Awards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Dr. Laurencin Receives the Kathryn C. Hach Award from ACS

Cato LaurencinWarmest congratulations to Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, the recipient of the 2024 Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success as part of the 2024 ACS National Awards! This award recognizes Dr. Laurencin’s outstanding contributions to the world of entrepreneurship, innovation, and scientific leadership. His pioneering work in the field of regenerative engineering and tissue engineering has not only transformed the medical landscape but has also laid the foundation for groundbreaking entrepreneurial endeavors. Read more about Dr. Laurencin and other outstanding recipients of the 2024 ACS National Awards in the Chemical & Engineering News

Congratulations to CHEG Undergraduate Change Grant Recipients!

The Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department would like to congratulate Justin Amengual ’22, Emily Miller ’22, Kaylee Walsh ’22, and Alexander Pericolosi ’23 on being recipients of the Fall 2021 Change Grant as part of the UConn Co-op Legacy Fellowship Program! To view the full list of Fall 2021 Change Grant Recipients, please click here.