Awards

American Chemical Society Holds Symposium in Honor of Professor Laurencin

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Dr. Cato LaurencinThe American Chemical Society held the Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success Symposium on March 19th in honor of Dr. Cato T. Laurencin for his transformative work in regenerative engineering. The Hach Award acknowledges remarkable entrepreneurs who innovate and introduce novel products, services, companies, or industries using chemistry’s transformative potential to enhance lives and bolster economic growth.

Recognized as one of the top engineers also by AIChE, Dr. Laurencin’s contributions to bone regeneration and bioceramic implants have earned him prestigious awards, including the William Grimes Award and the Priestly Medal.

Read more on UConn Today

Bollas Selected for the Prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award

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Warmest congratulations to Prof. George Bollas who has been selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for 2024-2025. The Fulbright Program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Association is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program. The presidentially appointed 12-member Board of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar program is responsible for supervising the Fulbright Program worldwide and approving the selection of all Fulbright recipients.

In this Program, Prof. Bollas will investigate the end-to-end feasibility of ammonia as a fuel for the difficult-to-decarbonize transportation sectors, from the production energy and carbon footprint to its conversion and utilization. A key focus of his work will be to promote a novel method, invented recently with his Ph.D. student Laron Burrows, that leverages chemical loops of metal nitrides, hydrides, and imides for ammonia synthesis at atmospheric pressure in separate steps. A second focus area of Prof. Bollas’ work will be on ammonia cracking and power generation in fuel cells.

This scholarship will support a research partnership with the Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute (CPERI) of the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH).

Wei Ruan Wins 3rd Place in the 10th Annual Graduate Poster Competition

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Wei Ruan

Warmest congratulations to Wei Ruan who won the 1st place Award in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and the 3rd place award at the College of Engineering with her work on “High Throughput Fabrication of Thin Electrocaloric Materials Films Enabled by Additive Manufacturing” at the 10th Annual College of Engineering Poster Competition.

 

Read more on the Graduate Programs.

Alanna Gado Awarded the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium Graduate Student Fellowship

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Warmest congratulations to Alanna Gado for being awarded the Graduate Research Fellowship sponsored by the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium. Her work focuses on developing advanced catalyst-coated membranes for achieving high efficiency and high durability proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers under the advising of Professor Radenka Maric and in collaboration with Research Scientist Leonard Bonville and Associate Research Professor Stoyan Bliznakov. This research holds immense promise for the field of hydrogen production and clean energy technology, paving the way for sustainable solutions to our energy challenges. Read more on NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium.

Laurencin Named the Inventor of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation

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Dr. Cato LaurencinIn a groundbreaking achievement, Dr. Cato Laurencin has been named the Inventor of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation, an accolade that recognizes the world’s most outstanding recent inventors and their profound impact on the nation’s economy and quality of life. Dr. Laurencin’s pioneering work in the field of Regenerative Engineering has resulted in revolutionary technology that promotes bone and tissue regeneration, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for patients. This prestigious recognition underscores the transformative impact of his contributions in the realm of healthcare and regenerative medicine. His innovative work continues to be a beacon of hope for patients worldwide, marking a significant milestone in the field and solidifying his position as a trailblazer in healthcare innovation.

Watch the Youtube Video on Dr. Laurencin’s Award.

Dorian Thompson Wins Graduate Student Competition in Sensors at the AIChE Annual Meeting

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Dorian ThompsonWarmest congratulations to Dorian Thompson for an outstanding achievement—securing the 3rd place in the Graduate Student Competition in Sensors at the AIChE Annual Meeting! Dorian works on PFAS detection under the advising of Professor Yu Lei.

This win is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our graduate students, driving forward groundbreaking advancements in the field. Here’s to the continued success and impact of our student’s research at the forefront of chemical and biomolecular engineering!

Shor Nominated for the Research Innovation and Leadership Award

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Connecticut Technology Council Women In Innovation Awards
UConn Engineering Leila Daneshmandi, Audrey Larson, Leslie Shor, and Fei Dou at the Connecticut Technology Council Women In Innovation Awards on Oct. 25.

Warmest congratulations to Professor Leslie Shor on her nomination for the Research Innovation and Leadership award in the 8th Annual Women of Innovation Awards led by the Connecticut Technology Council!

Several University of Connecticut women leading STEM, innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives were recognized in a state-wide event last week.

The UConn College of Engineering garnered several awards in the 18th Annual Women of Innovation Awards led by the Connecticut Technology Council held at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven on Oct. 25.

Read more on UConn Today.

Burkey wins $2.5M NSF S-STEM Grant to Support Students Majoring in Computing, Data Sciences

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Dan Burkey PhotoA newly awarded $2.5M National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) grant—spearheaded by Professor and Associate Dean Daniel Burkey—will support low-income and first-generation students majoring in computing and data science at the University of Connecticut (UConn).

Professor Burkey said UConn will use the grant—titled “Community, Identity, and Competence: Supporting Low-Income Students in Computing and the Data Sciences”—to assist approximately 30 students over the next six years of the grant. Students, who will go through an application and selection process, will be eligible for up to $15,000 per year throughout the entirety of their degree.

S-STEM is a signature program from the NSF that supports low-income and first-generation students with academic ability, talent, or potential to pursue successful careers in promising STEM fields. The grant includes scholarship funds as well as a cohort model that provides various programmatic, curricular, and co-curricular activities to ensure that students are well-supported, from matriculation through graduation, and prepared for the workforce or further graduate study. Read more on Engineering News.

Austin Gelinas & Pranavi Rebala Triumph in Clean Energy & Sustainability Innovation Challenge

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Austin Gelinas ’25 (ENG), left, Pranavi Rebala ’25 (CLAS) present their research on an iterative approach to renewable energy transition during “The Sustainable Clean Energy Summit: Decarbonizing Society and the Grid” at the Student Union Theater on Oct. 4, 2023. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Warmest congratulations to Austin Gelinas and Pranavi Rebala, two brilliant undergraduate students from Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and College of Liberal Arts, respectively, who emerged as champions in the Clean Energy & Sustainability Innovation Challenge! They not only took the lead among six outstanding teams but also presented an ingenious strategy to reduce New England’s heavy reliance on natural gas.

Austin and Pranavi’s visionary approach demonstrates the incredible potential for positive change. Their two-part strategy not only sets a precedent for sustainable energy but also highlights the pivotal role UConn can play in this endeavor.

Read more on their Winning Project “Enhancing Connecticut’s Green Economy: Comprehensive Short and Long-Term Approach to Renewable Energy Transition” and the event on UConn Today.

Dr. Stuber Appointed as the Pratt & Whitney Associate Professor in Advanced Systems Engineering

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Matthew StuberWarmest congratulations to Dr. Matthew Stuber on his appointment as the Pratt & Whitney Associate Professor in Advanced Systems Engineering! 

Dr. Stuber’s dedication to excellence and tireless commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge have earned him this well-deserved recognition. His contributions to the field of advanced systems engineering have been nothing short of exceptional, and we are proud to have him as a part of our academic community. We eagerly anticipate the continued impact and contributions Dr. Stuber will make in this new role.