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Category: Momentum
Remembering Charles Knapp, an Engineering Icon
Professor Emeritus Charles Harris Knapp, 86, passed away at home on Thanksgiving Day surrounded by his family and loving wife of 62 years, Charleen Gaudet Knapp. Over the course of his 40-year career at UConn, Dr. Knapp enriched and shaped the lives of innumerable students and inspired an imperishable legacy, The Charles H. Knapp Associate […]
UConn Grad Student Takes Home Gold at National Engineering Conference
A PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut has received the Materials Research Society’s (MRS) Gold Graduate Student Award for its fall 2017 meeting. “It’s a huge honor. MRS is an esteemed organization and this meeting is one of the biggest conferences in the world for researchers in the field,” Sypek said. “To even be […]
Brownfield Remediation gets Groundswell of Support from UConn
Connecticut’s municipalities are dotted by hundreds of brownfield sites with remnants of toxic chemicals and industrial waste from years of unregulated activity. Federal and state assistance is available for cleanup, but the expertise and resources for the intensive process to secure those funds are not. UConn’s new Connecticut Brownfields Initiative aims to bring much-needed […]
Philanthropist Peter J. Werth Commits $22.5 Million to Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The UConn Foundation has received a $22.5 million commitment from Peter J. Werth, ensuring a legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship for generations of students to come. “Peter’s transformative and historic commitment cements his legacy as a most generous friend to UConn,” said Josh Newton, President and CEO, UConn Foundation. “As a steadfast UConn supporter […]
UConn, faculty researcher issued patent for secure QR codes
UConn announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued the university and Board of Trustees Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bahram Javidi, PhD, a US patent for his technology, “Method and System for Verification and Authentication Using Optically Encoded QR Codes.” The original findings were published in IEEE Photonics Journal. Quick Response […]
Huey Named New Department Head of Materials Science and Engineering
The School of Engineering is pleased to announce that Dr. Bryan Huey has been promoted to department head of the Materials Science and Engineering Department, effective December 1, 2017. Dr. Huey will be taking over the role from Dr. S. Pamir Alpay, who has been department head since 2013. Huey is a professor of materials science and engineering, […]
For Professor McLaughlin, Annual Catapult/Trebuchet Competition Is Crucial to Students’ Futures
There are countless examples of simple tasks in life that have the perception of ease, but the appearance of simplicity is often merely a mirage. That mantra is one of the numerous themes of the annual catapult/trebuchet competitions that are run in ENGR 1000, the introductory class for School of Engineering undergraduate students. Taught […]
Emeriti and Retired Faculty Family Celebrate the Spirit of Thanksgiving
On Sunday, November 5, 2017, UConn Engineering emeriti and retired faculty family gathered for an annual luncheon at the UConn Foundation Board Room. Old friends and colleagues warmly greeted one another with hugs and handshakes, smiles and backslaps. This is a group of people for whom the university has been a significant aspect of their […]
Impressed by Engineering Students, Alum Establishes Scholarship
By: Grace Merritt, The UConn Foundation During a recent visit back to UConn’s School of Engineering, Russ St. John ’80 (ENGR) ’85 (MBA) met several remarkable students he supported with a scholarship donation. One in particular stood out. “I remember a young lady who said she wanted to help provide clean water in Latin America. […]
MSE’s Tyler Flanagan Discusses Nanomechanical Research
According to graduate student Tyler Flanagan, cold spray is more than just his current research topic, but an effective way to repair helicopter parts. These aluminum cold spray alloys shoot micrometer-sized particles over the speed of sound over a like material. During the impact with the substrate, it then sticks. Specifically, in his research Tyler […]
National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology Launched by Industry, Academia
Two of New England’s flagship universities and the United States Navy’s primary builder of submarines are at the helm of the new National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology. Located on the Connecticut coast, the new national institute was established to develop the personnel and knowledge to accelerate critical research and enhance U.S. dominance in submarine […]
Navy Using New UConn Software to Improve Navigation
Major research discoveries generate news headlines. But a research undertaking by one University of Connecticut engineering lab seeks to forestall some headlines of a different kind. The loss of life because of weather events, as happened on Oct. 1, 2015 when cargo ship El Faro sank with its 33-member crew in Hurricane Joaquin, is one […]
Researchers Discover Super-Elastic Shape-Memory Material
UConn materials science and engineering researcher Seok-Woo Lee and his colleagues have discovered super-elastic shape-memory properties in a material that could be applied for use as an actuator in the harshest of conditions, such as outer space, and might be the first in a whole new class of shape-memory materials. If you have ever had […]
UConn Hosts Inaugural Academic-Industry Symposium at the UConn Tech Park
Dozens of invited guests from state government and industry joined UConn administrators and faculty on Friday at the inaugural UConn Tech Park Symposium. The event served to celebrate the completion of the first phase of construction at the Innovation Partnership Building (IPB) and highlight the facility’s high-tech equipment and unique capabilities. Construction began on the […]
New 3-D Fabrication Technique Could Deliver Multiple Doses of Vaccine in One Shot
A new 3-D fabrication technique invented by a UConn engineering professor could provide a safe and convenient way to deliver multiple doses of a drug over an extended period of time with a single injection. Other 3-D printing techniques have been limited for such applications because they rely on printable inks that are potentially toxic […]
Explosive Research: Eliminating ‘What Ifs?’ in Space Travel
UConn researchers are adapting methods for studying forces in earthly structures for use in spacecraft. Civil and environmental engineering professor Richard Christenson and his research group, in partnership with Pioneer Aerospace, are using a cyber-physical test method to study the reaction forces involved in launching the parachutes that help spacecrafts land on distant planets. They hope […]
Honors Across Engineering
UConn Engineers receive a number of awards and accolades for the amazing work they perform. Here is a small selection of their acknowledgements.
UConn Commencement Ceremony A Tribute To Graduating Seniors
UConn Engineering’s Commencement Ceremonies honored our graduating seniors and honorary degree recipient J. Michael McQuade.
Two Engineering Faculty Members Receive New Award for Supporting Grad Students
The award recognizes faculty who help graduate students achieve a healthy work-life balance.
UConn Researcher Receives Second MURI Award
The research is aimed at understanding how insulators behave when exposed to high electric fields.
Senior Design Demonstration Day Highlights Undergraduate Research
Every year, engineering seniors spend the spring and fall semester at UConn designing senior projects, often working with industry partners.
Alumni News
Keep up with Engineering alumni! From across Connecticut to around the world, UConn Engineers are making their presence known.
Time Capsule Buried on the Grounds of the New Engineering and Science Building
The time capsule, which contains memorabilia from UConn Engineering and different technological innovations, will be opened in 100 years.
Four Engineering Faculty Receive Early Career Awards
Three of the awards are from the National Science Foundation and one is from the Office of Naval Research.
Academy of Distinguished Engineers Inductees for 2017
Each year, the School of Engineering honors exceptional engineering alumni and friends who have helped us in countless ways.
Successful Eurotech Program Prepares Global Engineers
The German language and engineering program is now serving as a model for new language-based, dual-major programs.
Size Matters for Drug Particles
An Engineering professor has uncovered new information about how particles behave in the bloodstream, which could lead to more effective cancer drugs.
Middle School Girls Multiply Their Options
A group of eighth grade girls recently came to UConn to explore STEM career at the Multiply Your Options conference.
Autonomous Vehicle Summit Brings UConn Officials, Experts Together
UConn researchers and leaders met with autonomous vehicle experts and highway specialists to discuss the future of driverless automobiles.
New Engineering and Science Building Nearing Completion
When UConn’s new Engineering and Science Building opens this fall, it will provide room for some of the university’s fastest growing research fields.
Alumni News
Stay up to date with UConn Engineering updates from around the country.
HackUConn 2017 Participants Create Allergy Solutions
More than 80 UConn Students came together at the hackathon to address problems associated with allergies and anaphylaxis.
Eurotech Prepares to Celebrate Twenty-Five Years, Expands to Other Languages
The Eurotech Program, which provides a degree in engineering and German, is preparing to expand to other cultures.
UConn Joins Hunt for New Materials
UConn researcher Rampi Ramprasad is working to identify new polymers as part of a new Toyota Research Institute $35 million initiative.
Taking the Wheel: The Rise of Self-Driving Cars
A UConn transportation safety engineer discusses the brave new world of driverless vehicles.
New UConn Startup Creates Faster, Cheaper Blood Test
A UConn startup could make the process of testing blood much more efficient with a handheld device that can give results in a matter of moments.
Accounting for Extreme Rainfall
A UConn scientist has confirmed that more intense rainstorms will likely continue as temperatures rise.
From Forest Labs to Rare Diseases: Philanthropic Grants Boost UConn’s Research Partnerships with Industries
Industry partnerships are funding researchers and grad students while leveraging UConn’s research capabilities like never before.
Honors Across Engineering
One engineering faculty member has been named a Distinguished Professor, and three others were recently inducted into CASE.
Alumni News
News and updates from UConn Alumni across the globe.
UConn Society of Women Engineers Hosts Regional Conference
The UConn Society of Women Engineers recently hosted a conference to help women advance in the STEM fields.
UConn Receives NSF Grant to Advance Soft Material Additive Manufacturing, Explores Partnerships
UConn was recently awarded an NSF grant to create a national research center that will expand the knowledge and use of soft material additive manufacturing.
UConn Receives NSF Award to Improve Power Grid Technology
UConn was recently awarded a National Science Foundation grant to create a new research center to develop advanced electrical power grid technologies.
For Caitlin Oswald ’09, it is Rocket Science
Can a girl help design jet engines? Caitlin Oswald, named one of the world’s most creative businesspeople by Fast Company’s magazine, answers that.
Engineering Senior Named Intern of the Year by the American Society for Engineering Education
Management and Engineering for Manufacturing senior Lindsey Gilson won the award at a recent American Society of Engineering Education conference.
To Speed Human Limb Growth UConn Joins Biomanufacturing Consortium
UConn has joined the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute to accelerate human limb growth by sharing its advanced human tissue and limb regeneration breakthrough technologies.
UConn Civil Engineering Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Video
The GAANN program supports grad students with strong academics and financial need. This GAANN is aimed at improving America’s infrastructure.
Engineering Grad Students Working To Improve Bridge Monitoring
A new company, created by a pair of UConn graduate students, is developing an innovative technique using sensors to monitor the performance of bridges.
Message To the Future: Items Needed for the Engineering Time Capsule
We’re putting a time capsule in a garden outside the new Engineering & Science Building and we’re looking for a few specific items.
UConn Professor Maria Chrysochoou Discusses Brownfield Site Rehabilitation
UConn Associate Professor Maria Chrysochoou discusses how UConn students can help Connecticut towns rehabilitate old industrial sites.
New Mechanical Engineering Head
The mechanical engineering department has welcomed Professor Horea Ilies as its new department head.
Alumni News
Keep up with Engineering news from around the globe!
UConn Named to Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute
The initiative aims to increase small manufacturers’ use of robots by 500 percent. UConn researchers will focus on aerospace & shipbuilding robots.
Remembering Dr. Michael Howard
Dr. G. Michael Howard, 81, professor emeritus of chemical engineering, passed away on December 21, 2016.
New Material Promises Benefits to Deep Space Travel
A UConn researcher has developed a new shape memory material that can help send unmanned probes to distant star systems.
An Engineering Alumnus’ Journey From an Internment Camp to UConn
Engineering Alumnus Satoshi Oishi was forced into an internment camp as a teen during World War II, and later excelled at UConn.
New Monitor Can Detect Early Signs of Heart Disease
UConn biomedical engineering researchers are developing new heart monitors to improve early detection of an irregular heartbeat.
UConn Alumus Tells High School Students About His Engineering Journey
UConn Engineering alum Doug Shidler took part in a UConn recruiting event at North Haven High School.
UConn High Performance Computing with Dell EMC and Intel
UConn has partnered with Dell EMC and Intel to create a high performance computing cluster that students and faculty can use in their research.
Update on the New Engineering and Science Building
An update on the continued construction of the new Engineering and Science Building. The building will feature five stories of state-of-the-art lab space.
