConn prepared me well for my career in engineering,” says UConn Engineering alumnus Alex Bernier (B.S. Civil Engineering, ’10) who continued for a master’s degree in Transportation and Urban Engineering. |
Welcome to the inaugural edition of a new emagination column, offline! For our first article, we asked Rocco Ciesco (B.S.E.E. ‘76) what inspired him to form Vista Adventures, an entity mobilizing energetic, like-minded people for challenging physical pursuits with philanthropic outcomes. |
UConn-ConnDOT Agreement Creates E-Crash Data Center The Connecticut Transportation Institute and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) have inked an agreement that establishes the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center at UConn’s Depot Campus in Storrs, CT. |
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Anson Ma Dr. Anson Ma has received an NSF EAGER grant for his research aimed at understanding how nanoparticles flow in the bloodstream, with the goal of determining whether nanoparticles can be employed to improve the delivery of cancer-fighting drugs to tumors while reducing the toxic side effects to normal tissues. |
Materials Modeling Expert Avinash Dongare Joins UConn Faculty As scientists across the country work to unlock the potential of new materials as part of President Obama’s Materials Genome Initiative, materials modeling experts like Avinash Dongare are in high demand. |
Plan to attend a truly special panel discussion, “Women Engineers of the Past Half Century,” celebrating our more than 1,800 UConn Engineering alumnae, at the Storrs campus on November 30, 2012 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. |
UConn Engineering: Your Grad School Home (VIDEO) UConn Engineering graduate students enjoy an outstanding combination of academic excellence, student resources, a vibrant community, convenient access to major urban centers and outstanding financial support. We are pushing technological boundaries in new and inventive ways, in exciting areas like nanotechnology, sustainable engineering, alternative and grid energy, national security and resilient infrastructures, wireless and sensor network systems, bioinformatics, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine |
Enter to Win Free Football Tickets Enter your name for a chance to win a pair of football tickets to the Friday, November 9 (8 p.m.) UConn Huskies football game at Rentschler Field, when UConn will play the Pittsburgh Panthers. |
New Spectroscopic Device Provides Research Opportunities Three UConn faculty members were recently awarded over $500,000 by the National Science Foundation for the purchase of a small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) instrument, which will enable researchers to resolve three-dimensional structures of molecules, down to the nanometer scale. |
Could you survive a zombie apocalypse? How would you know which way the nearest pocket of human civilization is and which way are zombie hunting grounds? Well, if you joined the newly formed ham radio club at UConn, you might have a chance. |
Exploring Solar Energy at UConn After a nearly 40-year hiatus from UConn, solar panels have returned to the School of Engineering with the installation over the summer of two new 3.3 kW panels at the Center for Clean Energy Engineering on UConn’s Depot Campus. The novel hybrid photovoltaic power system serves as a valuable testing apparatus enabling engineering faculty and students to explore a variety of research projects in PV energy production and transmission. |
New Bioreactor Experiment Debuts in ChemE Senior Lab This semester, seniors in the Chemical Engineering program are getting hands-on experience with elements of bioprocess engineering with a new experiment on cell culture and scale-up. Thanks to a generous donation of equipment from Alexion Pharmaceuticals, students are getting the chance to work with industry-standard equipment and learn about the challenges of working with live cell cultures. |
Engineering Spirit in Abundance at Homecoming At the Huskies football homecoming game at Rentschler Field on October 13th against Temple, the UConn Alumni Association sponsored a Spirit Village showcasing school and college-centric tents for alumni, students and families, and prospective students. |
Smart Robotic Drones Advance Science Dr. Chengyu Cao sees a day in the not-so-distant future when intelligent robots will be working alongside humans on a wide range of important tasks, from advancing science, to performing deep sea rescues, to monitoring our natural habitats. It’s a bold leap from the pre-programmed factory robots and remote-controlled drones we are most familiar with today. |
What are your UConn Engineering friends up to these days? Read what’s new in the careers of Joel Becker, James Culmo, William D’Agostino, Peter Lewis and Jennifer Stockburger. Then share your career news with us, too! |
Biomedical Engineering Department Approved In late September, UConn’s Board of Trustees approved a plan to establish a formal Department of Biomedical Engineering. The new department will be jointly created, administered and sustained at the Storrs campus by the School of Engineering, the School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine at the UConn Health Center, Farmington. |
