12 University of Connecticut and UConn Health faculty members were inducted into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) and will be honored in a virtual meeting on May 26.
23 faculty members from other institutions and universities in Connecticut were also elected to CASE this year. According to a press news release, the elected members are “Connecticut’s leading experts in science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, and technology.”
The 12 newly elected members from UConn are researchers, university leaders, entrepreneurs and educators at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, UConn Health, UConn Avery Point and UConn’s Technology Commercialization Services.
“The individuals [elected to CASE] this year from UConn, UConn’s School of Medicine and UConn Health are all highly qualified,” said Terri Clark, the executive director of CASE. “A number of these individuals, we actually have had engagement with in the past, over different aspects of our work. It’s great to see them as members and be honored for the work that they’ve been doing throughout their profession.”
“The individuals [elected to CASE] this year from UConn, UConn’s School of Medicine and UConn Health are all highly qualified. A number of these individuals, we actually have had engagement with in the past, over different aspects of our work. It’s great to see them as members and be honored for the work that they’ve been doing throughout their profession.”
Terri Clark, the executive director of CASE.
Created in 1976, CASE is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide “expert, evidence-based science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEMM) advice and promote the application of STEMM for the people and the state of Connecticut,” according to Clark.
Candidates are nominated by existing members of CASE based on significant contributions and achievements, including pioneering new and developing fields, outstanding leadership of nationally recognized technical teams and external professional awards in science and engineering excellence, according to CASE’s website.
“UConn deservedly has a strong presence in CASE, illustrating the contributions our faculty make to advance Connecticut as an academic and industrial leader in science and engineering,” said Pamir Alpay, a CASE member and UConn’s interim vice president for research, innovation and entrepreneurship. “I am delighted to welcome so many of my colleagues, who will further enrich our state with their expertise.”
Executive Director of Technology Commercialization Services Dr. Mostafa Analoui, is among this year’s inductees and said it is an honor to be recognized.
“CASE is a very well-known and outstanding organization that includes high-achieving scientists and engineers, so being included in that group is truly an honor,” Analoui said. “I never thought that my achievement was enough to be part of that group…I am quite honored that they recognized what I have done in the past [as] worthy of that organization.”
“CASE is a very well-known and outstanding organization that includes high-achieving scientists and engineers, so being included in that group is truly an honor. I never thought that my achievement was enough to be part of that group…I am quite honored that they recognized what I have done in the past [as] worthy of that organization.”
Executive Director of Technology Commercialization Services, Dr. Mostafa Analoui.
After earning his PhD, Analoui worked as a faculty member at the UConn School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine and Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. He went on to work for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for 15 years, seven of which were as an investment banker.
“Throughout this process, I always kept my scientific and academic activities going,” Analoui said. “When I joined UConn five years ago, in the office of vice president for research, I maintained the same kind of scientific focus and interactions with the students and faculty members.”
Analoui said he believes his induction into CASE is largely due to the diversity of his work experience.
“I believe my election is a result of everything that I have done, not a particular moment,” added Analoui.
The UConn faculty members elected to CASE include:
- Mostafa Analoui, executive director, Technology Commercialization Services
- Daniel Bolnick, ecology and evolutionary biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Ofer Harel, associate dean for research and graduate affairs; Statistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Rainer Hebert, director of Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Center; associate director of the Institute of Materials Science, School of Engineering
- Stephen King, molecular biology and biophysics, UConn Health
- Sangamesh G. Kumbar, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering, UConn Health
- Pedro J.P. Mendes, director, Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling; cell biology, UConn School of Medicine
- Mu-Ping Nieh, chemical & biomedical engineering, School of Engineering and Institute of Materials Science
- Carolyn Teschke, interim department head, molecular and cell biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Mark Urban, ecology and evolutionary biology; director, Center of Biological Risk; director, Team-TERRA; co-leader, UConn@COP
- Epapandi Vlahos, marine sciences, Avery Point
- David L. Wagner, ecology and evolutionary biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