Tackling the Science of Disaster
Just weeks before the Nov. 22 earthquake in Japan, UConn faculty and students from three different departments visited the country to explore the potential to create new opportunities for international research in disaster science.
Alumni News
Keep up with the latest UConn Engineering alumni news from around the globe.
Welcome to UConn Nation
Belonging to UConn Nation means pursuing your passions through academics, research, service, clubs, athletics, and so much more. Being a Husky is being part of a community like no other, building lifelong friendships, chasing the future of your dreams, and changing the world with support from your University and UConn Nation worldwide.
Summer Vacation: Engines, Additive Manufacturing and Patents
Anthony Pizzola, a UConn Engineering junior, talks about his summer internship with Pratt & Whitney.
UTC Aerospace Systems Internship Experience – Kyle Palmer & William Hale
Two UConn Engineering graduate students reflect on their internship at UTC Aerospace Systems.
Bend, Flow, Build: the Broad World of Nanotech and 3D Printing
As a rheologist, Dr Anson Ma has spent years studying the microstructure and flow behavior of matter, and he finds the most pleasure in seeing his work culminate in something that benefits people.
A Promise Fulfilled: the Story of the Stern Family
A UConn Alum honored her parents by making a scholarship for women engineers.
Electronic Voting and the Risk of Cyberattacks
Professor Alexander Schwarzmann discussed voting cyber-security issues before the November 8 elections.
Engineering Celebrates 100 Years With Gadget Guru Gala
Over 350 guests took part in the Gadget Guru Gala on November 11, celebrating 100 years of UConn Engineering.
UConn Engineering Was Top Choice for Navy Veteran
Veteran and current UConn student Thomas Underwood explains why he turned to the School of Engineering after six years of service.
ANSYS Offers Free Training for Engineering Students
ANSYS recently hosted a training seminar for their simulation software at UConn.
Silent Auction To Benefit Student Scholarships
The Gadget Guru Gala Silent Auction is running now, with a variety of unique experiences and good deals!
Alumni News
Alumni updates from around the country for the month of October.
Eversource Energy Center Celebrates First Year
The Eversource Energy Center highlighted its first year by showcasing the impressive research the center does to make the power grid more reliable.
Engineering Students Help Grant A Wish
UConn Engineering students helped Make-A-Wish Connecticut create a miniature Fenway Park for a Windsor kid facing a difficult disease.
UConn Engineering Reaches Out To High School Students With Second Annual Women In Engineering Day
The second annual Women in Engineering Day encouraged young women to explore STEM careers.
Cybersecurity Experts Come To UConn For CyberSEED
Cybersecurity experts from across the country journeyed to UConn for the third CyberSEED conference and competition.
UConn Establishes Synchrony Financial Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity
Stamford-based Synchrony Financial Pledges $2.2 million in philanthropic support across multiple programs.
UConn a Leader in Closing the Engineering Gender Gap
A recent report in The Washington Post says UConn saw the largest five-year gain in female engineering graduates among 90 public institutions nationally.
NSF Awards $3.5M to Support Diversity in STEM
Under UConn leadership, a higher education alliance dedicated to expanding diversity in the STEM fields recently received a grant of $3.5 million to increase its efforts.
When Push Comes to Shove: Size Matters for Particles in Bloodstream
A UConn Engineer’s study of particles in the bloodstream may help develop more effective cancer drugs.
New UConn Center Will Give Connecticut Manufacturers Access to Modeling Technology
UConn’s new Connecticut Manufacturing Simulation Center will share computer modeling expertise with small and medium-sized Connecticut manufacturers.
UConn Scientists Find Material’s Defects Improve Solar Cell Performance
Using a novel mapping technique developed at UConn, researchers have discovered new conductive properties in cadmium telluride.
Engineering Ambassadors Bring Applied Science To Classrooms
The University of Connecticut branch of Engineering Ambassadors reaches out to middle schools and high schools in the Connecticut area, giving presentations on how their current school subjects (Algebra, Physics, Chemistry, etc.) are being applied in the real world. The Ambassadors work to inspire the next generation of engineers.
2017 Academy of Distinguished Engineers Nominations
Every year, University of Connecticut Academy of Distinguished Engineers inducts a new class of remarkable engineers. This year
Video Profile: Stephanie Knowlton, BME Graduate Student Researcher
Stephanie Knowlton’s PH.D. research uses 3D printing to solve real world problems. One of her devices uses magnets to separate cells for diagnostic purposes.
NextGen Hall: Video Tour of UConn’s New Residence Hall
The Next Generation Connecticut Hall is a new multi-story, 727-bed dormitory complex that will house eight Living & Learning Communities, and will include community gathering places, seminar rooms, and a ‘maker space’ to encourage innovation across disciplines.
Award Scholarship Dinner Highlights the Impact Of Giving
The recent Engineering Award Scholarship Dinner emphasized how scholarships benefit students, as well as the impressive impact engineering can have on the planet.
Awards and Honors Around Engineering
UConn Engineers receive a number of awards; here’s a selection of honors our faculty and students recently received.
Alumni News
Keep up with the latest UConn Engineering Alumni news from around the globe.
New Grant Will Support Biomedical Engineering Graduate Students
The University of Connecticut’s School of Engineering has secured a highly selective federal grant to attract graduate students who will specialize in medical devices for public health. The U.S. Department of Education recently notified the biomedical engineering department that it will receive a three-year grant totaling $879,000 as part of the Graduate Assistance in Areas […]
UConn Innovation Fund Accepting Applications
The new UConn Innovation fund is accepting applications to provide early-stage financial support to new businesses affiliated with UConn.
Three Engineering Faculty Selected For Prestigious Symposium
Three UConn faculty have been selected to take part in the National Academy of Engineering’s Frontiers of Engineering Education symposium.
UConn Leaders Meet With Department Of Energy, Discuss Smart Manufacturing
UConn leadership recently met with the Department of Energy to discuss the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute.
NextGen Hall Welcomes First Students
The new NextGen Hall, which is over 50 percent engineering students, opened August 24 with a visit from Gov. Dannel Malloy.
Hands On Experience A Benefit To Stem Teachers
STEM teachers from secondary schools and community colleges worked on research projects at UConn this summer, an experience that they will take back to their classes.
New Partnership Brings High End Research Equipment to UConn
Anton Paar is providing UConn with a new high-end rheometer.
A Centennial Look Back: James D. Bowen
As we celebrate 100 years of engineering at UConn, we’d like to share the stories of alumni who have made the school great.
Quiet Corner Innovation Cluster Announces First Partner
the QCIC announced Loos & Co., Inc. as its first partner recently.
Keeping Connecticut’s Bridges Strong
The state’s bridges will benefit from a new repair method developed at UConn using ultra-high performance concrete.
Alumni News: August, 2016
Keep up with the latest UConn Engineering news from around the globe.
Novel Smart Materials Inspired by Sea Creatures
A suite of new materials developed in the lab of UConn researcher Luyi Sun can change their appearance and quickly revert to their original state, just like the squid and jellyfish that inspired them.
UConn Marks Construction Milestone for New Engineering Complex
UConn Engineering celebrated completion of the structural phase of the new Engineering & Science Building on July 21.
Framing UConn’s Future: Tech Park
The executive director of the UConn Tech Park, Radenka Maric, recently discussed the new building and what it means for the University and the state of Connecticut.
UConn Joins National Smart Manufacturing Initiative
UConn has been named part of a new national coalition to coordinate research and development in smart manufacturing and energy efficiency, and will play a leading role in those efforts in Connecticut.
Support a Senior Design Project
UConn Engineering is looking for industry partners to sponsor Senior Design Projects for the coming school year.
Materials Science And Engineering Updates
Learn about what’s happening in the materials science and engineering department!
Honors Around Engineering
Our students and faculty receive a number of awards and honors; here’s a sample of some of their achievements.
UConn Engineering Commencement Video 2016
On Saturday May 7, 2016, over 570 students graduated from UConn Engineering. This year’s celebration was marked by the School of Engineering’s centennial year.
Engineering Alum’s Gift To Help Keep UConn Safe
An electrical engineering alum is donating an intelligent gunshot detection to UConn.
Alumni News
An update on our Engineering Alums from around the country.
Black Hats, Cyber Bots, Zombies, And You
the Comcast Center of Excellence for Security Innovation and other cyber-security labs at UConn are beating computer hackers at their own game.
Student Perspective: Q&A With Vincent Turnier
Engineering freshman Vincent Turnier discusses his path to UConn and his impressions so far.
Engineering Design Competition Offers Messy Fun For High Schoolers
Students from nine high schools were on UConn’s campus May 25 for the 6th Annual GK-12 Engineering Design Competition.
Innovation Partnership Building Marks Construction Milestone
UConn officials and others celebrated the completion of the structural phase of UConn’s new Innovation Partnership Building in Storrs.
White House Honors Dr. Cato Laurencin with National Medal of Technology and Innovation
UConn’s Dr. Cato Laurencin was honored on May 19 at the White House by President Barack Obama with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
New Partnership to Bring Innovative Storm Outage Prediction Technology to Utilities
UConn, Eversource Energy and Schneider Electric are combining storm outage prediction technology to create one, more precise and accurate model.
Stephanie Bendtsen’s Research for Regeneration
Stephanie Bendtsen is a Ph.D. candidate in materials science working with innovative biomaterials.
Senior Design Demonstration Day
Every year, engineering seniors spend the spring and fall semester at UConn designing senior projects, often working with industry partners. The 2016 version featured 160 teams filling Gampel Pavilion.
Alumni Reunion and Reception Sees Record Turnout
The All Alumni Reunion and Reception packed Rome ballroom with 600 engineering alums and friends.
Images Around Engineering
A look at images from engineering’s past, as well as events around the school.
“It Gave Me Courage” – Tina Lewis on UConn Engineering
Tina Lewis (Electrical Engineering, ’55), one of the first two women to earn a degree from UConn Engineering, talked about what her degree meant to her, the connections it gave her and the course her life has taken because of UConn Engineering.
Preparing to Face a Hurricane
Connecticut’s hurricane preparedness could be organized in a more systematic and efficient manner, thanks to the combined efforts of UConn faculty, the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), and a graduate student with a passion for mitigating the damage of the storms.
McNair Scholar Pursues Path to STEM Success
Ornella Tempo is among the first students to become a McNair Scholar at UConn, and she represent exactly the type of individuals the program is designed to attract.
2016 Academy of Distinguished Engineers Inductees
Each year, the School of Engineering honors exceptional engineering alumni and friends who have helped us in countless ways.
Engineering Student named Goldwater Scholar
Cameron Flower, an engineering junior, is one of two Goldwater Scholars at UConn this year.
Are U.S. States Prepared to Manage Water in a Changing Climate?
UConn Assistant Professor Christine Kirchhoff studied water allocation and planning in five states.
Steel Bridge Club Headed To National Competition
The UConn Steel Bridge Club recently placed second in the American Society of Civil Engineers New England Regional Student Steel Bridge Competition. Because of that second place finish, they’ll be traveling to the national competition at Brigham Young University on May 27 and 28.
Distracted Driving a Crash Test in Behavior Modification
UConn expert says the majority of car crashes are caused by human error. She hopes her research will ultimately help modify drivers’ risk-taking behavior.
Senior Design Demonstration Day Preview
Every year, engineering seniors spend the spring and fall semester at UConn designing senior projects, often working with industry partners. A partner will provide an engineering problem for a group of students with a particular interest to work on. Over 170 teams of seniors will present their work on April 29 at Gampel Pavilion- visitors are welcome to attend!
Engineering Events and Student Awards
events from around engineering and accolades for our students.
Alumni News
An update on our Engineering Alums from around the country.
Engineering Centennial Events on Friday, April 29th
Join us for our Alumni Reunion & Engineering Reception April 29!
Professor Cato T. Laurencin to Receive 2016 Connecticut Medal of Technology
Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, a world-renowned physician-scientist in orthopaedic surgery, engineering, and materials science, has been named the 2016 recipient of the Connecticut Medal of Technology.
