UConn Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Many thanks to the UConn Neag School of Education and their alumni board for recognizing me as the 2025 Outstanding Higher Education Professional at their awards ceremony last Saturday. It was a lovely event and I enjoyed getting a chance to spend time with Neag colleagues and collaborators as well as meet fellow awardees. As I mentioned in my remarks, all my prior degrees have been in Engineering, so getting an M.A. in Education was a big shift for me, but one that has definitely helped me in my position as Associate Dean and as an engineering education researcher. I want to thank the UConn - Research Methods, Measurement, & Evaluation (RMME) program for that opportunity (and note that applications for their programs are currently open!) To see more about all of this year's awardees, check out: https://lnkd.in/eYXipGic

The UConn Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering hosted Geoff Bothun from the University of Rhode Island recently at the UConn Tech Park – Innovation Partnership Building. Geoff serves as the Department Chair of the Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Department at #URI. This seminar described some excellent work on surfaced enhanced Raman spectroscopy for detecting pollutants in water. It was great to catch up with my friend who I met first at a North American Membrane Society (NAMS) meeting over a decade ago. Thanks for visiting the University of Connecticut.

New Affiliate Profile! Read about UConn College of Engineering Associate Professor Kristina Wagstrom, her work bringing DIY air filters to classrooms, and her dives with sharks! https://lnkd.in/eggK6ze8

Congrats to Daniel Burkey! Recognized UConn Neag School of Education Alumni & UConn College of Engineering Leader - University of Connecticut

We are excited to welcome Dr. Génesis Quiles-Galarza as an Assistant Professor in Residence in our department starting?Fall 2025!?Prof. Quiles-Galarza joins us with a strong background in?machine learning for materials discovery, first-principles methods, and engineering education, bringing valuable experience in research and undergraduate teaching. ? Prof. Quiles-Galarza, an alumnus from our very own program, obtained her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024, with her Doctoral Thesis titled, “Identifying Material Fingerprints of Relevance to Understand Adsorbate-Surface Interactions Using First Principles Modeling and Machine Learning.” She has since joined as a Visiting Professor, making valuable contributions to educating the chemical engineering students in the UConn community and upholding high standards of academic excellence. Prior to obtaining her PhD, she served as a Secondary Science teacher at Bulkeley High School in Hartford, CT through Teach For America, which set the foundation for her journey as an educator. Prof. Quiles-Galarza will be contributing to our?MEng Program by teaching Chemical Engineering graduate courses, as well as focusing on computational chemical engineering approaches, enhancing our Department’s and UConn College of Engineering's commitment to student success and top-quality, cutting-edge education. We look forward to seeing the impact her work will have on our students and the broader academic community. Please join us in giving Prof. Genesis Quiles-Galarza a warm welcome!

Congratulations to #NAIMemberInstitution the University of Connecticut’s Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, NAI Fellow and Board Member, for being honored with the 2025 Paul Terasaki Innovation Award! The Paul Terasaki Innovation Award recognizes individuals who have made significant and ongoing contributions in biomedical science and engineering that they have also transformed into real-world solutions. Dr. Laurencin exemplifies this mission through his pioneering work in regenerative engineering—a field he founded that integrates advanced materials science, stem cell science, physics, developmental biology, and clinical medicine to regenerate complex tissues and organs. His vision has redefined what is possible in medicine, inspiring others to push the boundaries of their imagination. A practicing surgeon and chemical engineer, Dr. Laurencin invented the Laurencin-Cooper Ligament—the first engineered ACL replacement capable of regenerating torn tissue inside the human body. Instead of relying on painful tissue grafts or cadaver ligaments, his innovation allows the body to heal itself. The engineered grafts for rotator cuff tendon repair he developed help patients regain mobility and quality of life when traditional surgical methods fail. Dr. Laurencin’s innovations have reached millions of patients worldwide through products that improve orthopedic healing. His breakthroughs in soft tissue implants, bone regeneration, and bioengineered interference screws have led to multiple startups as well as collaborations with industry. The advanced materials he originally developed for musculoskeletal regeneration, known as polymer-ceramic composites, have inspired advancements in aerospace, electronics, and energy—demonstrating the far-reaching impact of his work. This award is named in memory of Dr. Paul Terasaki, an innovator at UCLA whose advancements in organ transplant medicine, including the tissue-typing test, have saved countless lives. Like Terasaki, the ingenuity and fortitude of Dr. Laurencin has fundamentally changed the way medicine is practiced. In 2024, the recipient of the Paul Terasaki Innovation Award was #NAIMemberInstitution the University of Texas at Austin’s Dr. Nicholas Peppas, also an NAI Fellow. Join us in celebrating NAI Fellow Dr. Laurencin and his extraordinary contributions to human health and well-being. #innovation #invention #regenerativeengineering UConn Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering UConn Health Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI)

On March 7, the University of Connecticut College of Engineering hosted its 11th Annual Poster Competition, bringing together more than 105 graduate students eager to share groundbreaking research that addresses some of the world’s most pressing challenges. ? This premier event followed the highly regarded Three Minute Thesis (3MT) format, tasking participants with distilling complex research into clear, engaging presentations for a distinguished panel of faculty and industry leaders. By bridging the gap between technical expertise and effective communication, the competition highlights the critical role of engineers in shaping the future. ? With over $2,000 in awards, the stakes were high. The first-place winner earned $1,000, the second-place winner received $500, and the third-place winner took home $250. Additional $50 prizes were awarded to top presenters within departments and the People’s Choice Award winner, underscoring the depth of talent across disciplines. The Honorable Mention award was also given, recognizing outstanding research and presentation skills among participants. ? The top three winners represented Materials Science & Engineering, Mechanical Aerospace & Manufacturing, and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, showcasing the diversity and far-reaching impact of research within the college. Their work stands at the forefront of innovation, pushing the boundaries of science and technology. ? A huge thank you goes out to the dedicated volunteers from the UConn Engineering - John Lof Leadership Academy , Student Association Graduate Engineers (SAGE), and Alpha Phi Omega, whose commitment ensured the event’s success. A special acknowledgment to JLLA for their outstanding leadership and organization, which played a vital role in bringing this event to life. ? Congratulations to all participants, winners, and honorable mention! The competition was a testament to the brilliance, collaboration, and problem-solving spirit that define research within College of Engineering. The ideas presented today will help drive the technological advancements of tomorrow.

Congrats to the students of the Connecticut Center for Applied Separations Technologies (CCAST) for their participation in the UConn College of Engineering Graduate Student Poster session. Salman Ahmadipouya, Mi Zhang, Mert Can Hac?fazl?o?lu, Akanksha Majumder, and Deniz ?pek?i all gave posters. Collaborating graduate students also presented (Wei Ruan from Kelly Burke's group and Wajeha Tauqir from George Bollas's group). Many thanks to Julia Valla and Aida Ghiaei for their tremendous efforts in putting this event together!

BIG EAST Champs ??