University of Connecticut Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Mun Y. Choi announced the appointment of Dr. Kazem Kazerounian as Dean of the School of Engineering following a nationwide search.
In making the announcement, Dr. Choi said, “Kazem is an exceptional teacher and scholar, and has provided strong leadership to the school as interim dean since June 2012. As Interim Dean, Kazem has accomplished a great deal, including increasing the number and achievement of exceptional students; recruiting several excellent new faculty members; and building partnerships with world-class manufacturers, international research institutes, and governmental agencies.”
“With his deep experience and knowledge, Kazem is well-positioned to take the School of Engineering to the next level of research and educational excellence as an integral part of the Next Generation Connecticut initiative. He will also be a key member of the leadership team for the UConn Tech Park, and will identify critical investments and partnerships,” said Dr. Choi.
“I’m humbled by the support I have received from colleagues, alumni and friends within and outside of the School of Engineering,” Dr. Kazerounian remarked. “It is a great privilege to serve the School and the University as Dean during these extraordinary, exciting times. In the months and years ahead I will focus particularly on the School of Engineering’s mission in advancing and fostering economic development across Connecticut, on the success of our students, and on supporting our faculty as they strive to create relevant knowledge.”
Dr. Kazerounian has held numerous leadership roles since joining UConn’s Mechanical Engineering Department in 1984. He served as the Associate Dean for Research & Strategic Initiatives and the Associate Dean for Research & Outreach from 1997 to 2001. He has authored more than 100 scholarly papers and is the principal investigator on more than $7 million in research grants. Dr. Kazerounian’s research expertise lies in analytical and computational kinematics and dynamics in diverse applications, such as protein-based nano-mechanical devices, optimization of mechanisms and gear systems, robotics, and human motion analysis.
Dr. Kazerounian is the past Chair of the ASME Design Division Executive Committee, has chaired three major national and international conferences, and has served on the editorial boards of several professional journals. He is a Fellow of ASME and the recipient of the ASME Design Division Mechanisms and Robotics Award (a lifetime achievement award – 2006), the George Wood Award in recognition of significant contributions to the field of mechanisms and robotics (1997), and the ABB Outstanding Faculty Award (1997). He was inducted into the Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering (CASE) in 2008.