A Q and A with MSE Ph.D. Candidate Cain Hung
Material science and engineering Cain Hung analyzes additively manufactured aluminum alloys and the microstructure of 3-D printed parts. he answered a few questions.
UConn Engineers Without Borders Assessment Video for 2015
The UConn Engineers Without Borders team shared this video of their recent Ethiopian trip.
UConn Researchers Say Super-Strong Concrete Could Be a Fix for Nation’s Bridge Problems
Standing in a laboratory packed with various scientific instruments, University of Connecticut engineering professor Arash Zaghi gestured to three steel beams, modest in appearance where they sit under the large and brightly-painted hydraulic-powered machine capable of applying weights of up to 275 tons.
UConn Led Travel Survey will give state decision makers updated information
A new travel study being conducted by UConn faculty will provide data for the state travel model, updating decades-old information.
Helping Hand: Student Designs Prosthetic Limb
Undergraduate Stephen Hawes used an IDEA grant to design a low-cost customizable prosthetic hand, using 3-D printing and open source software.
Questions And Answers with UConn Alum Dipayan Ghosh
UConn Alum Dipayan Ghosh discusses working at Facebook and privacy on the internet. He’ll be giving a talk on campus April 11.
Recent Faculty Honors
UConn Engineering faculty receive a variety of honors; here are some of the recent highlights.
Engineering Centennial Update
Our Centennial Celebration continues- here’s a rundown of some upcoming events.
Engineering Around Campus
UConn Engineering hosts a variety of events; here are a few of the highlights around campus.
Update On The New Engineering And Science Building
Update on the construction of the new Engineering and Science Building.
Alumni News
An update on Alumni news and activities.
Boosting Business in the ‘Quiet Corner’
UConn is creating a center to connect small and medium-sized technology and manufacturing businesses in Eastern Connecticut with the University’s resources and outside partners.
Top UConn Interns Are Engineering Students
The top two UConn undergraduate interns from 2015 are both from the school of engineering.
Building a Better Mousetrap, From the Atoms Up
The Ramprasad Lab is employing machine learning to design new materials without having to pre-test each one.
UTAS Announces UConn Center For Advanced Materials
UTC Aerospace Systems has announced a materials engineering Center of Excellence opening for collaboration with UConn.
UConn professors Show Link Between More Parking Lots and Increased Driving
two UConn professors explore the link between parking and traffic congestion.
A Grateful Message To An Anonymous Donor
An anonymous donor has given UConn Engineering a very generous gift.
Engineering Centennial Update
Join us for the all alumni reception on April 29!
What’s at Stake for Apple in iPhone Legal Case
UConn Professor and Comcast Center co-director Laurent Michel discusses cyber security and the IPhone case.
Researchers Develop New Sensor to Detect Deadly Chemicals
A team of researchers at UConn, in collaboration with a Chongqing University professor, has developed a sensitive and affordable sensor that can detect organophosphates, which are used in pesticides and chemical weapons.
Video of the Petit Family Foundation Gift
The Petit Family Foundation generously supported a UConn program that allows middle school girls to interact with undergraduate women and young professionals in STEM careers.
Stanley Black & Decker donates to School of Engineering’s Bridge Program
Gift Gives Academic Support to Low-Income UConn Engineering Students.
Glastonbury Eighth Graders Pour It On During Concrete Day At UConn
Eighth-graders from Glastonbury spent a day exploring concrete engineering at UConn’s Storrs campus on February 2, 2016.
Improving the Water Supply in a Drought-Stricken Village
Three UConn engineering students are working in partnership with a village in Ethiopia to help improve the water supply.
Alumni News
Alumni News Bruce R. Donnelly, Ph.D. (B.S. Civil Engineering, ’71) is the winner of the SAE International Arnold W. Siegel International Transportation Safety Award recognizing individuals whose accomplishments include outstanding international research, innovation and contributions to crash injury protection, crash injury biomechanics and crash injury design. With over 40 years of collision and injury analysis […]
Petit Family Foundation Supports Girls In STEM Conference
The Petit Family Foundation – dedicated to promoting STEM careers for young women – is helping eighth-grade girls learn from role models – top female UConn Engineering students and practicing engineers. Its $11,000 gift brings together girls with an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM fields) with women who can help them […]
Bringing Crash Reporting Into The 21st century
Connecticut is in the middle of a quiet revolution in the way it handles data from traffic crashes around the state, and UConn is at the forefront of the transition.
The Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC), part of the Connecticut Transportation Institute, has spent the past two years working in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) in the development of an award-winning system for storing and analyzing Connecticut’s crash data.
UConn Becomes Founding Member of Flexible Electronics Institute
UConn has become a founding member of Nextflex, a flexible electronics manufacturing research institute that will spur national development in this emerging field. UConn will host a Nextflex Industry Workshop on February 18, 2016 to introduce Connecticut companies to the institute’s activities. Flexible electronics refers to a new generation of bendable and wearable electronic sensors […]
Centennial Celebration and Upcoming Events
One hundred years ago, UConn first offered a four-year engineering degree program. Now we’re celebrating the impressive strides we’ve made in that century. We have grown from a small program designed to support agriculture to a cutting edge school with exceptional academics and advanced facilities, UConn Engineering has had an outstanding journey. UConn has played an important part in engineering the present and crafting the future, from fighter planes and submarines used in World War II to state-of-the-art flexible sensors.
Using Advanced Chemistry to Combat Climate Change
The landmark Paris climate change agreement has put renewed focus on the need for advanced technologies to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world.
At UConn, William Mustain, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is exploring new ways of capturing carbon dioxide emissions from coal- and natural gas-fired power plants that, if realized, would be a dramatic improvement over current methods.
The Many Opportunities For An MSE Undergrad
Undergraduate Amy Hernandez is in her final year at UConn, but she knows her Material Science and Engineering (MSE) education has provided her with a bright future head. “Material science and engineering is diverse and empowering; it is how we will adapt for the future and create novel technologies and improvements,” Amy said.
In Memoriam: Carroll Osborne Bennett. April 1, 1921 – Jan. 9, 2016
Carroll Osborne “C.O.” Bennett, A UConn Engineering professor for 23 years who coauthored one of the fundamental texts of chemical engineering, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease on Jan. 9, 2016 at Paris, France.
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.
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 […]
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
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
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.
Of Interest to Entrepreneurial Engineers: Advice on Patents
UConn is sponsoring a daylong event on patents, innovations and how to grow your company.
Grad Student Spotlight: Erik Carboni
Erick Carboni, PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering, works on improving drug delivery
From the SoE Archives: Pioneering ME Prof. John N. Fitts
Yes, we’re “engineering the future,” but we also occasionally look back
UConn SoE In The News
UConn Engineering faculty, alumni and students all made the news
Alumni News
The Anthony W. DeSio and Delores J. DeSio Foundation has given the Computer Science Engineering funding for a new scholarship.
Faculty News
Dr. S. Pamir Alpay and Dr. Laurent Michel in the news
Ask the Engineers: Goals For 2015
You have questions, engineers have answers
New Scholarship for Center for Energy Innovation
Gift from German company helps UConn explore new avenues in clean energy.
Video: Engineering Week Preview
Engineering Week is on the way. This video tells you what to expect.
Ask the Engineers
Got a question for the engineers? Ask away!
VIDEO: See What’s Happening Here at the SoE!
An eye-catching video of the innovations and fun that happen here at SoE
Now Hear This! UConn Has a New Entrepreneurship and Innovation Consortium
Continuing its commitment to fostering new businesses, the University of Connecticut has established the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Consortium. It’s a collaborative initiative of the Schools of Engineering and Business, Office of the Provost, and Office of the Vice President for Research.
New Human Rights Minor Explores the Social Impact of Engineering
New track of courses for human rights minor explores social impacts of engineering
Student News
MSE seniors prove their geodesic bona fides, and CBE undergrads take top honors at AIChE’s poster competition
From the SoE Archives: Happy Dodranscentennial, Castleman Building!
“Engineering the Future” is the motto here, but it’s always a good idea to occasionally look back.
Energy and Environment Commissioner Visits C2E2
Robert Klee, commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), visited UConn’s Center for Clean Energy Engineering
Alumni News
Catch up with Craig W. Burdick ’01, Anthony M. Cavallaro ’11, Karl F. Frey ’83, Joel A. Henry ’06 and ’14 and Joel W. Long ’98 in this issue’s Alumni News!
Back on Earth, and Back on Campus: Astronaut Rick Mastracchio Talks About Life in Space
Astronaut and UConn alum Rick Mastracchio was on campus Tuesday to talk about his career and the particulars of everyday life on the Space Station.
Local Engineering Firm Launches Scholarship Initiative
Engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill launches a scholarship
UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering Celebrates Its First Year
UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering (UTC IASE) marked its one-year anniversary with an all-day conference featuring speakers and panel discussions
Eight Questions With: Joseph M. Kostoss (B.S., M.S. Mechanical Engineering, ’64, ‘65)
We talk to alumnus Joe Kostoss about how he got into engineering and working in South Korea.
The Sounds of Innovation: How UConn Research Is Resurrecting Antique Musical Instruments
An engineering, medical director and art historian team up to explore (what else?) the makeup of 18th- and 19th-century musical instruments.
New Collaboration to Create World-Class Microscopy Center
UConn and FEI Co. have signed an agreement to develop a cutting-edge center for microscopy and materials science research
Bioinformatics Researchers Develop Personalized Vaccines to Treat Cancer Patients Nov. 10
Ion Mandoio of the CSE Is a co-PI for research with the potential to dramatically change how we treat cancer in the future.
Kevin McLaughlin Wins Provost Award
Kevin McLaughlin received a 2014 Provost Award for Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship
Dr. Ma and Artificial Kidney Covered on TV News
Dr. Anson Ma spoke to WTNH recently about his and his students’ work on creating an artificial kidney using 3D printing
Student News
MRS at Brookhaven, students win EPA grant and ECE Team wins IEEE Contest
Faculty News
Jeffrey McCutcheon, Yongku Cho win awards.
Second Industry Open House Brings Academia and Industry Together
The second annual Industry Open House took place this month and brought together Engineering faculty and industry leaders to discuss future collaborations.
Alumni News
John Krenicki, Wade Moore and Manuel A. Santos all make this issue’s Alumni News
Cybersecurity Contest Challenges Teams to Think Like a Hacker
Computer hackers descended upon UConn this past week, and for their efforts, came away with more than $100,000 in prize money.
First CyberSEED Event Combines Cybersecurity Competition and Discussion
More than 350 people attended the CyberSEED Cybersecurity, Education & Diversity Challenge, which combined expert talks and competitions
CyberSEED in the Media and Social Media
CyberSEED in the media
SoE Taking Nominations for the Academy of Distinguished Engineers
The School of Engineering is beginning the selection process for 2015 inductees to the Academy of Distinguished Engineers, the 32nd year the School has presented these awards Since 1983 the School has paid special tribute to exceptionally distinguished alumni whose career achievements are of an enduring seminal nature, and dedicated individuals who have made dramatic and enduring contributions to our School. The […]
UConn, Ethiopia Working Together To Solve Water Problems
When UConn formed a partnership with five Ethiopian universities, the goal was to develop new ideas to alleviate the serious water-related problems in that country. Just a few years later, those ideas are already forthcoming. At the Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources (EIWR) – a centerpiece of the UConn-Ethiopia partnership – one student’s final paper stood […]
Seminar Where Interpersonal Skills Are The Curriculum
We cordially invite you to participate in a very popular seminar and reception aimed at improving our future engineers’ professional, interpersonal and social skills.
GE Fellows Tour Facility, Hear About Life After School
The nine GE Fellows who toured the Plainville General Electric facility last week got a chance to see the concepts they study put into action.
CyberSEED: Two-Day Event Puts Cybersecurity On National Stage
The University of Connecticut, home to the nation’s foremost center on hardware security, and the Comcast Center of Excellence for Security Innovation (CSI) are sponsoring the first-ever CyberSEED Cybersecurity, Education & Diversity Challenge October 20-21, 2014. The CyberSEED conference brings together top information security professionals and business leaders to discuss emerging cybersecurity trends and formulate best […]
Alumni News
Keep up with the latest news on SoE Alumni!
