Two prestigious faculty members of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2) were inducted into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) during the virtual 46^th Annual CASE Meeting held on May 27, 2021. 

Dr. Jeffrey R. McCutcheon is a faculty member in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at UConn.  He joined the UConn School of Engineering in 2008, after receiving his Ph.D. from Yale University in 2007. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Dupont Young Professor, FRI/John G. Kunesh Award, the 3M Nontenured Faculty Award, the Global Water Summit Water Technology Idol, and was selected as a semi-finalist in the American Made Challenges Solar Desalination Prize from the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2019, as an internationally recognized expert in membrane technologies for water treatment, Dr. McCutcheon was chosen to lead UConn’s participation in the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), a research consortium awarded a five-year, $100-million Energy-Water Desalination Hub to address water security issues in the United States. During the pandemic, McCutcheon engaged in COVID relief activities including the development of an emergency ventilator for fast deployment, the compounding and distribution of 2500 bottles of hand sanitizers to retirement communities, food pantries, soup kitchens, and first responders, and established a mask testing capability for PPE performance evaluation.

Dr. Tianfeng Lu is a professor in Mechanical Engineering and member of C2E2.  Dr. Lu joined UConn as an Assistant Professor in 2008 after receiving his Ph.D. from Princeton University in Mechanical and Aerospace engineering.  His research focus is on computational combustion with special interests in reduced chemical kinetics, stiff chemical solvers, and computational diagnostics of laminar and turbulent flames. Dr. Lu was most recently recognized as one of the 2021 Class of Fellows for The Combustion Institute for his work on “The development of computationally efficient and accurate methods for the systematic, efficient and massive reduction of large reaction mechanisms.”

Dr. Radenka Maric, also of UConn, delivered the keynote address at the 46th Annual CASE Meeting.  Dr. Maric, a CASE member, is an entrepreneur and leading scientist at the University of Connecticut with experience in academia, industry, national labs, and federal agencies in the US, Japan, and Canada. Dr. Maric serves as the Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship across all UConn campuses, including UConn Health. She is responsible for overseeing the University’s $280+ million annual research enterprise and its Technology Incubation Program. She presented on the “Connection between Nature and Scientific Discoveries”.

Election to CASE is on the basis of scientific and engineering distinction achieved through significant contributions in theory or applications, as demonstrated by original published books and papers, patents, the pioneering of new and developing fields and innovative products, outstanding leadership of nationally recognized technical teams, and external professional awards in recognition of scientific and engineering excellence. CASE was chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1976 to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the people and to the state of Connecticut, and to promote the application of science and technology to human welfare and economic well-being. For more information about the Academy, please visit http://www.ctcase.org.