Six engineering faculty members have been elected to membership in the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) in honor of their career accomplishments. They were among 26 individuals inducted during the Academy’s annual meeting and dinner on May 22 in Mystic, CT. Famed deep-sea explorer Dr. Robert Ballard, who discovered the RMS Titanic, discussed his most recent deep water archaeology work during the evening’s keynote address. The newly inducted members of CASE include:
Luke Achenie, professor of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering
Rajeev Bansal, professor and Associate Department Head of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Steve Demurjian, professor and Associate Department Head of Computer Science & Engineering
Eric Jordan, professor of Mechanical Engineering
Nejat Olgac, professor of Mechanical Engineering
Quing Zhu, associate professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Also inducted was alumnus Michael J. Hartnett (Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering ’78), who is Chairman, CEO and President of Roller Bearings Company of America and Holdings. Dr. Hartnett was inducted as a founding fellow of the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers in 2003.
“The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering is please to recognize UConn’s newly elected members of the Academy. Election to the Academy is based upon scientific or engineering distinction achieved through significant original contributions in theory or applications and/or unusual accomplishments in the pioneering of new and developing fields of applied science and technology. We are very proud of this year’s newly elected members and are pleased to celebrate their accomplishments through their election to the Academy,” said Alan C. Eckbreth, CASE President.
Dr. Erling Smith, interim dean of engineering, commented “It is gratifying to see the respect and honor accorded our faculty members for their scientific and engineering contributions. CASE is the Connecticut equivalent of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering; the election of six of our faculty members to this esteemed organization is outstanding.”
Membership is limited to 250 scientists and engineers from Connecticut’s academic, industrial and industrial communities. As a group, members identify and study issues and technological advances of concern to Connecticut residents and provide unbiased, expert advice on science- and technology-related issues to state government and other Connecticut institutions.
In addition to the six engineering faculty members elected to CASE in 2007 were an additional four individuals affiliated with the University of Connecticut: UConn Avery Point faculty members Ann Bucklin, Head of Marine Sciences, and Hans Dam, professor of Marine Sciences; and UConn Health Center physicians Dr. David Rowe, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine, and Dr. Marc LaLande, associate dean for research planning and coordination.