UTC IASE Celebrates Its First Year
A hub for world-class research and project-based learning, the UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering Institute celebrates its first anniversary.
Second Annual Industry Open House Takes Place Nov. 5
The second annual Industry Open House – featuring “speed-dating” meetings between Engineering faculty and industry leaders – takes place Nov. 5.
Cato Laurencin Receives NIH Pioneer Award
Renowned surgeon-scientist Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, a , has won a National Institutes of Health Pioneer Award for his exceptionally creative research in regenerative engineering.
Huskies Forever Reunion Breakfast with Dean Kazem Kazerounian
Alumni: Come to the special breakfast during Huskies Forever Weekend and eat with Dean Kazerounian
Sandy Crosthwaite Retires After 22 Years
After 22 years of keeping the School of Engineering’s finances on track, Sandy Crosthwaite retired Sept. 25.
Student News
Awards from IEEE and CIE, and a UNCF/Merck Graduate Fellowship
Students, Sponsors Meet At Scholarship Awards Ceremony
Students met with their sponsors at the School of Engineering’s recent annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony.
Students, Faculty Learn the Benefits Of New ANSYS Software Partnership
UConn and simulation software giant ANSYS strike up a partnership that benefits students and industry.
University-Industry Partnerships Discussed at Aerospace & Defense International Trade Summit
UConn’s many collaborations with industry were discussed at the recent Aerospace & Defense International Trade Summit
Jay Leno Zips Around In UConn Formula SAE Car
Late-night comedian and car enthusiast Jay Leno took to the campus roads in a car built by UConn Engineering students.
Alumni News
John W. Braccio ’82, Jacob “Jake” Friedman ’02, Udayarka Karra ’14, Matthew F. Tellier ’93 are all featured in this issue of Alumni News
Eight Questions With: Rich Twilley ’96 & ’04
Rich Twilley, ’96 & ’04, talks with Heidi Douglas in this issue’s “Eight Questions With…”
Faculty News
An IEEE award, a grant from the Hubbell Foundation and a short-term professor appointment
Joule Fellows Take Lab Lessons Back To The Classroom
UConn’s Joule Fellows – teachers from CT high schools – will take sophisticated engineering lessons back to their students.
Alumnus Govindan Giving Back To UConn
Sharavan Govindan’s sees his financial gift as a friendly challenge to his fellow alumni.
Older Cities May Be Good for Your Health
UConn researcher finds that older cities are compact and good for walking, and therefore, your health.
Alumni News
Catch up with alumni who are making news and spearheading innovation
Center for Energy Innovation Marks Its First Year
CEI progresses steadily toward its goal of advancing technologies related to energy storage and fuel cells.
Faculty News
Funding for new breast cancer technology and underwater monitoring and a study on the discovery of a new material.
Making Sense of Big Data: Project To Draw Insights From Genome
UConn’s Sanguthevar Rajasekaran is part of a research team developing ways to make sense of biological big data.
UConn’s Engineering Entrepreneurs Making Progress
An improved heart valve and a machine customized water are among UConn innovations.
Marten van Dijk Part of a Team of Researchers Securing Cloud Computing
Marten van Dijk (ECE) and other researchers working on security problems in cloud computing.
Martha Poulter, ’88, Named Starwood Exec
Martha Poulter, ’88, becomes VP and information officer for hotel chain
UConn Receives Gift for Global Energy Sustainability Program
A recent gift from the Satell Family Foundation will support UConn’s new research partnership in sustainable energy with Technion–Israel Institute of Technology.
Alumni News
Catch up with Craig W. Ashmore ’85, William L. D’Agostino ’84, Bernard “Bernie” E. Gracy, Jr. ’85, Monica T. Mohtasham ’04 and Yingli Wen ’93 in this issue’s Alumni News.
Dr. Radenka Maric and Dr. Mark Aindow Get Fuel Cell Funding
The researchers are part of a major effort to bring down the costs of low-temperature fuel cells.
Appointments and Re-Appointments
The School of Engineering appoints two new department and re-appoints three other department heads.
Eight Questions With: Roland A. Boucher ’54
He developed the first solar-powered aircraft. He could fly before he could drive. He brewed his own beer before he could legally drink. Meet the remarkable Roland A. Boucher ’54.
Faculty News
Dr. Cato T. Laurencin named, and ACS Fellow, Rainer Hebert awarded contract and other faculty news.
UCONN SoE, ANSYS Forge Partnership With Software
Students at UConn’s School of Engineering will now have access to valuable ANSYS engineering software, thanks to a new partnership.
Student News
Ari Fischer ’15 is named a UDall Scholar and UConn races to a respectable finish in Michigan in this week’s student news.
Emeritus Professor of Engineering Marty Fox Passes Away
Emeritus Professor of Engineering Marty Fox Dies
Graduate Student Spotlight: Sapna Gupta
Sapna Gupta has achieved impressive feats that demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and innovative thinking.
School of Engineering in the News
The UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering, a sewer plant internship, and two “40 Under 40” items all make the news.
School of Engineering Establishing Alumni Legacy Society
The UConn School of Engineering is pleased to announce the inception of the Engineering Alumni Legacy Society.
UConn Incubator Company Receives $5.5 Million for Research
Amastan LLC, a company in UConn’s Technology Incubator Program (TIP), has secured a $5.5 million investment in support of its ongoing development of high-end plasma technologies for the production and processing of nanomaterials.
NSF Bridge to the Doctorate Program Renewed
For the second time, UConn has received NSF funding for the LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) program, which fellowships for underrepresented students pursuing Ph.D.s in STEM disciplines.
Student News
UConn’s concrete canoeists compete and Richard Pérez Moyet receives a fellowship
Zengmin Xia Named Woman of Innovation by the Connecticut Technology Council
For her work on the development of novel biomaterials for tissue repair and regeneration, the Connecticut Technology Council honors Zengmin Xia.
UConn Students to Help Build Time Capsule to Mars
UConn students majoring in materials science and engineering work on Mars time capsule.
Omer Khan Part Of Team Designing Faster Computer Chip
Omer Khan (ECE) is part of a team of researchers designing a faster and more efficient chip.
An Autonomous Quadcopter – Now There’s an IDEA!
With his IDEA grant, Rosse Gates ’16 (ENG) builds an autonomously controlled quadcopter – a helicopter powered by four rotors
GK-12 Program Utilizes Skills of Graduate Students at Engineering Design Challenge
Building a boat and proving its sea-worthiness was the latest challenge for students in the 2014 Engineering Design Challenge.
Work to Start Soon on New Engineering Complex
A busy site in the center of UConn’s flagship campus will be transformed in coming years, as the University moves forward with a project to build a state-of-the-art Engineering & Science Building.
Rohan Freeman Creates Scholarship For Minority Students In Engineering
Alumnus Rohan Freeman hopes to bolster minority representation in engineering with a new scholarship.
Alumni News
Robert R. Banning ’11, Anne Bartosewicz-Mele ’81, Richard P. Broderick ’81, John J. Legato ’86, Thomas W. Prete ’85 and Glenn T. Selby ’03 are all featured in this issue’s Alumni News
UConn Engineering Honors Fifteen
During a gala event on May 1st at the Storrs campus, the School of Engineering honored 15 exceptional alumni as 2014 inductees into the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers.
Human Rights Institute and Engineering Team to Offer Human Rights Minor
The impact of engineering policy and practice on individuals and societies has often been overlooked in engineering education. Yet, engineering technologies and applications — from the extraction and processing of natural resources and manufacture of high-tech electronics to chemical processing and pollution remediation — affect the health, culture, opportunities and well-being of humans in often profound ways.
A Commencement Speech from Space
It’s not unusual for commencement speakers to share their unique perspective on life with members of a graduating class.
CHASE Collaboration With Comcast Announced At National Conference
The announcement of a collaborative effort with Comcast and a workshop that brought together experts on cybersecurity made April a busy month for the Center for Hardware Assurance, Security and Engineering. The workshop, which took place April 9 and April 10, included talks on various security matters, including innovative technologies for hardware security, Trojan detection and prevention […]
UConn Researchers Go Beneath The Arctic Polar Cap
UConn’s UnderWater Sensor Network (UWSN) Lab is developing a wireless system to collect data under the rapidly melting Arctic polar cap. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation with a grant for $833,520.
Faculty News
Awards for Syam Nukavarapu and Barry Carter, a state appointment for Nicholas Lownes and the newest CASE Academy inductees
Alumni News
Career changes, honors and more news from UConn alumni
Student News
In Student News: Grads hear the importance of humanity in engineering; an honor for an underwater acoustician; and note-taking assistance for disabled students.
UConn and CL&P Team To Better Predict Storm Damage
New damage prediction modeling technology developed by a team of UConn environmental engineers is now able to provide CL&P customized information in advance of a storm to allow the company to better plan and prepare.
UConn to Co-Host Electric Boat Event
UConn will co-host General Dynamics Electric Boat’s “potential supplier summit” in June. The event, which takes place June 16 at the Avery Point campus, will allow suppliers to learn more about opportunities to work within the Electric Boat Supply chain. Small and mid-sized manufacturers will have an opportunity to learn about EB’s current needs, understand […]
MURI Grant To Improve the Security of Nanoscale Computer Devices
By Colin Poitras (UConn Today) The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a $7.5 million grant to the University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, and Rice University to support research that will analyze and upgrade security protections for nanoscale computer hardware. UConn’s Center for Hardware Assurance, Security, and Engineering (CHASE), a national leader in computer […]
Joule Fellows Program Receives NSF Grant For RET Program
The Joule Fellows Program has received a National Science Foundation grant of $496,129 to develop a project designed to enhance engineering teaching in Connecticut high schools and, ultimately, address the ongoing decline in the number of U.S. citizens training to become engineers. For the project, entitled “RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: The Joule Fellows: Teachers in Sustainable Technologies […]
MSE Professor Cato T. Laurencin Elected 2014 MRS Fellow
By Giorgina Paiella Congratulations to Dr. Cato Laurencin, who was recently selected as a Fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS). The Materials Research Society is an organization comprised of materials researchers from academia, government, and industry. This global community of researchers aims to advance materials research worldwide through vibrant and diverse membership, collaboration among […]
$500K NSF Grant Awarded to Dr. Bing Wang, UConn Health Center
Dr. Bing Wang, an associate professor of Computer Science & Engineering, was awarded a grant for close to $500,000 for her project proposed to the National Science Foundation.
Faculty News
With NSF funding, the UnderWater Sensor Network Lab is developing a network in the Arctic, with colleagues from the University of Delaware who are interested in sea ice changes and ocean acoustics.
Faculty Spotlight: Prof. Kristina Wagstrom
Prof. Kristina Wagstrom, through work in her Computational Atmospheric Chemistry and Exposure Lab, strives to improve the science and functionality of computational approaches in air pollution.
Dipayan Ghosh: From UConn to the White House
This semester, Dipayan Ghosh (B.S. Electrical Engineering ’10) is interning at the White House, where he’s working on technology policy issues in the Executive Office of the President.
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.
Alumni Invited to Tour Senior Design Day Exhibition on May 2nd
Do you remember your senior-year engineering project? Chances are, if you graduated ten or more years ago, today’s Senior Design, a two-semester course where student project teams solve real-life engineering problems for industry and government sponsors, is a far cry from your experience.
Multiply Your Options” Conference Immerses Middle School Girls In Science, Engineering
Multiply Your Options is a daylong conference for 8th grade girls that exposes them to female role models in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Our Safety Town for Children
On Sunday, March 23, Stamford Girl Scouts held its annual Family Partnership Fundraiser, and back by popular demand, we hosted our Powder Puff Derby at the Italian Center.
Student Spotlight: MSE Undergraduate Gabrielle Charno
Balancing rigorous academic work and an involved extracurricular life can be a difficult task for any college student. Excelling under these circumstances is an even rarer find.