Exciting developments are always percolating within UConn Engineering. Read a few of the highlights here, from outstanding staff service awards to engaged students and pre-students who are making important contributions. |
GE, UConn Collaborate on Advanced Technology Initiative [VIDEO] GE will expand its longstanding relationship with UConn through a five-year, multimillion dollar investment intended to transform the state’s technology sector and spark breakthrough innovations in electrical distribution products. The financial support from GE’s Industrial Solutions business, creator of advanced technologies that protect and control the distribution of electricity, will bring together researchers from various academic disciplines and from the energy industry to conduct research and development (R&D) on core electrical-protection technologies, including circuit breakers. |
Alumni Association Honors Two from Engineering Professor Quing Zhu (ECE) and alumnus Faisal Hossain (Ph.D. ’04) were honored by the UConn Alumni Association with the 2012 Faculty Excellence in Research and Creativity (Sciences) award, and a Graduate of the Last Decade award, respectively, during a gala event on October 12th. |
Horizons Video: Hearing and Sound Processing How do we hear and interpret sound? Dr. Monty Escabi researches the hearing process to reveal how the brain processes and identifies real world sounds – such as speech, back-ground noise and animal vocalizations. Dr. Escabi touches upon novel alternatives to cochlear implants that may enable the hearing-impaired to have hearing-like sensation that more closely mimics real hearing. |
emagination Great Ticket Giveaway! Picture yourself at Rentschler Field on UConn Homecoming weekend, enjoying Huskies football alongside 40,000 other enthusiastic fans, and enter for a chance to win a pair of football tickets to the Homecoming game, Saturday, October 13th. |
September Engineering Career Fair a Success On Tuesday, September 25, UConn Engineering hosted the first of two autumn 2012 all-school career fairs. The event brought 60 prospective employers and professional program exhibitors – from small and large manufacturing businesses, biotech companies and construction firms to software companies and universities – to campus to recruit UConn engineering students for a variety of opportunities, from internships and co-ops to full-time employment. |
FeelGood: Helping to End Hunger FeelGood is a creative, student-led movement that raises money and awareness for the end of global hunger by running non-profit, on-campus grilled cheese delis, and there’s a UConn chapter now! Their motto: Hunger can be and must be ended in our lifetime. |
Honor an Outstanding Engineer! Know of an exceptional alumnus or friend of the School of Engineering who exemplifies the best qualities and ideals? Please nominate someone who deserves to be recognized! Each year, the School of Engineering celebrates a number of distinguished alumni and dedicated non-alumni who have made dramatic and enduring contributions. |
Learn what your college friends are doing nowadays, including Michael Cantor, Erik Johnson, Alfred Kovalik and Roger Lawton. Visit our Engineering alumni website or our LinkedIn alumni page and fill us in on your latest activities or learn what your college friends are doing nowadays! |
Alumni Joel Douglas and Michael Curtis, who have collaborated for years on different ventures, recently merged two of their companies. Simplified Energy Solutions (SES) is now building expertise and momentum for bringing alternate energy technologies to the market. |
The US Dept. of Education has funded three new 2012 Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need sites within the School of Engineering. These programs will provide $1.2 million for graduate student support in the areas of sustainable energy technologies, nano-scale materials and device behavior for energy generation and storage, and computer systems security. |
Job Opening: Avery Point Campus UConn Engineering invites applications for a nine-month non-tenure track faculty position at the Avery Point campus with teaching and advising responsibilities for graduate and undergraduate programs. |
UConn Emeritus Professor Charles H. Knapp grew up in Coventry, Conn., attended a one-room schoolhouse as a child, and, later in life, before he owned his own car, would hitchhike his way to Storrs for classes. |
Engineering Partners in Genomics Institute In early September, over 300 researchers from the UConn Storrs campus, the UCHC and JAX came together for a Genomics Symposium that included presentations and discussions, in a first step of the unfolding partnership |
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty and graduate students, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies. |
Innovation & Technology Initiatives at UConn Come to UConn on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 for our early autumn Innovation Connection event, featuring a panel discussion among top commercialization officials, industry and government leaders, with updates on opportunities in Connecticut for innovation and entrepreneurship. |
Great Ticket Giveaway Official Contest Rules The terms and conditions of the emagination Great Ticket Giveaway follow. It is important for entrants to read these rules in their entirety. |
emagination Great Ticket Giveaway! Picture yourself at Rentschler Field on UConn Homecoming weekend, enjoying Huskies football alongside 40,000 other enthusiastic fans…enter for a chance to win a pair of football tickets! |
