The School of Engineering inducted six accomplished alumni into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers and also feted two other exceptional engineers during its annual awards banquet on December 10, 2009. The festive event, held at the University’s Alumni Center, capped a day in which the new inductees presented seminars on a range of technical topics, including waste water treatment, sustainable building design, combustion research, efficient energy production and shock-tolerant submarine design.

UConn Provost Peter Nicholls and Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi were among the University leaders presenting opening remarks. Dr. Nicholls lauded the award recipients, noting “UConn has trained and educated countless dedicated engineers during the last century. And the impacts of that education are evident not only here in Connecticut but across the world, where our engineering alumni are making their mark in transformative and enduring ways.”

The UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers was begun in 2003 to honor alumni whose careers are characterized by their sustained and exemplary contributions to the engineering profession. Members provide advice and counsel to the School leadership. The six newly inducted members include (click on any name to view the individual’s career profile):

	Hamid R. Adib (M.S., Ph.D. Civil Engineering/Structural Analysis; ’84, ’95), P.E. – Senior Vice President for the Specialty Practices Group, North America, of AECOM.
	Austin L. Alvarez (M.S. Civil Engineering; ’73), P.E. – Staff Engineer and the Technical Leader for shock and structures development at General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT.
	Jeffrey M. Cohen (B.S., M.S., Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering; ’85, ’87, ’95) — a Fellow in the Thermal and Fluid Sciences Department of the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC).
	John E. Dresty, Jr. (M.S. Metallurgy ’71) – founder, President and CEO of Clearwater Systems Corporation of Essex, CT.
	Xiaohong Guan (Ph.D. Electrical & Computer Engineering; ’93) – Cheung Kong Professor of Systems Engineering and Dean of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China.
	William H. Hover (M.S. Civil Engineering; ’79) – Senior Principal and Senior Vice President of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., of Norwood, MA.

Receiving the 2009 Distinguished Service Award were David Carter, Vice President of Engineering & Technology at Hamilton Sundstrand, and Peter Halvordson, Vice President of Engineering at General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT. The Distinguished Engineering Service awards were established in 1994 to honor individuals who have generously provided service, time and resources to the School of Engineering. View their profiles by clicking on the names below.

View profiles of Peter Halvordson and David Carter.