UConn hosts 2014 Northeast Regional AIChE Conference
The Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering was the proud host of the 2014 Northeast Student Regional Conference for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers on April 4-5, 2014.
UConn, Comcast Launch Center for Security Innovation
UConn, home to the nation’s foremost center on hardware security, and Comcast today announced the establishment of a new Center of Excellence for Security Innovation (CSI) on the University’s main campus in Storrs.
Video: UConn Engineering Ambassadors Hovercraft
For more information regarding School of Engineering videos, please visit our YouTube channel
GE + UConn: Research Recipe for Success
Start with a tough engineering challenge, add in a healthy dose of curious and talented graduate students, then mix well with the new UConn Technology Park and industry-supported grant programs and you‘ll have all of the ingredients required for accelerated, collaborative discovery.
2014 Scholarship Awards Event: Change in Date
The School of Engineering’s annual scholarship awards event will take place early in the Fall 2014 semester, rather than the traditional spring semester date. The change to a fall event will enable more of our many generous donors and the exceptional students receiving scholarships to attend the event. Look for details in upcoming issues of Momentum!
Space Station astronauts talk with ABC News
International Space Station astronauts Mike Hopkins and Rick Mastracchio of NASA talked with the ABC News Digital On-Line Network about life and research in space during an in-flight interview Feb. 19
Credit Card Data Theft: Stopping the Hackers
In response to a massive security breach that threatened the personal and financial data of nearly one third of U.S. adults last year, retail giant Target is investing more than $100 million to prevent similar thefts by implementing advanced chip-based credit card technology at its point-of-sale terminals.
Women Engineers Conference Inspires a New Generation
Wintry weather failed to dampen spirits at the “Celebration of Women in Engineering,” a daylong conference exploring the challenges of women engineering the future held Tuesday, February 18 in conjunction with national Engineers Week.
Student Spotlight: MSE Undergraduate Doug Hendrix
A scanning electron microscope image of a 45 rpm vinyl record from Doug’s project in MSE 3056 investigating the storage density of analog vs. digital media.
MSE Establishes Strong Presence at EMA 2014 Conference
From January 22nd to the 24th, the fifth annual Electronic Materials and Applications (EMA) conference was held in Orlando, Florida. Jointly programmed by the Electronics Division and Basic Science Division of the American Ceramic Society, EMA focuses on electroceramic materials for electronic, magnetic, dielectric and optical components, devices, and systems.
Alumni News
Stay in touch with fellow UConn engineering alumni. Visit our Engineering LinkedIn alumni page and fill us in on your latest activities or learn what your college friends are doing nowadays!
Research Insight: Using Light to Control Neural Activity
Prof. Yongku Cho’s research ambition is to engineer light-activated proteins as a tool to manipulate brain circuit activity. He is currently equipping his laboratory here at UConn to build on his work recently published in Nature Methods. The research article, coauthored by Dr. Cho, his postdoctoral advisor Ed Boyden, and other colleagues, documents the group’s progress in controlling neural activity using novel light-activated ion channels.
UConn Extension 4-H Program in Litchfield County visits the Center for Clean Energy Engineering
Before watching the UConn women’s basketball team outshine Louisville, on February 9th a group from the UConn Extension 4-H Program in Litchfield County visited the Center for Clean Energy Engineering.
Engineering Startups Capture $10k Grant Funding
Secor Water, LLC and Dura Biotech, two student-led startup businesses based on technologies developed at UConn and nurtured through UConn Engineering’s Experiential Technology Entrepreneurship course, were awarded $10,000 grants from the inaugural CTNext Entrepreneur Innovation Awards(EIA) managed by Connecticut Innovations.
CHASE Workshop on Secure/Trustworthy Systems and Supply Chain Assurance
Save the Date: April 9 & 10, 2014, at the Rome Ballroom, University of Connecticut The paper by ECE faculty member Marten van Dijk, “AEGIS: architecture for tamper-evident and tamper-resistant processing,” has been selected for inclusion in the “25 years of International Conference on Supercomputing.” The selection committee considered 100 most cited papers out of approximately […]
Faculty & Staff Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
Stanley Black & Decker Teams With UConn
Drs. Jiong Tang and Chengyu Cao are collaborating with engineers at global tool giant Stanley Black & Decker to create a methodology to analyze the precise mechanism of tools in two of the company’s product lines, impact wrenches and air hammers, as the key step in developing software capable of shortening the company’s new product development cycle and enhancing the product performance.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Larry Acquarulo, John Carrington, Lon Hultgren and George Kruk Philbrick .
Engineering Seniors Ply Skills for The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Six Civil & Environmental Engineering seniors are applying their knowledge toward innovative potential design options for The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in nearby Ashford, CT. The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was founded in 1988 by the late Hollywood legend Paul Newman, who believed passionately that all children, including those who suffer from serious illnesses such as cancer and sickle cell disease, should have the opportunity to experience the “transformational spirit and friendships” associated with camp.
Dr. Lykotrafitis Receives NSF CAREER Award
Dr. George Lykotrafitis has been awarded a coveted NSF CAREER Award for research that may ultimately help researchers better understand how signals propagate in neurons and pathways, leading to epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
National Engineers Week Activities Planned
This year’s national Engineers Week will be celebrated February 16-22. UConn Engineering will host activities throughout the week to familiarize non-engineers with the enormous contributions engineers make to our everyday lives, from our cell phones and notebook devices to sustainable new energy technologies, personalized medicine and advanced manufacturing.
DuPont’s Mark Vergnano: From UConn to Global Leader
In January, Mark P. Vergnano (B.S. Chemical Engineering, ’80), Executive Vice President of DuPont, was named to become Chief Executive Officer of DuPont’s $8 billion Performance Chemicals segment, which will be spun off during the second quarter of 2015 as a stand-alone company.
UConn EWB Completes Nicaragua Roadway Project
During the holiday break between semesters, three members of the UConn chapter of Engineers Without Borders traveled to Nicaragua to complete the last phase of a long-percolating engineering project aimed at improving the lives of impoverished villagers by effecting permanent repairs to a road linking their rural village, La Prusia, to the large colonial city of Granada.
Secure Systems and Supply Chain: Focus of 2nd CHASE Workshop
The Center for Hardware Assurance, Security and Engineering (CHASE) will hold its second annual workshop on April 9-10, 2014 at the Storrs campus. Security professionals are encouraged to attend at no cost, according to CHASE Director Dr. Mark Tehranipoor, the Charles H. Knapp Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering.
Scholarship Honors Dr. Owen Devereux
A new scholarship fund has been established in memory of the late, beloved Owen F. Devereux, who led the Metallurgy Department at UConn from 1983-98 and served as a distinguished faculty member for over three decades. The Owen Devereux Scholarship in Materials Science & Engineering will be awarded to two exceptional undergraduate students each year.
‘Digital Alchemist’ Uses Computer to Design New Materials
Serge Nakhmanson describes himself as a ‘digital alchemist.’ A former scientist with the Argonne National Laboratory, he specializes in the computer-based design and discovery of advanced multifunctional materials.
UConn Engineering Projects Receive CTNext Funding
Two demonstration initiatives proposed by the School of Engineering, aimed at nurturing entrepreneurial businesses and invigorating the manufacturing sector throughout the state, will receive grant funding from Connecticut Innovations (CI). Overseeing the initiatives are Professor of Practice Dr. Hadi Bozorgmanesh and Senior Associate Dean Dr. Michael Accorsi, who is partnering with Vice President for Economic Development Dr. Mary Holz-Clause.
“Celebration of Women in Engineering” February 18th
A variety of activities are planned at UConn in recognition of the national Discover Engineers Week (February 16-22, 2014), including an all-school Engineering Career Fair and “Celebration of Women in Engineering” activities to be held on Tuesday, February 18th.
Alumni Notes
Read about upcoming alumni receptions in LA and San Francisco plus career highlights of astronaut Rick Mastracchio, Michelle Scherer, Christopher Shores and Mark Vergnano.
Dr. Ali Bazzi: Lightning Rod for Power and Energy Education
Dr. Ali Bazzi is leading UConn’s movement to reinvigorate and modernize power engineering education. An expert in power electronics, electric machines, and electric drives technologies that transform renewable energy into usable power for the commercial electric grid, Dr. Bazzi has established the Advanced Power Electronics & Electric Drives Lab …
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian Selected Engineering Dean
UConn Provost and Executive VP for Academic Affairs Mun Y. Choi announced the appointment of Dr. Kazem Kazerounian as Dean of the School of Engineering following a nationwide search.
Dr. Anson Ma Participates in US-Japan Faculty Exchange Program
Dr. Anson Ma recently participated as a delegate in a prestigious U.S.-Japan Young Scientist Exchange Program that allowed him to spend five intensive days visiting top Japanese universities and research centers, where he presented his research on the rheology and processing of nanofluids and met with fellow young researchers whose expertise may complement and extend his work.
Scholarship Reception: Save the Date!
Mark your calendars now to attend the School of Engineering’s annual Awards Reception and Ceremony, to be held April 1, 2014 at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.
MTAP Enables Industry-Academic Alliances
Four small Connecticut companies are partnering with UConn engineering faculty members and staff to advance their manufacturing processes, thanks to a special program established by UConn’s Office of Economic Development called the Manufacturing Technical Assistance Program (MTAP).
Dr. Robert Gao Receives I&M Society’s 2013 Technical Award
Pratt & Whitney Endowed Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering Dr. Robert X. Gao has been selected to receive the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society (I&M) 2013 Technical Award, one of just four awards presented yearly by the society.
Dr. Pamir Alpay Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society
MSE Professor and Department Head Dr. S. Pamir Alpay was recently elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) for his work on functional/smart materials.
UConn Engineering Industry Open House: VIDEO
On Friday, November 1, 2013, the UConn School of Engineering hosted its first-ever Industry Open House, which brought to campus more than 150 individuals from across the commercial and industrial spectrum. The event featured an exhibition component as well as one-on-one meetings.
Dr. Cato Laurencin Named to Prestigious Scientific Fellowship
Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, a world-renowned physician scientist at the UConn Health Center and member of the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering faculty, has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Joseph Daraio, Hatim Sharif, Robert Stadalius and Bernard van Leggelo!
Planning Tip: 25 Estate Documents You Should Have in One Place
To help you in your long-term planning, we are sharing a list of the 25 estate documents you should have in one place. This list will help you map out your long-term plans, ensure your family is cared for, and provide clear guidance on your intentions.
Dr. Peters Receives IBM Faculty Award
Dr. Thomas J. Peters, professor of Computer Science & Engineering, was presented an IBM Faculty Award for 2013-14, which entails a monetary component as well as continued preferred access to IBM researchers and research facilities, including the company’s supercomputers.
Dr. Lownes Receives Public Engagement Award
Dr. Nicholas Lownes was selected to receive one of just nine awards presented in conjunction with the 2013 Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement. Dr. Lownes is the F.L. Castleman Associate Professor in Engineering Innovation in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department and serves as Director of the Center for Transportation and Livable Systems.
‘Twas the Night Before Finals: VIDEO
The UConn Engineering community — from students to faculty and staff — wish you and your loved ones a joyous and healthy holiday season. In celebration of the challenges of exam week, we are happy to share with you this light-hearted video message.
Dr. Shengli Zhou Honored
Dr. Shengli Zhou was elected a Fellow of the IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) in recognition of his “contributions to wireless and underwater acoustic communications.” Dr. Zhou is co-director, with Dr. Jun-Hong Cui, of the Underwater Sensor Networks Lab at UConn and an expert in underwater acoustic communications and networking, multi-user and multi-carrier communications, space-time coding, adaptive modulation, and cross-layer designs for wireless systems.
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.
Season of Thanks
As the holiday season approaches, we in the UConn School of Engineering wish to express our deep appreciation to all of the people — alumni, students, our UConn community and industry friends — who stand at our side day in and day out, helping us to attain our highest aspirations.
UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering: VIDEO
On November 19th, UTC and UConn Engineering announced the founding of a new UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering at UConn. But, what is systems engineering, and how will this revolutionary approach change the engineering landscape? This video unveils the promise of systems engineering.