Alumnus to Receive International Award Alumnus Faisal Hossain has been selected to receive the prestigious 2012 Charles Falkenberg Award for contributions to the quality of life, economic opportunities and stewardship of the planet through the use of Earth science information and to the public awareness of the importance of understanding our planet. |
Bridge Resilience: Aim of Researchers Researchers are testing a new style of bridge column construction with an eye to developing next-generation columns capable of withstanding catastrophic events such as earthquakes, explosions and fires. |
New Faculty Enhance Engineering Reach The School of Engineering welcomes nine new faculty members who bring diverse expertise that will complement our research, academic and professional missions |
Engineering Student Enjoys Best of Both Worlds in Eurotech Program UConn Today profiled EUROTECH student Kimberly Sayre, who says that a chance encounter affirmed her academic path – and allowed her to pursue her dream. |
Engineering Alum Leading Multinational Clean Energy Efforts UConn Today recently profiled alumnus Zhongxue Gan, chief scientist for one of China’s largest renewable energy companies, ENN. |
Official Contest Rules: Great Ticket Giveaway The terms and conditions of the emagination Great Ticket Giveaway follow. It is important for entrants to read these rules in their entirety. |
Dr. Yong Wang Makes Drug Delivery Breakthrough Dr. Yong Wang and two colleagues have made innovative and invaluable improvements to the drug-loaded implantable hydrogels used for drug delivery |
Learn what your college friends are doing nowadays, including Somnath Deb, Roshan Shrestha and William Wadsworth. Visit our Engineering alumni website or our LinkedIn alumni page and fill us in on your latest activities or learn what your college friends are doing nowadays! |
During his exciting summer internship with Boeing, M.S. student Sherwin Li worked on simulation models for the 737 MAX, a new airplane project scheduled to be delivered in 2017. |
Summer 2012: Diverse Research Opportunities for Students Over the summer, UConn Engineering hosted nearly 50 students from across the U.S. in six different National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites. |
Innovation Connection: Helping Businesses Grow “Associating with the Innovation Connection is among the very best things we have done as a company,” said John Fantry, VP of nzymSys, Inc., of his experiences as an Innovation Connection participant. |
Survey to Help Build Tech-Sector Jobs The CT Technology Council is surveying recent engineering and computer science/engineering grads to learn where they find employment, what sources provide job leads, and what factors keep graduates in Connecticut or influence them to leave the state. |
UConn engineering alumni Frank Bergonzi, John Krenicki, Michael McKeon, Jayne Morrow and Randall States are in the news! Read about their career strides, and share yours with us on our alumni news portal. |
Software Donation Helps Ethiopia Study Water Resources A leading geospatial software developer, Exelis Visual Information Solutions, is helping Ethiopian universities and researchers train a new generation of water resource professionals. |
Growing Momentum: UConn to Hire 290 New Faculty In June, UConn President Susan Herbst announced one of the most ambitious growth plans in U.S. higher education: the recruitment and hiring of 290 new faculty members. |
Faculty & Graduate Student News Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty and graduate students, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies. |
Engineering Ambassadors: Engaging Middle Schoolers Members of UConn’s UTC Engineering Ambassadors visited East Hartford Middle School in July to engage 60 middle school students participating in the summer (CPEP) camp. |
Student Innovators to Showcase Projects: You’re Invited Save the Date! On July 26, be sure to attend the inaugural iREU (innovative Research Experience for Undergrads) expo and innovators’ networking function at Nerac. |
Our engineering faculty and graduate students are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies who regularly receive honors and awards. Read about some recent honors here. |
Invention Convention: Insider’s View The Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC) is one of the State’s enduring and quiet educational treasures: an experience that enlightens and delights students, educators and parents alike. |
UConn engineering alumni Clifford Carter, Robert Cotton, Mark Renzulli and Peter Rogan are in the news! Read about their career strides, and share yours with us on our alumni news portal. |
In the 24th century, starship Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard need only utter four words to satisfy his jones for a cuppa. A hundred years earlier, in the original series, the “replicator” produced only food; by The Next Generation, it was capable of creating anything. |
Materials Science Undergrad Labs Renovated The Materials Science & Engineering undergraduate laboratories underwent $140,000 in renovations during 2012, thanks to strong financial support from the School of Engineering and the CMBE Department. |
