Congratulations to Professor Julia Valla on accepting two new positions!

Prof. Valla has joined USDA-NIFA as a Special Advisor Panel Manager and UConn College of Engineering as the Director of Graduate Studies Programs. In her new roles, she will facilitate the review panels for Partnership, SEED, and Standard proposals and enhance graduate student recruitment and engagement. We look forward to seeing the positive impact she will bring to these roles.

Read more on UConn Center for Clean Energy Engineering News.

Warmest congratulations to Professor George Bollas on his appointment as the next Associate Dean of Research for the College of Engineering. Dr. Bollas currently serves as the Pratt & Whitney Endowed Chair Professor in Advanced Systems Engineering and the Director of the Pratt & Whitney Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering at UConn.

Dr. Bollas earned his BS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT. His research spans energy technology, process systems engineering, and model-based systems engineering, focusing on optimizing cyber-physical systems crucial for the energy, chemical, and aerospace industries.

Under his leadership, the Pratt & Whitney Institute secured over $60M in research funding and doubled industry partner participation, enhancing educational programs that blend academic rigor with practical applications. His accolades include the NSF CAREER Award and the ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award, and he was elected to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering in 2020.

We are confident that Dr. Bollas’s forward-thinking approach and established leadership will significantly boost our research capabilities and academic achievements.

Warmest congratulations to Professor Leslie Shor on her appointment as the next Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education at the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Shor, a Centennial Term Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been a valued member of the UConn community for nearly 15 years. She will be joining the Provost’s Office from the College of Engineering, where she has served for five years as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education. In this role, Dr. Shor has significantly increased PhD applications and external research funding while expanding professional development opportunities and support for graduate students and faculty.

Dr. Shor earned her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University and a B.A. in Environmental Science and Chemistry from the University of Virginia. Her leadership has been pivotal in creating initiatives that bridge various disciplines, fostering a collaborative environment that enhances both educational quality and research innovation.

We look forward to the continued growth and success of our graduate programs under Dr. Shor’s leadership.

Read the Official Announcement from the Office of the Provost.