UTC $10 Million Investment Helps Launch Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering
The UConn School of Engineering, in partnership with United Technologies Corporation (UTC), launched the UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering at UConn, thanks to $10 million in planned investments from UTC. The initial $7.5 million contribution is one of the largest corporate gifts in UConn’s history and represents a significant investment in educating the next generation of engineering leaders.
Student News
UConn Engineering students are inventing novel technologies, receiving awards and changing the world around them. Read about some of their latest activities you won’t want to miss.
Technology Transfer Center Launches Safety Circuit Rider Program
With funding from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Connecticut Technology Transfer (T2) Center at the University of Connecticut launched the Connecticut Safety Circuit Rider Program on November 1st. The T2 Center is an educational outreach program within the School of Engineering’s Connecticut Transportation Institute.
Faculty Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
UConn Magazine Launches App
UConn Magazine — the University’s twice-yearly alumni publication — is now delivering a new kind of experience to readers, with audiovisual storytelling made possible through the magazine’s free app for tablet devices.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Lake Barrett, David Giuffrida, Scott Tyler and a dedicated corps of Academy of Distinguished Engineers members who discussed their careers with undergraduate students as members of two panels.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like John Goehrke, Peter Millett, Hien Nguyen, Stephen Rupar, Ernesto Suarez and Rich Tehrani.
Dr. Quing Zhu Awarded $1.43M NIH Grant
Dr. Quing Zhu has received a four-year, $1.43 million grant from the National Institutes of Health in support of her research aimed at predicting the effectiveness of preoperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) used in treating advanced breast cancers.
New GAANN for UConn Engineering Team
Three Computer Science & Engineering faculty have received a highly competitive Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) three-year award of more than $805,000, which will support fellowships for graduate students pursuing research in “exascale computing.” Dr. Chun-Hsi (Vincent) Huang is the lead investigator on the grant.
Q-Bridge Reconstruction: Learning Experience
On September 26th, Dr. Arash E. Zaghi and nearly 30 students enrolled in his graduate-level Bridge Structures class traveled to New Haven for a presentation and tour of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, commonly called the “Q-Bridge,” which is undergoing a complete replacement under the I-95 New Harbor Crossing Corridor Improvement Program.
Student News
Graduate student Jaime Angueira recently presented a TEDxUConn lecture, and members of the Material Advantage chapter at UConn toured Laser Joining Technologies. Read about their activities.
Jon Kaplan Receives SMART Scholarship
Biomedical Engineering senior Jonathan T. Kaplan was awarded a prestigious national Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship in August. He was one of just 150 recipients chosen from nearly 10,000 applicants, and Jon is UConn’s second student to receive a SMART scholarship. Materials Science & Engineering doctoral student Claire Weiss was a 2009 SMART recipient.
Nudging Users to Protect Their Computing Systems
We’ve all seen those little messages pop up on our computer screens: “A software update is available from XYZ. Click ‘Update’ to install.” Probably more often than not, we ignore them just as we ignored mother’s good advice to “Be sure to wear a coat to school;’it’s cold outside.” And, just as we shivered in sub-freezing temperatures wearing a t-shirt and jeans at the bus stop, when we ignore the software update messages, we’re likely to experience negative consequences.
“Accelerating Materials Property Predictions Using Machine Learning” Published in Scientific Reports
Professor Ramamurthy Ramprasad, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Ghanshyam Pilania, and doctoral candidate Chenchen Wang of Materials Science and Engineering, in conjunction with Professor Sanguthevar Rajasekaran (Computer Science and Engineering) and Dr. Xun Jiang (Ph.D. Statistics 2013), jointly collaborated on a research paper published online on September 30, 2013 in Scientific Reports, the open access journal of Nature.
First Annual Competition for CHASE
The Center for Hardware Assurance, Security and Engineering (CHASE) recently awarded funds to six teams to carry out cutting-edge security research. The funding pool was established by industry members of the CHASE Consortium, which seeks to contribute toward solving security challenges that are widespread across many industries.
Around Engineering: Real Engineers
On Thursday, November 14th, from 5-7 p.m., the School of Engineering will host “Real Engineers Shake Hands,” a professional networking seminar and reception. Alumni, friends and UConn Engineering students are invited to participate in this dynamic and exciting event.
HPC Center Keeps Researchers on Track
At UConn, many researchers employ parallel computational techniques to solve problems, and they are reliant upon UConn’s high performance computing (HPC) capabilities to carry out their work.
Multidisciplinary Team to Develop Smart Building HVAC Model
A team of researchers from the School of Engineering and the UConn Health Center has received $1.09 million in NSF funding in support of their research aimed at developing a scalable and universal model for fault detection, diagnosis and prognosis of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, systems in buildings of differing sizes and functionalities.
UConn Team Develops New Program for Visualizing DNA, Protein Sequences
A group of researchers and students from UConn – including computer science students – and Harvard Medical School have developed a new Web program that will help scientists visually analyze DNA and protein sequence patterns faster and more efficiently than ever before.
VIDEO: Summer Programs Excite Teachers, Students
Each summer the School of Engineering and the Engineering Diversity Program host a variety of learning and research experiences for prospective students as well as grade 5-12 teachers aimed at sparking interest in engineering education and careers.
Student News
Undergraduate students Daniel Violette and Rodney Sutherland received prestigious honors recently, the James A. Willett Educational Memorial Scholarship Award and Presidential Scholar Enrichment Award, respectively. Read about them here.
Alumni Reception: October 17 in Houston
Reconnect with friends old and new, network with professionals from the engineering and business communities and learn of the latest initiatives underway at your alma mater during the October 17th UConn alumni reception in Houston, Texas!
Ken Chang: Innovator in Films
If you’ve ever eaten a granola bar or driven a car with tinted windows, then you’ve unknowingly stumbled upon the work of UConn alumnus Ken Chang (M.S. Chemical Engineering, ’85).
Attention Industry: Learn How to Leverage UConn to Advantage
UConn Engineering is hosting its First Annual Industry Open House on Friday, November 1, 2013 to let industry in on the “Quiet Corner’s” best kept secret. For details and to register, please visit the event website.
Honor an Outstanding Engineer!
Do you know an exceptional UConn engineering alumnus or alumna, or an indispensable School of Engineering friend who deserves special recognition? Please nominate your candidate for UConn’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers.
Start of a Tradition: One Ton Sundae
Winter Weekend and its famous – or infamous – “one ton sundae” have been a UConn tradition for more than a generation. During Winter Weekend, students, faculty and staff unwind with a variety of fun activities gauged to chase away the winter blues and connect with friends.
Alumni Friends Reconnect with Dr. Donald Potter
How influential is any one faculty member in helping to shape the next generation of engineering leaders? In the case of Dr. Donald Potter, professor emeritus of Metallurgy and Materials Science, the answer was resoundingly clear when a tightly knit group of former graduate students returned to Storrs over the summer for a reunion with their beloved graduate school advisor and mentor.
Faculty Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
Alumni News
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like William Foley, Lon Hultgren, Donna Rizzo and Brian Quillia.
UConn-Jackson Lab Team to Study Bone Health
With the objective of gaining insight into the role of specific genes on bone health, a multidisciplinary team of researchers from UConn Engineering, the UConn Health Center and colleagues at the Jackson Laboratory have received a new five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Bioengineered ACL Developed by UConn Physician-Scientist Wins U.S. Patent
A bioengineered matrix for treatment of torn anterior cruciate ligaments invented by a UConn Health Center physician-scientist Dr. Cato T. Laurencin is now patented in the United States.
UConn Alum Returning to Orbit for Fourth Space Mission
NASA astronaut and UConn alumnus Rick Mastracchio ’82 (ENG) is making his fourth trip to the International Space Station in a few weeks. While the destination may be a familiar one, this mission marks the first time Mastracchio is flying aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to get there.
New Senior Design Website for Engineering
UConn Engineering has launched a new Senior Design website to serve as a resource and guide for companies that are interested in sponsoring senior design projects in any one of our programmatic units.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Ronald Goldblatt, Tom Martin, Pierre Dufilie, Clement Valerio and Chulwoo Park.
Around Engineering
Great things are always underway in the School of Engineering. Read about Engineering Advisory Board member Paul Adams, a Dominion Resources’ grant in support of a Grass Tech green energy project, and a visit by three distinguished researchers from Turkish universities.
Dr. Pu-Xian Gao Awarded a Humboldt Fellowship
Dr. Pu-Xian Gao, associate professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and the Institute of Materials Science, has been awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship.
Systems Engineering Workshop: Advancing Development of Complex Products
UTC and UConn Engineering held a day-long workshop in late June to discuss how experts from industry and academia can come together to develop new engineering techniques that will make it easier to successfully build products and services that combine complex software, hardware and mechanical components.
Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center Director Named
Interim Dean of Engineering Kazem Kazerounian has named Dr. Rainer Hebert as Director of the recently established Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center (AMIC) at UConn. Dr. Hebert brings not only strong leadership skills to his new role but also expertise in additive manufacturing alloy development and process capabilities.
P&W Helps to Fund EWB-UConn Trip to Project Krushi Home
Pratt & Whitney recently donated $2,000 to help send four UConn students to Hyderabad, India in conjunction with the opening of the Project Krushi primary school in the village of Gowdavally on July 17. The primary school will be used to educate elementary-age children from nearby villages and the Association Saikorian’s Project Krushi, a home for children from difficult circumstances, who are housed
Industry Open House: Save the Date!
Mark your calendars to attend UConn Engineering’s First Annual Industry Open House on Friday, November 1, 2013. 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.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Dennis Bushnell, Richard Mastracchio, Trent Molter, Morton Pearson and Jeffery Rotman!
Measuring the Sustainability of Urban Transportation Systems
A group of researchers in UConn’s departments of Geography and Civil & Environmental Engineering have developed and tested a new index that will measure the sustainability of complex urban transportation systems across the globe.
The index will allow policymakers, scientists and the public to understand not just how congested cities’ transportation systems are, but the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the system as a whole.
Alumnus Helped Popularize Mickey Mouse Watch
Across his long and storied career, alumnus Gordon Cooper played a leading role in helping major manufacturers grow their global operations. Among his career highlights was his contributions toward expanding the iconic Mickey Mouse watch line first introduced in 1933.
UConn Leads Major Educational Project for Future Internets
Dr. Bing Wang is leading a major educational effort in the Global Environment for Network Innovations (GENI) project, a virtual laboratory for at-scale networking experimentation where the highest minds unite to envision and create new possibilities for future internets. The goal of the project is to understand and use the GENI infrastructure for networking research and education through workshops, summer camps, and course curriculums.
REU Student Innovators Wow Business Community
UConn Engineering hosted five National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates sites during the summer that enabled 43 undergraduates from across the nation to explore exciting research in engineering faculty laboratories. Among the REU programs was one that immerses students in both the research and entrepreneurial environments: Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship through Academic-Industrial Partnerships.
Grant to Advance Clean Coal Energy Efficiency
Dr. Pu-Xian Gao, an associate professor of Materials Science & Engineering, has received a $300,000 grant from the Department of Energy’s University Coal Research program in support of the research efforts to design and fabricate high temperature sensors based on the 3D nanowire assemblies.
New UConn Microgrid to Provide Power in Storm-related Outages
The University has received $2.14 million in state funding to create an independent microgrid energy system at its Depot Campus in Storrs. UConn’s microgrid will be supported by an existing 400kW fuel cell and a demonstration-scale 6.6 kW photovoltaic solar panel array located adjacent to the Center for Clean Energy Engineering. The microgrid is expected to be operational by June 2014.
Local Engineering Firm Supports Next Generation Through Scholarship
The Connecticut-based engineering firm of Milone & MacBroom, Inc. has created a civil engineering scholarship at UConn to help the next generation of engineers succeed. The firm has connections to the University going back more than three decades. Jeanine Armstrong Gouin ’87, vice president and managing director, has served on the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering advisory board for almost two decades.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Michael Cantor, Thomas Gaal, Carl Lawton, Louis Parrillo and Paul Scheihing!
