Month: September 2026

Laurencin Honored by the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

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Three attendees pose together at an American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering event in front of an AIMBE banner.Warmest congratulations to Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., K.C.S.L., who was recognized as the designated honored guest at the 2025 American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) President’s Circle Reception in Washington, D.C.

Held as part of AIMBE’s Annual Meeting and hosted by AIMBE President Lola Eniola-Adefeso, Ph.D., the President’s Circle Reception brings together AIMBE Fellows and supporters to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the organization’s mission and the field of medical and biological engineering.

Each year, AIMBE selects a distinguished leader from its community or the broader medical and biological engineering field to serve as the reception’s honored guest. Dr. Laurencin was selected in recognition of his leadership in biomedical engineering and pioneering contributions to the field of regenerative engineering.

Dr. Laurencin is a Fellow of AIMBE and has previously served on its Board of Directors and as Chair of the College of Fellows. He is also a recipient of the Pierre Galletti Award, which is AIMBE’s highest honor. More recently, he received AIMBE’s Professional Impact Award for Leadership in recognition of his work as the founder of the field of regenerative engineering.

Read more on UConn Today.

UConn Chemical Engineering Alumni Honored as 2026 GOLD Rising Stars

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Six people pose together on a staircase at a UConn College of Engineering event, with three award recipients holding GOLD Rising Star trophies.Warmest congratulations to our alumni Shaylin Cetegen ’19, David Cowles ’17, and Dominique Schiraldi ’20 on being recognized with 2026 GOLD Rising Star Awards by the UConn College of Engineering!

The GOLD Rising Star Awards recognize graduates of the last decade whose professional accomplishments and contributions to engineering demonstrate significant promise and impact.

Cetegen earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UConn in 2019 and completed her Ph.D. at MIT in 2025. Her doctoral research developed an optimization-based framework for the technoeconomic assessment of liquid air energy storage systems across U.S. and European markets. She has authored eight peer-reviewed publications and received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Cowles earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UConn in 2017 and is an engineer with MPR Associates, where he provides technical consulting for the commercial nuclear power industry. His work includes nuclear power plant modernization, hazards analyses, electrical distribution reviews, and regulatory documentation.

Schiraldi earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UConn in 2020 and serves as Senior Manager, MES Engineering Cell Therapy Network Business Partner at Bristol Myers Squibb. Her work supports advanced cell therapy manufacturing through the design and maintenance of Manufacturing Execution Systems that translate complex scientific processes into scalable and compliant production workflows.

We are proud to celebrate these three alumni and their continued contributions across energy, nuclear power, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Read more about the 2026 GOLD Rising Stars on UConn Today.

Alumnus Steve Schmidt Inducted into the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers

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Two men stand together at a UConn College of Engineering event, holding an Academy of Distinguished Engineers plaque.We are honored to celebrate alumnus Steve Schmidt ’93 on his induction into the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers as a member of the Class of 2026!

Founded in 2003, the Academy of Distinguished Engineers recognizes UConn College of Engineering alumni and friends whose careers are characterized by sustained and exemplary contributions to the engineering profession through research, practice, education, policy, or service.

Schmidt earned his B.S. in Chemical and Materials Engineering from UConn in 1993 and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from RPI at Work in 1998. He currently serves as Vice President and Chief Engineer for the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Aircraft line of business, providing technical leadership across the full aircraft lifecycle. In this role, he leads more than 2,300 engineers worldwide supporting U.S. military, international, and commercial customers. During his career at Sikorsky, Schmidt has held leadership roles across several major aircraft programs, including the CH-53E and CH-53K Heavy Lift programs, the MH-60S and MH-60R helicopter programs, and the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program.

We congratulate Steve on this distinguished recognition and celebrate his continued contributions to the engineering profession.

Read more about the 2026 UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers Class on UConn Today.

Celebrating Our Faculty Promotions

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Collage of four UConn Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering faculty members, shown in individual professional headshots arranged in a two-by-two grid.As the 2026-27 academic year begins, UConn Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is proud to recognize and celebrate the recent promotions of four faculty members.

Warmest congratulations to:

                • Kelly Burke, promoted to Professor
                • Daniel Burkey, promoted to Professor
                • Ioulia Valla, promoted to Professor
                • Jennifer Pascal, promoted to Professor in-Residence

We are proud to celebrate their accomplishments and the many ways they contribute to our students, our department, and the broader UConn community. Congratulations to all four on this well-deserved recognition!

Read more about UConn’s 2026 faculty promotions and tenure on UConn Today.