September 1, 2009 | Eli Freund - School of Engineering

School Welcomes New Associate Dean

Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi recently announced the appointment of Dr. Kazem Kazerounian as Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives. Dr. Kazerounian, who received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago, has held numerous leadership roles throughout his 25 years at UConn. He currently serves as an elected representative on the […]

Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi recently announced the appointment of Dr. Kazem Kazerounian as Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives.

graphicDr. Kazerounian, who received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago, has held numerous leadership roles throughout his 25 years at UConn. He currently serves as an elected representative on the University Senate (2008-2011), and has served on numerous University-level committees, including the Provost’s Research Equipment Competition Committee, Research Advisory Council, Faculty Review Board, and Review Panel for Intercampus Research Grants.

Dr. Kazerounian chairs the School of Engineering Academic Plan 2009-2014 committee, and he previously served as Associate Dean for Research & Outreach from 1998-2001. In addition, he was Director of the Advanced Technologies Institute (ATI) from 1999-2001. At the national level, he is the current Chair of ASME Design Division Executive Committee and has chaired several major national and international conferences and technical committees.

He has served on the editorial boards of the ASME Applied Mechanics Review and ASMEJournal of Medical Devices and has been Associate Editor of both the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design and the Journal of Mechanisms and Machine Theory. In addition, Dr. Kazerounian is a Fellow of ASME and the recipient of the ASME Design Division Mechanisms and Robotics Award (a lifetime achievement award) in recognition of cumulative contributions to the field of mechanisms design and theory (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.

His expertise lies in analytical and computational kinematics and dynamics applied in diverse application fields, such as protein-based nano mechanical devices, optimization of mechanisms and gear systems, robotics, and human motion analysis. Dr. Kazerounian’s current active funded research projects include the analysis and design of protein molecules, and the study of their folding pathway as a basis for bio-nano machines; the design and ergonomic aspects of health products; and robotic manipulation.