Leveraging Opportunities Through University-Industry Collaboration
On June 19, 2013, over 40 participants attended a Manufacturers Roundtable meeting at the UConn-Greater Hartford Campus to learn how universities collaborate with Connecticut-based industry to work on advanced technology projects.
Faster, Better, Safer Jet Engines
From Igor Sikorsky’s first American helicopter to Pratt & Whitney’s latest engine for the nation’s new Joint Strike Fighter jet, Connecticut has a proud history of aviation science innovation. At UConn, researchers are doing their part by supplying Connecticut’s robust aerospace industry with innovative technologies to support a new generation of faster, more efficient, and more reliable aircraft demanded by commercial airlines and the U.S. military.
VIDEO: Capstone Design a Fulfilling Challenge for Seniors
Each year, all senior engineering students engage in capstone design courses. These provide hands-on learning opportunities and expose them to the challenges and satisfactions of solving real-world dilemmas, from the problem definition stage to prototype development. In the case of sponsored projects, teams work closely with the sponsoring company, which provides financial support, advising and the design challenge.
Faculty Honored
In the spring, the School of Engineering honored six faculty members for their dedication to exceptional graduate student advising, and to the supportive mentoring of junior faculty members by presenting them Outstanding Faculty Advisor Awards and Outstanding Faculty Mentoring Awards.
International Partnership Launches Innovative Energy Research Center at UConn
The Fraunhofer Center for Energy Innovation at UConn, a partnership between UConn, Fraunhofer USA, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, was officially launched by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on July 25, 2013 at the University’s Depot Campus.
Capstone Projects Excite High School Students
With the aim of answering the question “What do engineers do?” a group of 50 high school sophomores from the Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science visited UConn on May 3 to explore UConn’s Senior Design Demonstration Day.
Recent Graduate to Present Senior Design Project to NASA Engineers
New UConn graduate Brian Coleman ’13 (ENG) recently completed a major accomplishment. And not just by graduating as an Honors Scholar with a strong GPA in the demanding biomedical engineering program. His senior design project – a robotic arm – so impressed director of undergraduate biomedical engineering Donald Peterson that he is arranging for Coleman to present it to a team of NASA engineers at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Student Entrepreneurs to be Profiled in Tolland
Nine motivated student innovators will discuss their industry-sponsored research on Thursday, July 25 as featured guests at this month’s Innovation Connection networking event, to be held at Nerac starting at 3:30 PM. The students are participating in a National Science Foundation-sponsored summer program, called Research Experience for Undergraduates, at UConn that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship through partnerships with commercial companies.
Science Radio Show Enlightens Listeners
Dr. Jeffrey McCutcheon is intent on bringing science, engineering and technology to a broader audience where preconceptions can be discussed openly and overturned. To that end, in April he launched a weekly, two-hour talk radio program on UConn’s noncommercial college and community radio station, WHUS, called Science Friction.
VIDEO: Engineering Ambassadors Show and Tell
The Engineering Ambassadors are the highly visible student representatives of UConn’s School of Engineering. This year, in honor of National Engineers Week, they hosted a series of hands-on demonstrations around campus to illustrate engineering in action.
Dr. William Mustain Receives DOE Early Career Research Program Award
Dr. William Mustain is the recipient of a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Early Career Award, which is one of the most competitive in the United States, with only 65 awarded annually. Dr. Mustain’s five-year, $800,000 award was presented by the Office of Basic Energy Science.
VIDEO: Understanding the Transportation/Human Interface
There is an important link between our communities and our transportation systems. At UConn, faculty members and students are exploring transportation engineering challenges through the Center for Transportation and Livable Systems (CTLS). They are exploring driver behavior, roadway construction and design, the intersect between highways and communities, and a myriad of other topics. Through their […]
VIDEO: Engineering Scholarships – Unlocking Opportunities
Generous scholarships enable hundreds of UConn Engineering students every year to gain a world-class education that might otherwise be unaffordable. Meet a few of our scholarship recipients in this video.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Mike Curtis, Joel Douglas, Andrew Gere, Michael McGinnis and Xingjian (Chris) Xue!
Smart Ocean Technology: Connect at Avery Point
Don’t miss out on today’s Innovation Connection networking event, which takes place at UConn’s Avery Point campus and features a discussion on “Smart Ocean Technology” followed by a cocktail reception.
Alumni Notes
What are UConn Engineering graduates up to? Read about the recent career highlights of alumni like Joshua Aferzon, Richard J. Colangelo, Jr., Michael Georgiopoulos, Margo Martin, Brian Timm and James Towey.
Faculty Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
Friendly Competition Produces “Eggcelent Results
On May 30, UConn’s GK-12 program hosted the second annual Engineering Design Challenge Competition at the Storrs campus. The theme of this year’s competition was “Reverse Engineering Egg Crash Car.”
Engineering Welcomes 22 New Faculty
Following an especially ambitious recruiting year, the School of Engineering is excited to announce that 22 impressive new faculty members will join us for the fall 2013 and spring 2014 academic terms. It is the largest number of new hires in the history of UConn Engineering and reflects the dramatic growth in enrollments underpinned by UConn’s commitment to ensuring critical mass for strategic growth areas.
Legislature Approves Transformational $1.5B Investment in UConn
The Next Generation Connecticut initiative has received final legislative approval from the General Assembly, positioning UConn to ascend the ranks of the world’s elite research universities as its intellectual capital is put to work energizing the state’s innovation-based economy.
Dr. Robert Gao Awarded NSF GOALI
Dr. Robert X. Gao, the Pratt & Whitney Chair Professor (Mechanical Engineering), and colleagues have received a three-year National Science Foundation GOALI grant to support collaborative research aimed at improving spare parts inventory management in the aircraft industry.
Dr. George Bollas Receives ACS Award
Dr. George Bollas, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, is the recipient of a prestigious American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award.
Student Group Tours Millstone
In late April, seven enthusiastic undergraduate students, accompanied by John Bau, a Career Consultant embedded within the School of Engineering, enjoyed a rare opportunity to tour the Dominion Millstone Power Station, located in Waterford, CT, which is the largest electricity generation plant in New England.
Dr. Jeffrey McCutcheon Named a DuPont Young Professor
Assistant professor Jeffrey McCutcheon was selected a 2013 DuPont Young Professor. He is one of just 14 young professors, representing seven countries, to receive one of the three-year awards this year. The award will fund his ongoing research in the area of novel membranes for use in water filtration and energy storage.
Alumni Notes
Read about the exciting array of events planned in conjunction with Alumni Weekend (June 7-8), as well as recent career highlights of alumni like Keith Berger, Frederick Carlson, Michael Keefe and Edward J. Sarisley, Jr.
Around Engineering
Great things are always underway in the School of Engineering. Read about an upcoming Ice Cream Social in honor of Marty Wood, who is retiring after 25 years at UConn; the GK-12 Annual Design Challenge; a new Transportation Safety Research Center at UConn and the Materials Science & Engineering Department’s US News graduate school rankings…
GOALI Award for Interdisciplinary Team
Materials Science & Engineering professor Dr. Radenka Maric, in close collaboration with Industrial Advisory Board member Armand Halter and Dr. William Mustain, has received a prestigious $423,000 National Science Foundation GOALI award.
Student News
Eight engineering students won highly competitive Summer Undergraduate Research Fund Awards that will allow them to conduct scholarly research in faculty laboratories this summer. A total of 70 SURF grants were awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Research, across the entire university.
UConn Researchers Develop Some of the World’s Smallest Metallic Nanorods
Two graduate-level researchers in the School of Engineering have grown some of the world’s smallest metallic nanorods; a significant scientific breakthrough that their faculty advisor, Dr. Hanchen Huang, says is a testament to UConn’s robust graduate education programs.
VIDEO: Engineering Scholarships – Unlocking Opportunities
Generous scholarships enable hundreds of UConn Engineering students every year to gain a world-class education that might otherwise be unaffordable. Meet a few of our scholarship recipients in this video.
30th Anniversary for Invention Convention
On May 4, more than 600 young inventors converged on Gampel Pavilion, the home of UConn’s eight-time NCAA women’s basketball team, for the 30th annual state-wide Connecticut Invention Convention hosted by UConn’s School of Engineering.
Class of 2013 Celebrated
On May 4th, the School of Engineering honored the achievements of nearly 500 undergraduate students and 200 graduate students who were awarded their BS, MS and Ph.D. degrees after years of long nights, countless problem sets, design challenges and joyous “aha” moments when difficult formulas suddenly gain meaning. The events were celebrated before a packed audience of families, friends, faculty and officials assembled to cheer on the graduating engineers.
CASE Honors Four UConn Engineers
Three faculty members were inducted into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering on May 22 during a gala event: Drs. Thomas Barber, Wilson K. S. Chiu and Mei Wei are among 33 new members who were elected in the 2013 class. In addition, alumnus Dr. Anthony DeMaria received the 2013 CASE Distinguished Service Award for his enduring contributions to the Academy as a charter member, fourth president and past-president.
UConn Engineering Honors Ten
During a gala event on May 2, the School of Engineering honored 10 exceptional alumni and friends as 2013 inductees into the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers. Nearly 100 attendees helped to honor the new inductees, each of whom spoke of the profound influence of UConn Engineering in shaping their careers.
Blasts from the Past
Share your photos from your years in the UConn School of Engineering. We’re assembling an online photo album showing scenes from laboratories, classrooms, dorms and campus activities that reflect UConn Engineering across the decades! Here, alumna Sharon Nunes shares a few of her faves.
VIDEO: Understanding the Transportation/Human Interface
At UConn, faculty and students are exploring transportation engineering challenges through the Center for Transportation and Livable Systems (CTLS). They are exploring driver behavior, roadway construction and design, the intersect between highways and communities, and a myriad of other topics.
Faculty Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
UConn SWE Hosts Major Regional Meeting
Proving once again that UConn’s women engineers are not merely gifted academically but also dedicated to advancing and supporting their peers, the UConn chapter of the Society of Women Engineers hosted the annual Region F conference at the Storrs campus the weekend of April 6-7.
Networking the World: Dr. Peter Luh to Receive Prestigious Engineering Award
Dr. Peter Luh has been selected to receive the IEEE RAS Pioneer Award for 2013 “for pioneering contributions to the development of near-optimal and efficient planning, scheduling, and coordination methodologies for manufacturing and power systems.”
Student News
UConn Engineering students are outstanding: academically excellent, engaged and accomplished. Read about some of their latest news, awards and honors.
Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center Opens at UConn
The University of Connecticut and Pratt & Whitney celebrated the opening of a new Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center at UConn, one of the most advanced additive manufacturing laboratories in the nation.
Whitcraft: Leveraging a Unique Talent Pipeline
Tucked away in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner is a company that has been serving the world’s leading aerospace companies for decades, Whitcraft, LLC. Among its valued employees are four UConn Engineering alumni, including Chad Chmura, a Junior Engineer who received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2012.
Innovators Feted
UConn Engineering was well represented during the Second Annual Celebration of Innovation, presented by the UConn Office of Economic Development on April 10th. The gala event afforded the innovation community an opportunity to network and to celebrate the achievements of some of its most outstanding members.
Zuba Awarded International Research Fellowship
Ph.D. candidate Michael Zuba was awarded a fellowship to continue his underwater network systems research in Taiwan for eight weeks this summer. He will be hosted by Dr. Tshi C. Yang, an expert in the underwater acoustics field, at National Sun Yat-sen University.
Alumni Notes
What are your UConn Engineering friends up to these days? Read what’s new in the careers of Michael Anderson and John Krenicki, Jr. Then share your career news with us, too!
Engineering Demos Shine at the Capitol
On April 11th, a dedicated team of students and faculty demonstrated and discussed innovative “home grown” engineering prototypes at the Connecticut State Capitol during a rally in support of Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed Next Generation Connecticut.
New Leadership Appointments in UConn Engineering
Interim Dean Kazem Kazerounian announced three new appointments in the School of Engineering leadership: Dr. Mei Wei has been named Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education; Dr. Michael Accorsi will assume the role of Senior Associate Dean; and Dr. Daniel Burkey will assume the role of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Diversity.