Alumnus Nick Polomoff: YouTube Star Alumnus Nick Polomoff, a Senior Material Scientist at Material ConneXion, is featured in the company’s weekly video series, broadcast on YouTube. |
Highlights from the Undergraduate Office The Engineering Undergraduate Office oversees myriad outreach, educational and enrichment programs. Read about some of their exciting activities. |
On Saturday, May 5th, the School of Engineering celebrated commencement 2012 with fanfare, tradition and a palpable air of excitement. Before thousands of proud family members, friends and faculty seated expectantly in Gampel Pavilion on an overcast morning, more than 400 engineering students strode… |
VIDEO: Tracking Drugs in the Water Supply Dr. Allison MacKay seeks to understand how common drugs, such as blood pressure-lowering medications, hormones and antibiotics, and other organic compounds enter the nation’s waterways, disperse and change over time. |
2012 D.E. Crow Prize Winners Announced Four teams of engineering students were honored recently with D.E. Crow Innovation Prizes in the spring. The competition was begun in 2011 by professor emeritus and former Senior Vice President of Pratt & Whitney’s Engineering organization, David E. Crow, and aims to help engineering students turn their entrepreneurial inspirations into a marketable product, by awarding seed funds to students with a strong idea and a sound business plan. |
Joule Fellows Host Local Robotics Tournament At Mansfield Middle School, local students are given the chance to go above and beyond the daily classroom routine. In mid-February, the school hosted its first ever all-New England Middle School Robotics Tournament, advised by math and science enrichment teacher, Doug Perkins. |
Stay in touch with fellow UConn engineering alumni by visiting our website. Following are briefs covering recent activities of some graduates. We look forward to hearing your news! |
Interested in exploring innovation and international trade? Mark your calendar to attend the SBIR & Global Trade Summit, which will take place July 24-26 at Mohegan Sun. |
Pratt & Whitney Engineering Extends Relationship with UConn Pratt & Whitney made another generous annual gift to the University of Connecticut School of Engineering and the Mechanical Engineering Department aimed at further strengthening the collaboration with its Center of Excellence at UConn for engineering students and faculty. |
Faculty Awarded Grants for Health Center Collaborations Three research teams involving engineering faculty members have received $100,000 in two-year start-up grants under a competitive UConn grant program aimed at nurturing interdisciplinary research collaborations among faculty at the Storrs, UConn Health Center and regional campuses. |
Our engineering faculty and graduate students are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies who regularly receive honors and awards. Read about some recent honors here. |
Alumnus Illuminates the Mona Lisa The highlight of UConn’s Alumni Weekend in Storrs was a presentation by alumnus Ralph Bernstein (B.S. Electrical Engineering ’56) on the use of digital image technology to reveal secrets of Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th century masterpiece, the Mona Lisa. Mr. Bernstein, an expert in digital imaging, |
Dr. Bar-Shalom Receives 2012 CT Medal of Technology Board of Trustees Distinguished Prof. Yaakov Bar-Shalom was awarded the 2012 Connecticut Medal of Technology for his groundbreaking contributions to the advancement of radar and sonar technology. Dr. Bar-Shalom’s work has served to strengthen the nation’s defenses and air transportation systems. |
Alumnus Rich Tehrani Ponders UConn Engineering UConn Computer Science & Engineering alumnus Rich Tehrani (’89), CEO and president of Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC), recently wrote in his blog about the value of a UConn engineering education. |
Long Island Sound: Vital Resource Please join us on Tuesday, June 19th at the beautiful UConn Avery Point campus for a panel discussion, tours and Innovation Connection networking event. |
Stay in touch with fellow UConn engineering alumni by visiting our website. Following are briefs covering recent activities of some graduates. We look forward to hearing your news! |
Director of Federal Energy Research Agency Tours UConn Engineering Facility Dr. Arunava Majumdar, director of the nation’s only federal agency devoted to transformational energy research and development, toured UConn’s Center for Clean Energy Engineering on May 4. |
Our engineering faculty members are respected leaders in research, instruction and professional societies who regularly receive honors and awards. Read about some recent honors here. |
Three Engineering Faculty Elected to CASE Three engineering faculty will be inducted into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) on May 31, during a gala event to be held at the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs. |
EWB Receives Competitive EPA Funding The UConn chapter of Engineers Without Borders has received $90,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to continue one of the chapter’s signature projects, aimed at permanently stabilizing a key travel artery linking an impoverished Nicaraguan village to a major city. |
Making Mona Lisa Smile: Digital Imaging Reveals Hidden Truths On June 1, from 3-5 p.m., alumnus Ralph Bernstein will discuss the NASA technology used to reveal the hidden story behind Leonardo da Vinci’s famed Mona Lisa. |
