2015 - School of Engineering News

Engineering Celebrates 100 years!

In 2016 we turn 100 years old. Join us in celebrating our ascent to leadership in industry-relevant education and research. From a modest beginning supporting agriculture, it has evolved into a superb program distinguished by an outstanding faculty, students and industry support.

What’s Happening @ UConn Engineering!

It is an exciting time here at UConn School of Engineering! This Fall 2015 new partnerships and collaborations are being formed with faculty; in addition we celebrate and honor the achievements of our faculty and students.

MSE Alumnus and Intel Intellectual Shan Zhong

Alumnus Shan Zhong studied materials science and engineering at UConn from 2003 to 2007 after graduating from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. His Masters thesis was on “Phase Transformation Characteristics and Dielectric Response of Multilayer Ferroelectrics.”

Lydie Louis Takes MSE Across the World

MSE postdoctorate Lydie Louis does not allow the summer break to stop her intellectual endeavors. This August, she participated in the Paris International School, France, on Advanced Computational Materials Science (PISACMS), where she received the PISACMS 2015 Best Poster Prize for the “Structural and Dielectric Properties of the Ruddlesden-Popper Ba2ZrO4 Structure from First-Principles.”

Researchers Tackling Flood Maps

Connecticut’s vital infrastructure will drown over the next few decades unless the state does something to stop it. And, the first step is improving flood maps, according to UConn’s Manos Anagnostou.

The Difference Between Laughing and Crying

When we hear the cry of a six-month-old baby, our ears promptly perk up. We look around, agitated, instinctively knowing there’s an infant in distress nearby. But how did we know the baby was upset? How did our brain decide that the cry wasn’t actually a shriek of happiness?

An Easy Test for Sickle Cell Disease

A team of UConn biomedical engineers, working with colleagues from Yale, MIT, and Harvard, has developed a simple, inexpensive, and quick technique for the diagnosis and monitoring of sickle cell disease that can be used in regions where advanced medical technology and training are scarce.

Researchers Aim to Regenerate Human Limbs by 2030

On Veteran’s Day the University of Connecticut announced the launch of its new grand research challenge: regeneration of a human knee within 7 years, and an entire limb within 15 years. This major international research undertaking, called The HEAL Project, stands for Hartford Engineering a Limb.

Celebrating 100 Years with Goal of 100 Scholarships

UConn’s School of Engineering is celebrating its centennial in a big way. The school, together with the UConn Foundation, has set a fundraising goal to establish 100 new scholarships.

Lee Langston Receives ASME Sawyer Award

Mechanical Engineering professor emeritus Lee Langston is the 2015 recipient of the R. Tom Sawyer Award presented by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Forty-three men from all over the world have received the award, which is a major industry honor.

Why Context and Context-Driven Decision Support Matters

Recently, El Faro, a cargo ship heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico, foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off the Bahamas on October 5, 2015 due to Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin. Thirty three crew members remain missing. The captain cut south of the storm, due to the rare occurrence of such storm systems.

You Are invited! UConn Engineering 3rd Annual Industry Open House

Are you interested in collaborating with UConn Engineering faculty to explore new technologies for your company? If so, please join us for the third annual Industry Open House.

Climate Changing Connecticut

UConn Science Salon is a dynamic series of science programs featuring outstanding speakers, a fun happy hour, and a chance to make great connections. Our third salon highlights discussion regarding Climate Changing Connecticut.

UConn Joins Flexible Hybrid Electronics Research Consortium

The University of Connecticut is one of several leading public research universities that will support a new national manufacturing institute for flexible hybrid electronics, an emerging manufacturing field that is expected to revolutionize the electronics industry.

Securing Water Resources in Ethiopia

$4.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation will allow University of Connecticut researchers to collaborate with colleagues around the world in order to help local governments and communities in Ethiopia’s Blue Nile river basin.

Video: Eversource Energy Center at UConn

The Eversource Energy Center is a research lab dedicated to the development of advanced storm damage modeling technology to ensure the reliable delivery of power throughout Connecticut and New England.

Some Things Change, and Some Things Stay the Same

About 30 members of UConn Engineering legacy families attended the event. The freshman received pins with the School of Engineering logo and certificates. Their parents reminisced about their own experiences at UConn and marveled at how much the school has changed.

UConn Women in Engineering Day

UConn Engineering brought together female students, professors, industry leaders and close to 100 Connecticut high school students for a day focused on reducing the gender gap and empowering women in STEM fields.

UConn Breaks Ground for New Technology Park

The University of Connecticut broke ground for its new Technology Park Wednesday, marking a new era of public-private research partnership at UConn that is intended to drive Connecticut innovation and competitiveness in the state, region, and beyond.

