Interim Dean Kazem Kazerounian announced three new appointments in the School of Engineering leadership:  Dr. Mei Wei, professor of Materials Science & Engineering, has been named Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education; Dr. Michael Accorsi will assume the role of Senior Associate Dean; and Dr. Daniel Burkey, Associate Professor in Residence of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, will assume the role of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Diversity. The appointments are effective July 1.

“I am delighted to welcome these exceptional leaders in their new and expanded roles.  All three bring enviable records of scholarly achievement, cross-disciplinary expertise, vision and managerial experience to their roles,” said Dean Kazerounian.

Dr. Wei joined UConn in 2002 and is an expert in biomaterials research who has collaborated extensively with faculty at the UConn Health Center, as well as local industry partners, to establish a world-renowned interdisciplinary biomaterials research program. She is also affiliated with the UConn Health Center Institute for Regenerative Engineering, working intensively on bone regeneration and scaffolding research. Dr. Wei’s honors include the 2007 Connecticut Women of Innovation’s Academic Innovation and Leadership Award in recognition of her contributions in the field of biomaterials. She is also a 2013 inductee into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE).   Read more about Dr. Wei’s research here and here.

Dr. Accorsi has served as Associate Dean for Research & Education since June 2012.  He joined the Civil & Environmental Engineering department in 1986 and served as Department Head from 2006-09.  Subsequently, he became Director of the Center for Resilient Transportation Infrastructure, a Department of Homeland Security-sponsored center of excellence targeting transportation network security and infrastructure protection. Since 2009, he has also been very active in a major international project supported by USAID under the Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative to develop graduate level programs in sustainable water resources in Ethiopia.  Dr. Accorsi’s expertise lies in the area of computational mechanics.  He is an elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Burkey served as Associate Department Head of the Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering department from 2010-12 and helped to reshape and refocus the Chemical Engineering curriculum. He oversaw the renovation of the senior laboratory, including securing funding and equipment donations for the renovation, and reconfigured the accompanying course to ensure that students are exposed to the latest techniques, experimental apparatuses and equipment used by industry, from the nanoscale to the pilot-plant scale. His research background is in the field of chemical vapor deposition.