Improving the Detection of Landmines Ying Wang (Ph.D. ’12), working in conjunction with her advisor, associate professor Yu Lei, has developed a prototype portable sensing system that can be used to detect hidden explosives like landmines accurately, efficiently, and at little cost. |
UConn Alumnus Excels as Life-Long Engineer Brian Leshko (M.S., Structural Engineering ’90) recalls the moment he knew he wanted to be an engineer. “I remember misspelling the word ‘engineer’ in a spelling bee,” he says. “I looked up the proper spelling and definition and told my parents that, although I couldn’t spell ‘engineer’ correctly, one day I was going to be one.” |
Seniors Showcase Design Skills (VIDEO) The design innovations of over 400 engineering seniors were on display at Gampel Pavilion on April 27, 2012, just a week before the soon-to-be graduates strode across the same floor to receive their graduation certificates. |
Our engineering students are outstanding: accomplished, actively engaged in worthwhile activities, and full of promise. Read about our Eisenhower Graduate Fellowship recipient and Outstanding Senior Women. |
Team Works to Improve Agricultural Productivity Drs. Leslie Shor (CMBE) and Dan Gage (MCB) recently received two grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The two cross-disciplinary projects focus on different aspects of microbial activity in soil, leading to a better understanding of soil microbial activity that could inform agricultural management techniques. |
UConn Commissions Fuel Cell Power Plant University officials, along with representatives of UTC Power and the Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, commissioned a new fuel cell power plant at UConn’s Depot Campus that will supply the campus with clean and efficient energy, cooling, and heating for years to come. |
Students Engineer for Impact in Hartford’s Pope Park On two Sundays in April, a dedicated group of UConn engineering students, led by Engineering Diversity Director Kevin McLaughlin, spent the day cleaning up Hartford’s Pope Park. |
Green Technology Competition at Grasso Tech On Tuesday, May 22, students at Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School will demonstrate their innovative, sustainable solutions using recycled materials and addressing real-world environmental issues. This inaugural competition is a special initiative of the UConn School of Engineering’s GK-12 Program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. |
Horizons Video: Detecting IC Trojans Integrated circuits (ICs or “chips”) are the brains for virtually everything electronic, from cell phones, microwave ovens and automobiles to radars, computers and the Joint Strike Fighter jet. In this second Horizons video produced by the School of Engineering… |
On April 3rd, the School of Engineering recognized 10 alumni and friends for their exceptional records of accomplishment in engineering. The Distinguished Engineering Service Awards honor individuals who have generously provided service, time and resources to the School of Engineering. |
Our engineering faculty members are respected leaders in research, instruction and professional societies who regularly receive honors and awards. Read about some recent honors here. |
Getting a Second Chance, and Giving Back for the Future The worksite accident that nearly took the life of Michael Gargano ’03 BSEE, also brought him to UConn and turned that life around in new, unexpected directions. Today he donates to support the University as a way of showing his vision for the future of engineering. |
Professors Remembered: Wallace W. (W2) Bowley Perhaps it was Wally Bowley’s unorthodox, yet effective method of teaching that made him an iconic professor during his time at the University of Connecticut. Maybe it was the ten patents he held in the fields of engineering. Or, perhaps it was the countless lives he touched as a loving father and as a mentor to his students. |
Seniors to Showcase Design Projects Friday in Gampel Over 130 senior design projects will be displayed at Gampel Pavilion from 1-4 PM on Friday, April 27, 2012, when engineering students demonstrate projects of their own design, often sponsored by companies across the region. |
School Honors Top Scholars (VIDEO) On the evening of March 22nd, the School of Engineering celebrated the academic achievements of outstanding undergraduate and graduate students during the annual Awards Reception and Ceremony held at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. |
2012 Roadway Safety Poster Contest Winners Chosen The CT Technology Transfer Center’s second annual Roadway Safety Poster Contest for Children gained momentum this year and was focused on the theme of “Every Life Counts in Connecticut.” Children across the state in grades kindergarten – 6th grade were asked to design posters with messages on how all road users can help to improve safety on our state’s transportation system. |
Tech Forum to Showcase Student Research What are engineering students researching and inventing in faculty labs? How can their research be used to improve your products, quality of life, economic impact? |
Our engineering faculty members are respected leaders in research, instruction and professional societies who regularly receive honors and awards. Some recent laurels are described here. |