Kathy Saint Enters the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame

Congratulations to our Industrial Advisory Board member, Kathy Saint, President of Schwerdtle Stamp Co. Inc., who has just been named one of the winners of the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Leadership Awards for 2015.

Greg Gagne Returns from the Land Down Under

Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, leaping from the tallest bungy jump in the southern hemisphere, and playing with monkeys in the Ubud Monkey Forest—MSE student Greg Gagne had an interesting Spring semester.

Celebrate Submarine & Engineering Centennials at Electric Boat UConn Alumni Reception

Is it a coincidence that the University of Connecticut School of Engineering centennial and Connecticut’s Submarine Century perfectly align?

Alumni News

Stay in touch with the School of Engineering. Join our LinkedIn alumni group to share your latest activities and learn what your fellow graduates are doing. You may also send your news directly to Heidi Douglas, Director of Engineering Alumni Relations. We love hearing from you!

Seok-Woo Lee Makes Magic at UConn

Dr. Seok-Woo Lee believes materials science and engineering is “magically fun.” He says, “Materials science and engineering makes me feel like I become an alchemist who tries to make gold out of other materials.” The Pratt and Whitney Assistant Professor received both his bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering and master’s of science in […]

Angie Cheung Fuels Minds of the MSE Industrial Advisory Board

The Materials Science and Engineering Department gladly welcomes Angie Cheung as the newest member to the Industrial Advisory Board. She joins eight other industry partners in working to strengthen the visibility of the UConn Materials Science and Engineering Department at the university, state, and national level. Cheung obtained her bachelor’s degree in materials science and […]

Construction Begins on New Engineering and Science Building

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy joined UConn, state, and corporate leaders Wednesday in breaking ground for a new engineering and science building on UConn’s main campus in Storrs. The building will provide dedicated laboratory space for the University’s growing genomics, biomedical, chemical engineering, and cyber system research programs. The five-story, 118,000-square-foot structure, located at the north […]

Topping-out UConn’s Newest Residence Hall

A milestone in the construction of UConn’s newest residence hall was marked on Monday with a topping-out ceremony. As the first project begun under the auspices of the Next Generation Connecticut initiative, the event signified a milestone for the state as well. Known as the STEM Residence Hall for planning purposes, the building will be […]

Pratt & Whitney and Supplier Partners Celebrate Expansion of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust Residential Facility for Girls

HYDERABAD, India, July 15, 2015 – Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), and its supplier partners today announced the expansion of the girls dormitory in cooperation with the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust (KGNMT) in Hyderabad, India. UTC, Pratt & Whitney and its supplier partners contributed more than $55,000 USD (34,90,000 […]

Alumni News

Stephanie Bealing (M.S. Materials Science & Engineering, ’06) and Jacquelynn Garofano (M.S., Ph.D. Materials Science & Engineering, ’09, ’12) are Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” 2015 award winners. The award recognizes outstanding young professionals in the Greater Hartford area who are excelling in their industries through their leadership roles. A senior research scientist at […]

#iLookLikeAnEngineer Campaign with a UConn Spin

Earlier this summer, Isis Wenger, a platform engineer at San Francisco-based OneLogin, launched the hashtag #iLookLikeAnEngineer in response to an unexpected backlash after appearing in an ad as part of her company’s recruiting campaign. Reacting to her photo in the ad, one person remarked, “I’m curious people with brains find this quote remotely plausible if […]

EUROTECH Program Alumni Reunion at Huskies Forever Weekend

More than twenty years ago, the dual degree EUROTECH program was launched at the UConn School of Engineering with the initial help of a grant. Designed to prepare students for a global career, graduates of the five year program receive bachelor degrees in German and Engineering from the Collage of Liberal Arts & Sciences and […]

UConn Faculty Member William Mustain Receives Prestigious Fulbright Award

UConn Faculty Member William Mustain Receives Prestigious Fulbright Award Professor William Mustain, a faculty member in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Connecticut has received a Fulbright Scholar Award to enable him to advance his research at the University of Surrey in the UK. The Fulbright Award is one of […]

Industry Open House: Save the Date!

