For decades, the UConn College of Engineering has shaped engineers whose influence extends far beyond the classroom, laboratory, and campus. At this year’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers induction ceremony, alumni, faculty, family, and friends gathered to celebrate a new class of leaders whose careers reflect innovation, mentorship, and a lasting commitment to the engineering profession and the UConn community. 

Twelve Class of 2026 inductees were recognized in an event at the UConn Alumni Center on the Storrs Campus on May 21. 

“The Academy of Distinguished Engineers represents the very best of UConn Engineering,” says Dean JC Zhao. “This year’s inductees have made remarkable contributions to their fields while remaining deeply connected to our college and community. These inductees reflect the innovation, leadership, and impact that define UConn Engineering.” 

During the event, inductees shared their gratitude for their experiences at UConn, thanking various professors and advisors that shaped them on their path.

“The Academy induction ceremony celebrates not only professional achievement, but also the lasting connections our alumni maintain with UConn Engineering and each other,” says Senior Director of Development & Alumni Relations Caitlin Krouse. “It was an honor to celebrate their achievements and welcome them into the Academy.”  

Thursday’s event also recognized several GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Rising Stars. More information about those inductees is available online. Photos from Thursday’s event are also available. 

The 2026 Academy inductees include: 

Mohamed Ahmed: BS, MS, Computer Science — The American University at Cairo (’01, ’04); Ph.D., Computer Science — UConn (’09). Ahmed leads AWS’s global GenAI Startup Strategy across NAMER, EMEA, and APJ — managing a $120M P&L, partnering with world-class GENAI startups, and maintaining strategic relationships with tier-1 investors including a16z, Sequoia, and Bessemer. 

Swetaprovo Chaudhuri: BS, Mechanical Engineering — Jadavpur University (’06); Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering — UConn (’10). Chaudhuri is currently a professor at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. He is an expert in turbulent reacting flows and propulsion, internationally recognized for his pioneering contributions to turbulent flame stabilization, propagation, and structure. 

James Fallon: BA, Liberal Arts and Sciences — Fairfield University (’90); BS, Civil Engineering MBA, Finance and Management — UConn (’92, ’01). Fallon is currently the chief engineer of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. He currently oversees 1,100 employees engaged in the design and construction of  multi-modal transportation capital improvements. He joined the department in 1994 and has held a variety of positions in both engineering and capital planning. 

Hami Golbayani: BS, Mechanical Engineering — University of Tehran (’03); M.Eng., Mechanical Engineering — K.N. Toosi University of Technology (’06); MS, Financial Mathematics, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering — UConn (’11, ’12). Golbayani is a quantitative risk strategist and engineering leader recognized for his contributions at the intersection of finance, technology, and complex systems design. He currently serves as the executive director of liquidity modeling at Wells Fargo. 

Geoff Hunt, Service Award: BE, Mechanical Engineering — The University of Sheffield (’85); MBA — Boston University (’03). Hunt is the senior vice president of product strategy at Pratt & Whitney. There, he serves as a liaison with airframers and other customers, driving strategic leadership for future program development and advancing Pratt’s commitment to innovative and sustainable aviation. He previously served as senior vice president for engineering and technology at Collins Aerospace. 

Inkyu Moon: MS., Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering — UConn (’07, ’08). Moon is a full professor of robotics and mechatronics engineering at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea. Moon previously served as Director of the BK21 FOUR Program and the Micro-Robot Research Center at DGIST. Moon’s research focuses on intelligent imaging systems, digital holography, and AI-driven biomedical imaging. 

Robert Moore: BS, MS, Civil Engineering — UConn (’67, ’70). Moore’s service includes 28 years with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, where he rose to deputy commissioner. He played a central role in shaping Connecticut’s environmental policy and programs, including the development of an environmental justice program, groundwater management program, and brownfields redevelopment. He established the State Clean Water Fund, which has financed more than $1.5 billion in wastewater infrastructure improvements. 

Mark Poliks: BS, Chemistry and Mathematics — University of Massachusetts Lowell (’82); MS, Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering — UConn (’84, ’87). Poliks is a SUNY distinguished professor and empire innovation professor of materials science and engineering, and systems science and industrial engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New York. He is the founding director of the Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing. 

Salay Quaranta: BS, MS, Materials Science and Engineering — UConn (’09, ’13). Quaranta is a distinguished engineer whose career exemplifies excellence in manufacturing, laser technology, and materials science. Her work includes ultrafast laser blackmarking solutions, as well as commercializing advanced laser and machining systems that optimize material–laser interactions, throughput, and reliability. She is a business executive and materials scientist; vice president of strategic accounts at Denali R&D Corporation, and owner of Q Business Solutions.  

Rebecca Ruitto Hall: BS, Civil Engineering — UConn (’09). Ruitto is a senior project manager and principal at CDM Smith. Ruitto leads transportation planning and design projects while contributing firmwide through mentoring, quality reviews, and business development efforts across the United States and internationally. Ruitto has also contributed more than ten years of service to the Women’s Transportation Seminar, where she has held multiple executive roles, and has served as a Northeast Region Council Representative.  

Steve Schmidt:  BS, Chemical and Materials Engineering — UConn (’93); MS, Mechanical Engineering — RPI at Work (’98). Schmidt is vice president and chief engineer for the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Aircraft line of business, providing technical leadership across the full aircraft lifecycle. Prior to becoming vice president, Schmidt served as chief engineer for Sikorsky’s Heavy Lift Program. He joined Sikorsky and began assuming formal leadership responsibilities in 2005. 

William Villano: BS, Biological Science, BS, Environmental Engineering — University Of Connecticut (’87, ’89). Villano is an electrical engineering principal fellow at Collins Aerospace with 37 years of experience developing safety-critical embedded control electronics and system architectures for aerospace applications. Villano has held leadership roles, including Electrical, Electronic, RF & Optic Discipline Lead for Collins Aerospace, Chair of the RTX Electronics Discipline Council, and Electrical Chief Engineer for RTX Technology & Global Engineering.