On Thursday, April 26th, Sikorsky Research & Engineering will sponsor a singular Innovation Connection event that will include a presentation for high school students focusing on the X2 Technology demonstrator and how innovation helps helicopters reach record-breaking speeds. |
Our engineering students are dedicated, motivated and academically outstanding. Many of them have received prestigious honors and awards, fellowships and other recognitions. Some recent awards are profiled here. |
Dr. Gokirmak Receives CAREER Award Dr. Ali Gokirmak, assistant professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, is a 2012 recipient of a coveted National Science Foundation Early Career Development (CAREER) Award. |
BRIDGE Program: 25 Years of Success On March 21, the School of Engineering celebrated the 25th anniversary of the BRIDGE Program, an intensive, residential summer preparedness program for entering freshmen from populations traditionally underrepresented in engineering, who have been admitted for the fall term. |
Cigna and UConn to Expand On-Campus Computer Science Internship Program Cigna announced that it is teaming up with UConn to expand its On-campus Developers Internship Program for computer science and engineering students. |
Peter McFadden: Teacher, Administrator, Friend Dr. Peter W. McFadden has worn virtually every hat possible during his long and affectionate relationship with UConn: student, junior faculty member, professor, dean, Provost and Academic Vice President, chief fundraiser, “go to” problem solver and two-time alumnus. |
Castleman Term Professors Named The School of Engineering has named five outstanding faculty members as inaugural Castleman Term Professors in Engineering Innovation. |
Students Find Opportunities at Engineering Career Fair On February 21st, about 600 UConn students attended the School of Engineering career fair, exploring the myriad opportunities the event had to offer. |
Engineering Sets Foundation for Entrepreneurial Success As an electrical engineer struck with an entrepreneurial spirit, Robert Infantino has never limited himself to any amount of success, and doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. Originally from New York City, Infantino moved to Danbury, CT at age 15 with his family in hopes of improving on the rough lifestyle of the city. He attended Danbury Public High School, where he excelled in math, architecture and problem solving. |
CTI Helps CT’s Paving Industry Go Green The Connecticut Transportation Institute in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has developed a specification to use post consumer waste asphalt shingles in asphalt pavement. The Connecticut Department of Transportation is piloting this new specification on a construction project on Route 220 in Enfield, CT this coming summer. |
ARPA-E Director to Speak at Commencement 2012 A highlight of this year’s commencement ceremonies on May 5th will be guest speaker Arunava Majumdar, the nation’s first Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). He was appointed to the post in 2009 by President Barack Obama, and ARPA-E is the nation’s only agency devoted to transformational energy research and development. |
Developing the Next Generation of Fuel Cells UConn’s Center for Clean Energy Engineering has developed a new manufacturing process for fuel cells that could make highly efficient, fuel cell-powered vehicles a viable commercial option in the next 10 years and possibly sooner. Professor Radenka Maric developed the breakthrough process, which significantly lowers production costs while maintaining maximum efficiency. |
How well can you play a game without knowing the rules? Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics, believed, “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” |
UConn GK-12 Team Receives Media Award The National Science Foundation recognized UConn’s GK-12 program as the co-recipient of the Outstanding Media Award during a March GK-12 annual meeting in Washington, DC. |
On Thursday, April 19, 2012, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the exciting arena of green chemistry. UConn’s Innovation Connection and the Chemical Innovations Institute are proud to host a Green Chemistry* Workshop, which will feature panel discussions and a range of interesting and informative events. |
CMBE Professors Investigate Nano-Devices for Explosive Detection Two faculty members in the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering have begun a project that has the promise to transform the work and protect the lives of military and law enforcement personnel around the world. Associate professors Brian Willis and Yong Wang, working on a grant funded by the Office of Naval Research, are attempting to develop an electronic chemical sensing device that can identify the presence of explosives by sampling the vapor around an object. |
At the School of Engineering, we are proud to showcase several of our engineering students from our various departments and programs. |
At the School of Engineering, we are pleased to showcase the achievements of our engineering faculty from our various departments and programs. |