Mark your calendars to attend UConn Engineering’s Annual Industry Open House on Thursday, November 5, 2015. The half-day event will feature an informal networking forum, during which visitors will have the opportunity to speak with more than 60 engineering faculty members and to view posters highlighting commercially promising research underway at UConn. For those who […]

Connecticut Urban and Transportation Film Festival

Transportation engineering students need to be able to communicate with a wide array of stakeholders because their work usually impacts and is impacted by the general public. This is especially true of transportation planning. Accordingly, through a grant from UConn’s Center for Transportation and Livability Studies (CTLS), two professors (Dr. Norman Garrick from Civil & Environmental […]

Work – and Play – Helps Launch Career Path

Five Engineering Graduate Students Awarded $3,000 Scholarships Getting good grades in a good major at a good school are important steps to launching a successful business career, but a key component that shouldn’t be overlooked is the importance of social interaction. Graduate students at the School of Engineering at the University of Connecticut who are […]

UConn Women in Engineering Symposium

Learn. Inspire. Empower. UConn Women in Engineering Symposium Thursday, September 24, 2015 2 – 3:30pm Student Union Theatre Storrs, Connecticut The numbers are troubling. In 1984, women represented 37% of all computer science graduates. Today, it’s just 18% (Girls Who Code). Girls and boys in kindergarten through 12th grade “do not significantly differ in their […]

UConn Electrical and Computer Engineering

The undergraduate ECE program at UConn endeavors to provide a firm foundation in fundamentals, while also giving students exposure to current technologies for design and implementation. It strives for a balance between theory, laboratory and design experience. For more information, contact: Rajeev Bansal Professor & Department Head Office: ITE Building 463 Phone: (860)486-3410 and 486-2878 […]

UConn Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering

The goal of the UConn Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program is to provide students the interdisciplinary training in biological and medical sciences, physical sciences, and engineering necessary to solve complex biomedical problems. Faculty members from engineering, biomedical sciences, materials sciences, chemistry, physics, medicine, and dental medicine from an interdisciplinary graduate degree program that spans the University […]

Alumni News

Alumni News Sandor Becz (Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, ’07) was appointed vice president of engineering at Hydroid, Inc., a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime and a leading manufacturer of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). In this role, he will lead all engineering activities at Hydroid, including research and development, new product development and engineering support. Becz joined Hydroid […]

Huskies Forever Weekend – Breakfast with the Dean

Reunite. Reminisce. Celebrate. Huskies Forever Weekend – Breakfast with the Dean Saturday, October 10, 2015 | 9-11am Information Technology Engineering (ITE) Building Lobby | Storrs Campus Join Dean Kazem Kazerouian for breakfast and a fun, informative program on Saturday, October 10. Kickoff Huskies Forever Weekend meeting the Dean, connecting with fellow alumni and learning what’s […]

Alumni News

Michael H. Betts (B.S. Computer Science & Engineering and Electrical Engineering, ’85) has been appointed chief technology officer at CÜR Media, Inc., developers of CÜR Music, a social mobile and web streaming music application. Prior to joining the company in 2012, he worked at Artbox LLC and Software Development Group LLC, whose major clients included […]

2015 Rube Goldberg Contest at UConn

RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE CONTESTS® (RGMCs) are designed to encourage teamwork and out-of-the-box problem solving for students of all ages. This event highlights one of the many facets that encompasses what collaborating as engineers is all about. Encouraging teamwork to accomplish a unique goal is one of the many traits that these young engineers will take […]

Sikorsky Funds UConn Engineering Scholars

Through a new initiative by longtime partners Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and the University of Connecticut School of Engineering, Sikorsky will provide $67,000 in scholarships to selected UConn engineering students this fall.

5 Questions With Mei Wei

The Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education talks about how she became a professor and the importance of promoting science to women

MSE Alumnus Dr. Dharma Maddala Receives ASM Emerging Professional Achievement Award

Dr. Dharma Maddala receives the ASM Emerging Professional Achievement Award

Dr. A. Jon Goldberg New Interim Head of Biomedical Engineering at UConn Health

A. Jon Goldberg, a founding member of the UConn Health Board of Directors, is the new interim head of BME at UConn Health

Save the Date! SoE’s Scholarship Reception and Ceremony Is Coming

Exceptional Engineering students will be honored Sept. 16

IEEE Honors UConn Alum Marshall Greenspan

For his crucial contributions to radar technology, Marshall Greenspan receives an IEEE award

Bahram Javidi Wins Prestigious EPS Prize

The European Physical Society awards one of its most prestigious prizes to the Electrical and Computer Engineering professor

A New Use for Old Carpet

Richard Parnas, a Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering professor, is leading a team to find a better use for the 4 billion pounds of carpet that are discarded each year

UConn Research Team Among Finalists in 150th Anniversary North American Science Competition

A team put together by UConn’s Kan Fu (MSE) and Xiangcheng Sun (CBE) was named one of four finalists of the 150th Anniversary North American Science Competition