CBE Students Receive Tanaka Fellowships
Ph.D. candidates Neil Spinner and Ying Liu have received John Tanaka Graduate Student Fellowship awards, which are presented to outstanding UConn graduate students who are members of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest honor society. The award was first given in 1993. It was established in honor of Dr. John Tanaka, emeritus professor of chemistry and former Director of the Honors Programs.
Dr. Barry Carter to Receive Distinguished Scientist Award
Dr. C. Barry Carter, professor of Materials Science & Engineering, will receive the Microscopy Society of America’s 2013 Distinguished Scientist Award for the Physical Sciences in recognition of his internationally acclaimed research and distinguished contributions in the field of microscopy.
Around Engineering
Doctoral candidates Lu Han and Paul Elliott have been competitively selected to represent UConn Engineering at the Universitas 21 Graduate Research Conference on Energy Systems, Policy and Solutions at University College Dublin, Ireland from June 19 – 22, 2013. Universitas 21 is an international network of 23 leading research-intensive universities, including UConn, located in 15 countries.
Engineering Women Shine at Women of Innovation Awards Night
UConn Engineering was well represented during the 2013 Women of Innovation Awards night on March 19th, with six outstanding women finalists among a total of 52 finalists spread across nine categories. Doctoral candidate Zhaohui Wang took home the Collegian Innovation and Leadership Award for her exceptional achievements in the area of underwater acoustic communications and networking.
Team Prepares for World Finals Competition in Russia
Under the leadership of CSE professor Ion Mandoiu, the University of Connecticut Programming Team won the recent Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) local and regional contests and is heading to St. Petersburg, Russia in June to compete in the 37th ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals!
High School Student Participates in Biomass Project
Since September, Donna Aranibar, a Glastonbury High School senior, has been traveling to UConn twice weekly to participate in research underway in the laboratory of Dr. George Bollas, assistant professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering.
Faculty News
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
Hybrid Bike: Optimizing Pedal Power (VIDEO)
Junior Robert Herman (Mechanical Engineering) is a serial tinkerer. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, he converted a bicycle into a hybrid electric/pedal bike to manage the five miles of hilly terrain between his home in Coventry and the UConn campus.
Student Snap: Monica Smith
Initially uncertain of her college aspirations and commitment, today Monica Smith – a double major in German and Mechanical Engineering – is the picture of a successful engineer-to-be. After graduating from high school in 2007, Monica took part in the ACES program at UConn for her freshman year.
Best Oral Paper Award for Ph.D. Student
Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) doctoral candidate Jialan Zhang was recently awarded the Best Oral Paper Prize at the 22nd Connecticut Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Consortium.
Networking Event to Explore UConn/JAX Genomic Medicine Collaboration
On Thursday, March 21, the Innovation Connection will move to the UConn Health Center, where attendees will hear details of the unfolding UConn-Jackson Laboratory collaboration (Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine) along with information about UConn’s Technology Incubation Program.
Dr. Chrysochoou Receives Marie Curie Fellowship
Dr. Marisa Chrysochoou has been awarded a prestigious Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship that will embed her at the National Technical University of Athens for two years, where she will share her expertise on chromium contamination and specialized experimental techniques with an interdisciplinary team of colleagues who are investigating a large chromium plume in central Greece.
Michael Johnson: Master Multi-Tasker
Junior Michael Johnson is the archetype of a busy engineering student, parsing his time among academic, leadership and social commitments while pursuing dual degrees in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering.
NASA Grant Supports Satellite Data uses in Flood Modeling
Dr. Emmanouil Anagnostou, an internationally renowned expert in the area of hydrometeorology and precipitation remote sensing, was recently awarded a $360,000 grant from NASA to advance his research aimed at improving the use of satellite-derived rainfall data in hydrologic modeling of complex terrain basin floods.
UConn Engineering Hosts Science Bowl
On Saturday, March 9th, more than 500 students and coaches from across the Northeast region competed in the Northeast Regional High School Science Bowl at the UConn campus. A total of 48 teams representing 36 schools matched wits in a Jeopardy!-style quiz bowl covering a dizzying array of scientific minutia along with a model fuel cell car race.
UConn Hosts Rube Goldberg Contest
In February, UConn’s Engineering Ambassadors hosted eight high school teams from across Connecticut in a unique Rube Goldberg Machine Contest named after the late cartoonist Reuben Lucius Goldberg, who gained fame for his wacky illustrations of machines, designed in the most convoluted ways possible and intended to carry out simple tasks.
New McNair Scholar Adam Eichen Gains Inspiration from Obstacles
It was a traumatic accident his junior year of high school that inspired Adam Eichen to pursue a career in biomedical engineering. Today, the talented sophomore’s drive and determination to earn an advanced degree in his field have secured him a spot among the ranks of the newly established UConn McNair Scholars.
Student Entrepreneurs Visit Legislators
On March 5th, Professor of Practice Dr. Hadi Bozorgmanesh and 10 students enrolled in the two-semester Experiential Technology Entrepreneurship I and II class spent the day meeting with Connecticut Senator Donald Williams and Rep. Gregg Haddad, touring the legislative houses, and observing committee hearings on a variety of subjects. Read more about the Entrepreneurship class here.
Student Spotlight VIDEO: Milos Atz
Glastonbury, CT native Milos Atz, a junior studying Chemical Engineering at UConn, shows us inside his life as an undergraduate engineering student, from academic matters and his Honors research to career aspirations and his passion for freeskiing.
Commencement 2013: SWE CEO Betty Shanahan to Speak
The School of Engineering will celebrate undergraduate commencement on Saturday, May 11, 2013 in Gampel Pavilion, Storrs. A highlight will be guest speaker, Betty Shanahan, Executive Director and CEO of the national Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
First Large-Scale Open Testbed in the Nation for Underwater Networks
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from UConn and three partnering universities is developing a suite of open underwater network testbeds that will be demonstrated along the U.S. East, West and Gulf Coasts, where water quality data will be continuously collected and transmitted to on-shore labs.
USAID/HED Funding Renewed for Ethiopia Capacity Building Project
A multidisciplinary, multi-university project aimed at building a skilled workforce and educational capacity within Ethiopia’s universities in the area of sustainable water resource management has received over $1.35 million in additional funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development/Higher Education for Development to continue its work. Since its official inception in 2010, the project has received nearly $2.5 million in USAID-HED funding.
Around Engineering
Exciting developments are always percolating within UConn Engineering. Read a few of the highlights here, from student awards and activities to alumni celebrations.
UConn Professor’s Patented Technique Key to New Solar Power Technology
A novel fabrication technique developed by UConn engineering professor Brian Willis could provide the breakthrough technology scientists have been looking for to vastly improve today’s solar energy systems.
Spring Career Fair a Hit
On February 19th, in celebration of National Engineers Week, more than 60 employers and hundreds of UConn engineering students filled the Rome Commons Ballroom at the Storrs campus for the opportunity to meet, discuss career and internship opportunities and do their best to impress. The 2013 spring career fair was widely praised by employers and students alike for its organization and excellent attendance.
Engineering Welcomes Career Consultant
In late January, the School of Engineering welcomed John Bau, who joined UConn’s Department of Career Services as a Career Consultant embedded within the School of Engineering.
Alumni News
What are your UConn Engineering friends up to these days? Read what’s new in the careers of Arthur Baker, William Borghard and William Johnson. Then share your career news with us, too!
Next Generation Connecticut
On January 31, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, UConn President Susan Herbst, and other officials unveiled plan to invest $1.5 billion in UConn’s science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational programs over a decade. Dubbed Next Generation Connecticut, the plan will greatly expand educational opportunities, research, and innovation in the STEM disciplines through growth in student enrollment, faculty and facilities.
Faculty Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
Continuing & Distance Engineering Education Expanded
The School of Engineering is proud to announce the formation of a new unit called, Continuing and Distance Engineering Education (CDEE). This unit will be responsible for the existing Master of Engineering program, which is currently offered in Groton, East Hartford, Windsor Locks and Farmington, and for continuing engineering education activities and programs at UConn’s regional campuses and corporate partners’ sites.
Student Team Proposes Rainwater Solution for South Campus
An interdisciplinary team of students has proposed an innovative solution to the problem of stormwater runoff from UConn’s South Campus dormitory complex in response to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency student competition, the Campus RainWorks Challenge.
XcellR8: Helping UConn Startups Succeed
Business startups emerging from UConn’s technology-fertile, highly inventive community have an important yet little-known ally located just minutes from campus: XcellR8.
Dr. Anson Ma Receives CAREER Award
Assistant Professor Anson Ma has received a National Science Foundation Early Career Development (CAREER) award, which will support his research involving the use of carbon nanotubes to stabilize emulsions. The $400,000, five-year grant is the 26th CAREER Award among current UConn engineering faculty.
Faculty Notes
Read about recent honors and activities of our engineering faculty, who are respected leaders in research, instruction, mentoring and professional societies.
Dr. Laurencin to Receive 2012 AAAS Mentor Award
The 2012 Mentor Award of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will be presented to Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., “for his transformative impact and scientific contributions toward mentoring students in the field of biomedical engineering.”
Alumni News
What are your UConn Engineering friends up to these days? Read what’s new in the careers of Jackie Garofano, Marshall Greenspan, Metin Ozen and Benjamin Salsburg. Then share your career news with us, too!
Power Electronics Expert Ali Bazzi Joins UConn Faculty
UConn’s rapidly expanding power and energy research division received a boost recently with the hiring of Ali Bazzi, an expert engineer in advanced power electronics who comes to the University after a brief stint with the Delphi Corp., a global leader in electronic systems technologies.
Explore Commercial Opportunities in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
On Thursday, February 21, the Innovation Connection series will return to the UConn Storrs campus for an exclusive event. UConn researchers from the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department will discuss commercialization opportunities and their advancements in areas such as sustainable technologies, bio/nanosensing, materials characterization, filtration, biotech, polymer science and more.
Engineering Momentum
The UConn School of Engineering is growing, expanding, moving in new directions and building new energy for the future. With this idea in mind, we are reframing and renaming our electronic and print news to Momentum, to better reflect who we are at this time.
Dr. Ioulia Valla Awarded NSF Grant
Assistant Research Professor Dr. Ioulia Valla has been awarded a $190,000 grant from the Energy for Sustainability Division of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for research aimed at transforming waste tar compounds into valuable gases using a one-step catalytic process.
Around Engineering
Exciting developments are always percolating within UConn Engineering. Read a few of the highlights here, from student awards and activities to alumni celebrations.
New Appointments in Engineering
Interim Dean Kazem Kazerounian announced three new appointments in the School of Engineering: Dr. Dan Burkey will assume the role of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education & Diversity effective July 1; Dr. S. Pamir Alpay has been appointed Head of the new Materials Science & Engineering Department; and Dr. Doug Cooper has been appointed Head of the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department.
Conference on Counterfeit Electronics Addresses Growing National Concern
Some of the nation’s top experts in computer hardware security gathered in Storrs last week to discuss new ways to thwart a growing international counterfeit electronics industry. In a series of workshops on Jan. 28 and 29, engineers from Intel, Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, Honeywell, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and Connecticut-based SMT Corp., as well as other entities, discussed new tools for improving detection in the increasingly advanced – and profitable – world of counterfeit electronics.
UConn, State Officials Announce Launch of ‘Next Generation Connecticut’ Initiative
UConn and the State of Connecticut have unveiled a groundbreaking proposal to propel UConn to the forefront of high-tech research and academics while significantly enhancing the state’s economic development efforts for decades to come. Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, UConn President Susan Herbst, and other officials gathered January 31 to introduce Next Generation Connecticut, a plan to greatly
Course Spawns New Business Creation
“My philosophy is that entrepreneurship needs to be discovered, not taught,” remarks alumnus and Professor of Practice Dr. Hadi Bozorgmanesh, who debuted a new, results-oriented two-semester course last fall, Experiential Technology Entrepreneurship I and II.
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.