New Grants Fund Student Research Opportunities The School of Engineering received three new grants from the National Science Foundation that will enable undergraduate students from across the globe to engage in exciting summer research at the Storrs campus. The grants were provided by NSF’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, which funds undergraduate summer research at designated university programs nationwide, affording students valuable exposure to the academic research environment and motivating them to consider graduate study in technical fields. Interested students are encouraged to apply now. |
The Pocket Protector: Pocket Squares and Paparazzi The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences got it wrong. No, it’s not about Jean Dujardin beating out best buds George Clooney and Brad Pitt to win Best Actor by uttering just two words or missing the chance for an Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis double header for their fabulous performances in The Help. |
UConn Helps Inaugurate Ethiopian Institute for Water Resources The Ethiopian Institute for Water Resources (EIWR) was formally inaugurated during a ceremony at Addis Ababa University on February 15th, 2012. Officials from UConn, including Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi and Vice President for Research Suman Singha, as well as top officials from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, participated in the festivities. |
BRIDGE Program to Celebrate 25 Years The UConn School of Engineering is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the impactful BRIDGE Program with a special reception on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at UConn. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the South Reading Room of the University’s iconic gold-domed Wilbur Cross Building. |
Alumni – in early March, watch your mail for an update from Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi. We’ve used the annual dean’s fund appeal letter to give you an overview of several exciting developments underway at your alma mater, from news of the Tech Park to the new Engineering Building. Be sure to look for it. |
Alums: Communications Pioneers The University of Connecticut has produced more than a few “household names” in the sciences, engineering and innovation arenas, many of them visionaries whose contributions underpin today’s leading technologies. One of the University’s most renowned graduates is Daniel E. Noble (‘29), who is widely regarded as a pioneer in mobile communications and semiconductors. |
Aeronautical Pioneer Igor Sikorsky Sr. Remembered by Sons Brothers Nicholai Sikorsky and Igor Sikorsky Jr. recently visited the University of Connecticut to speak to the Management & Engineering for Manufacturing (MEM) class about their father, aeronautical pioneer Igor Sikorsky Sr. |
Faculty & Graduate Student News A number of our highly accomplished faculty members and graduate students have received accolades in the last few months. Read about their honors here. |
Stay in touch with fellow UConn engineering alumni. Visit http://www.engr.uconn.edu/alumni/ and fill us in on your latest activities or learn what your college friends are doing nowadays! |
Sen. Lieberman Praises UConn Cybersecurity Labs U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman visited the Storrs campus Thursday to promote new legislation aimed at protecting the country’s vital infrastructure from crippling cyber attacks by terrorists, rogue individuals and hostile nation-states. Read more here: http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/02/sen-lieberman-praises-uconn-cybersecurity-labs/ |
Startup Weekend Storrs (VIDEO) From the time Benjamin Franklin first conceived his famous stove, bifocals and countless other useful inventions, the U.S. has been hailed as the “land of opportunity,” a nation steeped in innovation and entrepreneurship, which have sustained the economy in even the toughest of times. In recent years, as American industry has struggled to remain competitive amid growing challenges from abroad, entrepreneurship has gained new respect as an economic engine. |
Engineering Ambassadors Reach Out to Students Over 100 children from the Windham School District in Connecticut, among the most underserved communities in the state, visited UConn Saturday, February 4th for a singular “Explore Science and Engineering Day” that immersed them in a range of fun learning activities aimed at expanding their awareness of STEM subjects. |
National Engineers Week February 19-25 Join us for a variety of fun, inspiring and illuminating activities in celebration of National Engineers Week, which takes place February 19-25 this year. For full details, please consult the calendar appearing on our website at www.engr.uconn.edu. |
Stay up to date with the latest School of Engineering faculty news and happenings |
Cheney Students Blast Off [Video] During the fall 2011 semester, Howell Cheney Technical High School freshmen explored a number of exciting engineering concepts with Chemical Engineering doctoral student Neil Spinner, including an egg drop (profiled last month) and a bottle rocket experiment. |
UConn Alumnus Seeks to Make Greener Wastewater Treatment Plants When one thinks of ways to ease climate change and develop sustainable fuels, using waste and sewage is probably not the first idea that comes to mind. For Dr. Kartik Chandran, a UConn alumnus (Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, ’99) and associate professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, however, it is something he thinks about every day. |