Three Generations of Engineering at UConn

Robert Valley Sr. began studying Engineering at UConn nearly 70 years ago; he has since been followed by his son, son-in-law and, now, his grandson

How UConn Researchers Are Fighting Against Counterfeit Computer Chips (Video)

UConn’s Center for Hardware Assurance, Security and Engineering (CHASE) is developing new ways to thwart computer chip counterfeiters

Helping Innovators Through The Legal Maze

UConn’s Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic can boast of one of its best years since its formation in 2007. Among other accomplishments since the fall 2014, the IP Law Clinic obtained five U.S. patents, 17 federal trademark registrations and filed five new patent applications, as well as seven federal trademark applications. The IP Law […]

Zoila Estefani Jurado Quiroga Delivers Inspiring Message To Fellow Engineering Grads

“I hope we can all measure our future successes by the individuals we, too, would come to inspire, help, and teach along the way.”

Caitlin Oswald ’09 Among “Most Creative People”

Caitlin Oswald, a School of Engineering alum, was recently named one of the 100 most creative people in the country by the magazine Fast Company.

Alumni News

John Andresakis, ’81; Paul Dul, ’88, James Kane, ’86; and Joe Rimiller ’01 and ’03 are all featured in this month’s Alumni News!

Student News: Women’s Center Honors Keisha Ashe

Keisha Ashe, who is currently pursuing a Chemical Engineering Ph.D., receives the 100 Years of Women Scholarship Award

Grant Will Fund Study On The Genetics Of Addiction

When it comes to diagnosing substance-related disorders, health care professionals are mostly limited to checking for behavioral and other clinical symptoms – crude tools for a complex condition. But a new study aims to find the genetic causes of those specific symptoms, which could lead to a more nuanced way of looking at addiction. […]

GK-12 Competition Gives High School Students A Leg To Stand On

Nine high school teams built and tested prosthetic legs as part of the latest GK-12 Design Challenge

UConn’s Formula SAE Race Car Has Its Best Year In Competition

The UConn car competed against 120 teams from 9 countries at the Michigan International Speedway in Michigan last week

In the News: Department of Homeland Security Features UConn’s Concrete Research

Some concrete results from UConn researchers

Engineering The Perfect Bicycle

Students who take Prof. Matt Klucha’s course on bicycle design learn about the importance of creativity and simplicity in engineering. And here’s a nice bonus: They also end up with a bike made with their own hands, customized to their needs. “It’s very hard to define creativity,” Klucha says. “What I prefer to do is […]

Engineering Commencement 2015: Watch the Video!

A lot of happy engineering graduates and their proud families gathered at the Gampel Pavilion for the 2015 School of Engineering Commencement

3-D Printing, Appetizers, and Drinks – All At The First UConn Science Salon

Eat, drink and talk about science! We’re launching UConn Science Salon

UConn Engineering In The News

Award-winning teachers, keynote speakers and karaoke singers! UConn engineers are pretty much everywhere in the news this week.

Ashwini Joshi ’17 (ENG): Who I Am Today

Ashwini Joshi ’17 reflects on her time at UConn

A Capitol Event, From Hexacopters To Liquid Nitrogen Marshmallows

They came for the ice cream, but stayed for the dazzling displays of technology at the State Capitol Building

Anson Ma Wins Arthur B. Metzner Early Career Award

Anson Ma wins the prestigious Arthur B. Metzner Early Career Award

Alumni News

James F. Byrnes, Jr ’73, Melissa Carserino ’11, Lin Lin ’04, Vincent S. Pitruzzello ’85, Ted M. Taccardi ’81 are all featured in this edition of Alumni News

New Journal Launches With Cato T. Laurencin As Its Editor-In-Chief

Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D is editor-in-chief of the new journal Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine

Priceline’s Founding CTO, Scott Case, Will Speak To SoE Grads

Priceline founder Timothy “Scott” Case is this year’s commencement speaker for Engineering graduates

Meet the 2015 Inductees of the Academy of Distinguished Engineers

The Academy of Distinguished Engineers welcomed seven new members

Our Annual Senior Design Round-Up, 2015

Future technologies – not basketball – were on display at Gampel Pavilion last week

Readers: Join the Discussion!

Got something to say? Momentum, the School of Engineering newsletter, now allows for reader comments!

