The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) recently inducted Timothy Bunning, a three-time UConn College of Engineering alum and high-impact materials research engineer.

Bunning joins nine other UConn Engineering alumni who have been inducted into the NAE for outstanding engineering contributions in business, education, research, government, and other organizations.

Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, according to NAE.

Bunning was the Chief Technology Officer for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) before his recent retirement.

Bunning says the honor was unexpected.

“My gratitude goes to all those who have worked with me through the years,” Bunning says. “I have had the opportunity to collaborate with many and any success I have had in my career is due to them. I am happy for AFRL to be recognized as there is tremendous individual engineering talent within the AFRL ecosystem.”

He received his 1987 B.S., 1988 M.S., and 1992 Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering and materials science from UConn.

“UConn helped me tremendously become independent minded,” Bunning says.

Bunning said his interest in research was piqued as an undergraduate student when he had two research opportunities.

“I spent most of my Ph.D. research time in Ohio while a student at UConn,” Bunning says. “This ‘separation’ caused me to become very independent, taught me to how to get stuff done on my own, taught me how to ask for help. It shaped my ‘team-centric’ mentality necessary to solve complex engineering problems. It taught me how to communicate with those not in my area of expertise. This ability to effectively communicate has been the foundation for any success I have ever had.”

As the primary science and technology adviser to the AFRL Commander, Bunning is responsible for assisting with the planning and execution of an annual $3.5 billion Air Force science and technology program. He serves as the corporate-level science and technology interface for a government workforce of nearly 6,000 people in the laboratory’s nine technology directorates and 711th Human Performance Wing.

Bunning is a Fellow of AFRL, the Optical Society of America, the Society of Optical Engineering, the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Materials Research Society and the Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering Division of ACS. He has co-authored more than 300 refereed papers and 130 proceedings, has edited several books, and holds 18 patents.

“It has been an honor and pleasure to collaborate with Timothy Bunning through our work with the Air Force Research Laboratory,” says interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs Pamir Alpay. “He is a world-class expert in the field of photonic and electro-optical properties of polymers and liquid crystals. Tim’s research has improved manufacturing technologies in aerospace, as well as development of materials for advanced sensing in extreme environments. I am proud of his achievements and congratulate him on his well-deserved election to the National Academy of Engineering.”

His research interests in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, part of the AFRL, are centered on the optical, electro-optical, and photo-optical performance of structured polymeric and liquid crystalline materials. Central research areas include the development of 1-, 2-, and 3-D switchable polymeric diffractive structures using complex holographic photopolymerization techniques, development of novel polymeric thin films using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, phototunable materials based on azo-materials including thin film actuators, and phototunable cholesteric LC materials.

“Timothy Bunning’s induction into NAE together with nine other UConn alums underscores the tremendous impact of UConn Engineering alumni on our society,” says UConn Engineering Dean JC Zhao. “They are also a testament of the high-quality engineering education UConn proudly provides.”

Previous UConn Engineering alumni who are NAE members include:

• James E. Barger (M.S. mechanical engineering ‘60) is a distinguished engineer recognized for his contributions to special fields in engineering. Barger was elected to the NAE in 2011 for his leadership at Raytheon BBN Technologies and influence across communications and defense technologies. His election highlighted his role advancing interdisciplinary engineering solutions at the intersection of research and real-world systems, and was specifically cited “for applications of acoustic technology and engineering solutions for the benefit of national security and society.”
• Dennis M. Bushnell (B.S. mechanical engineering ’63) is a visionary aeronautical engineer and longtime Chief Scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center, where he directed advanced research in flow modeling, aerodynamics, and aeronautics. Bushnell’s work on turbulent flow control, drag reduction, and high-speed aeronautical concepts has been influential in both aerospace and fluid dynamics. In recognition of his pioneering contributions to aerospace engineering, he was elected to the NAE in 1998 “for viscous flow modeling and control, turbulent drag reduction, and advanced aeronautical concepts.”
• Sharon Nunes (M.S. materials science ’80, Ph.D. materials science ’83) is a materials scientist and corporate technology leader noted for her work on sustainable and green technologies. After completing her graduate degrees at UConn, she spent nearly three decades at IBM, rising to Vice President of Big Green Innovations where she led global efforts in renewable energy, water management, and photovoltaics. Nunes also launched IBM’s Computational Biology Center and championed diversity and technology leadership initiatives. She was elected to the NAE in 2019 “for corporate leadership in next-generation green technologies, focusing on novel materials and processes.”
• Louis C. Parrillo (B.S. electrical engineering ’64) is an accomplished semiconductor technologist and executive whose career spans foundational contributions to integrated circuit device and fabrication technologies. At AT&T Bell Laboratories and later Motorola, he helped develop industry-defining CMOS technologies and led advanced semiconductor research and development, eventually serving as Semiconductor Chief Technology Officer. Parrillo’s innovations earned him election to the NAE in 1996 “for contributions to device and fabrication technology for integrated circuits.”
• Thomas W. Prete (B.S. mechanical engineering ’85, MBA ’01) is a senior aerospace engineering leader with Pratt & Whitney, where he has held roles of increasing responsibility culminating as Vice President for Military Engines. A UConn mechanical engineering graduate with advanced degrees from Rensselaer and UConn, Prete has overseen engineering strategy and delivery for advanced military and commercial aircraft engines. His leadership in propulsion system development and engineering excellence led to his election to the NAE in 2023, specifically “for engineering leadership in developing and fielding advanced aircraft gas turbine engines.”
• Mark P. Sarkisian (B.S. civil engineering ’83) is a world-renowned structural engineer and partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. He has designed iconic buildings around the globe, including supertall towers and complex seismic structures, and holds numerous patents for innovative structural systems. Sarkisian’s blend of technical innovation and aesthetic engineering earned him election to the NAE in 2021 “for innovation in efficient and aesthetic design of tall buildings and structures.”
• Kumares C. Sinha (M.S. municipal engineering ’66, Ph.D. civil engineering ’68) is an engineer, researcher and educator known for contributions to transportation systems analysis, transportation infrastructure economics and management, transportation safety, and the use of emerging technologies in transportation. One of his chief contributions is the development of an integrated approach to highway-asset-management based on facility condition modeling, treatment effectiveness and life-cycle costing. He served as a professor of civil engineering at Purdue University. He was elected to the NAE in 2008 “for contributions to the advancement of highway infrastructure engineering and management and to the education of transportation professionals worldwide.”
• Anthony J. DeMaria (B.S. electrical engineering ’56, Ph.D. electrical engineering ’65) was a globally influential laser researcher whose work on picosecond mode-locked lasers transformed optoelectronics and photonics. Born in Italy and raised in Connecticut, DeMaria conducted decades of research at United Technologies Research Center, where he advanced high-power lasers and ultrafast optics. After founding DeMaria ElectroOptics Systems, he continued to drive innovation in laser systems. He was elected to the NAE in 1976 “for pioneering research in the application of lasers to generate and measure picosecond light pulses.” DeMaria also served as president of the Optical Society of America and the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. DeMaria died in 2025.
• Daniel E. Noble (B.S. electrical engineering ’29) was a pioneering American engineer celebrated for his leadership in the development of mobile radio and solid-state electronics. A native of Naugatuck, Connecticut, Noble earned his engineering degree before joining Motorola in 1940 as Director of Research, where he led the design of the first practical backpack FM transmitter-receiver used in World War II. He later established Motorola’s solid-state research laboratory, laying groundwork for the company’s semiconductor products. Throughout his career, Noble held key leadership roles including executive vice chairman of Motorola and was recognized for his contributions with honors such as the IEEE Edison Medal. He was elected to the NAE in 1968 “for leadership in the development of a wide variety of electronic systems and the design of the first frequency-modulation mobile radio communication system.” Noble died in 1980.