UConn to Receive USDOT Funding In January, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it will award $77 million in grants to 22 University Transportation Centers (UTCs) to advance research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges. UConn will receive a portion of the funding, as a member of a university consortium awarded $3.5 million under the program. |
Video: Delaney & Carolyn Discuss Engineering Freshman engineering students Delaney Turner (Biomedical Engineering) and Carolyn Williams (Environmental Engineering) met when the two attended the School of Engineering’s intensive summer BRIDGE program in 2011. |
D.E. Crow Innovation Prize Competition Announced The School of Engineering is pleased to announce, for the second consecutive year, the D.E. Crow Innovation Prize competition aimed at encouraging and rewarding creative ideas and entrepreneurship by UConn students. This “innovation stimulus” program is made possible through the generous support of Dr. David E. Crow, professor emeritus of Mechanical Engineering (ME). |
Scholarship Reception: Save the Date! Mark your calendars now to attend the School of Engineering’s annual Awards Reception and Ceremony, to be held on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. |
Nominate a Great Faculty Advisor or Mentor Rewarding teachers for their commitment to superb mentorship and advising is an important acknowledgment of the critical role our faculty play in nurturing excellent graduate students. We invite alumni to nominate a top mentor or advisor for a special honor. |
Don’t Wait to Graduate to Build a Business Empire! Student innovators won’t want to miss the opportunity to compete in the inaugural Innovation Quest (iQ) contest at UConn. |
Stay in touch with fellow UConn engineering alumni. Visit http://www.engr.uconn.edu/alumni/ and fill us in on your latest activities or learn what your college friends are doing nowadays! Some recent alumni news follows. |
Honor a UConn Prof, Graduate or Friend The UConn Alumni Association (UCAA) announced that applications are being accepted for the 2012 UCAA Faculty & Alumni Awards. |
Dr. Amir Faghri Receives Coveted ASME Award Amir Faghri, Ph.D., a professor of engineering at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, and leading researcher in the field of advanced energy systems, has been honored jointly by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). |
Dr. Lykotrafitis Scores Journal Cover A graphical image developed by Dr. George Lykotrafitis, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, appears on the cover of the January 4, 2012 issue of Biophysical Journal. |
Professors Remembered – E. Russell Johnston, Jr.: Educator of Distinction The role of teacher is almost certainly the most satisfying one embodied by any academic, and few UConn professors have equaled the impact of the late E. Russell Johnston Jr., who taught Civil Engineering at UConn for 26 years (1963-’89) and served as Department Head from 1972-77. |
Innovators: Networking Function in February Innovative students, faculty and friends, mark your calendars: on Thursday, February 16, the School of Engineering and Springboard will host another in the popular Innovation Connection functions at the Storrs campus. |
There are new developments at the University of Connecticut and the School of Engineering. Dr. Peter J. Nicholls, who has served as Provost and Executive Vice President at UConn with great distinction for the last six years, will be stepping down from that position on May 31, 2012. |
ManyMentors: Mentoring in the Modern Age Keshia Ashe, a Chemical Engineering doctoral candidate in the Institute of Regenerative Engineering at the UConn Health Center (UCHC), and recent UConn Biology graduate Tiffany St. Bernard, intend to use video mentoring to foster a more aware, prepared, and confident generation of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students. |
Entrepreneur Eric Knight Joins Springboard On December 16th, UConn alumnus, inventor and entrepreneur Eric Knight joined the Springboard Program at UConn as Manager and Entrepreneur in Residence. |
About Drs. Mun Choi and Kazem Kazerounian: Brief Bios Dr. Mun Choi joined UConn as Dean of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering in 2008, and Dr. Kazerounian joined the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1984 after completing his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois, Chicago in 1984. |
Cheney Students Enjoy Engineering Lessons [Video included] At Howell Cheney Technical High School in Manchester, CT, students enjoy a unique learning opportunity enabling them to explore engineering concepts and to apply these principles in often fun ways, thanks to a National Science Foundation-funded program that embeds engineering graduate students in selected classrooms. |
Dr. Carter Elected AAAS Fellow Dr. C. Barry Carter, Department Head of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering, has been named a 2011 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world. |
New Scholarship Honors Top K-12 Inventors The University of Connecticut School of Engineering and the Connecticut Invention Convention have teamed up to launch a new scholarship initiative that will sponsor 25 lucky students as they take courses through UConn’s Early College Experience (ECE). |