Better (and Healthier) Ice Cream Through Engineering

Engineering a healthier ice cream option at the UConn Creamery

The Art Of The Science Presentation On Display At First SoE Grad Poster Contest

Communicating science is an art, as this poster contest shows

3D Printing Club Wows Judges at 2015 Brandeis Printathon

The UConn 3D printing club, 3DPC, won first place at Printathon 2015, a 24-hour 3D printing competition hosted at Brandeis University

UConn Researcher Using Silk To Treat Chronic Diseases

Dr. Kelly Burke is researching how silk can help treat chronic disesases

New Engineering-Business Joint Degree Now Available To Students

Starting this fall, students can work toward a combined Master’s in Business and Engineering

Student Presentations, and Honoring A UConn Alum’s Achievements At GE Night

GE’s Linda Jacobs shares a generous scholarship gift

Alumni News

David J. Arthur ’90, Karen Isherwood ’97, Jeffrey Lewis ’83, and Stephen P. O’Mahony ’92 are all featured in this issue’s Alumni News

Hacking For Health At The 2015 Patient Experience Hackathon

UConn and Yale team up to hash out some healthcare-improving ideas

Ellis Tech Takes Top Honors At Rube Goldberg Contest (With Video!)

Erasing a blackboard should be easy, right? Not if you’re taking part in UConn’s 2015 Rube Goldberg Regional Competition.

Paiyz Mikael Wins SoE’s Outstanding Senior Women Academic Achievement

Paiyz E. Mikael has been selected as the Outstanding Senior Women Academic Achievement Award for the School of Engineering

UConn Professor And Students Honored As “Women of Innovation”

UConn was well-represented at this year’s Women of Innovation of the Connecticut Technology Council

Senior Design Day Is Coming (with Video)

More than 130 student teams will present their engineering projects at Gampel Pavilion

Phone App To Monitor – And Help – People Suffering From Depression

Dr. Bing Wang’s work could turn the smart phone into a tool for monitoring depression

Faculty News

Awards, honors and panel selections for SoE faculty

Ask The Engineers: What Inspired You To Become An Engineer?

Got a question? SoE engineers have answers.

UConn-Yale Hackathon: Competing For Better Health Solutions

Students compete to hack a better way to healthcare

An Evening of Professional Networking for UConn Engineering Washington, DC Capital Area Alumni

Alumni are invited to come network in D.C.

C2E2 and CEI Host Discussion On Connecticut Energy Research

State environmental officials come to UConn to talk energy research

Danica Chin ’13 Named A 2015 STEP Award Emerging Leader

Alumnus Danica Chin has been named a 2015 STEP Award Emerging Leader

SoE Hosts Student Candidates From Around The U.S.

SoE hosts its first domestic graduate student recruiting event

SoE Career Fairs Have Been A Hit – And There’s More To Come

UConn engineering career fairs are bringing in big numbers

Hundreds Compete in 10th Annual Science Bowl

The Science Bowl brought hundreds of high school competitors to match their science wits

QR Codes Engineered into Cybersecurity Protection

Using those little black and white boxes to improve national security

Alumni News

Mark Aramli ’97, Richard Fu ’06, Kimberly Better Thompson ’96, and Joseph A. Wolanski ’13 are all featured in this issue’s Alumni News

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Experts Talk Cybersecurity At CSI Panel Discussion

Donna Dodson of NIST was the featured speaker at CSI’s panel discussion on cybersecurity

Video: It’s National Engineers Week!

See what Engineering’s about at UConn

SoE, Congressman Working to Expand International Profile

Congressman Joe Courtney is working with SoE to elevate the School’s International profile

Four SoE Faculty Win NSF CAREER Awards

Four NSF CAREER awards in one year for SoE! Dongare, Wille, Vadas and Park receive the prestigious honor

Honors For Two CTI Staff Members

It was a big month for the Connecticut Transportation Institute

Faculty News

Ki Chon, Liisa Kuhn and Jinbo Bi all feature in this issue’s Faculty News

Three Engineering Faculty Members Named 2014 CASE Members

Drs. Shvartsman, Tehranipoor and Chon are SoE’s news CASE inductees

Student Entrepreneurship is on the Fast Track, University Leaders Say

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Consortium takes off

Researchers Explore the Potential of Ultra-High-Strength Concrete To Repair Bridges

How super concrete can make our bridges safer

Cheerleader Takes Time Out from Lab for Super Bowl

Alyssa Merkle, a biomedical engineering major, maintains a 3.8 GPA while cheering for the Patriots

Building the Next Generation of Efficient Computers

UConn’s Brian Huey is helping create low-energy, highly efficient, instant-on computers

Researchers Look At Engineering Education For ADHD Students

People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), studies suggest, are more creative and more willing to take risks. A team of researchers say it’s those traits that are exactly what the field of engineering needs, but the traditional model of teaching is driving away potential pioneers in the field.