by Linda Costa IMS Written Communications Assistant
Dr. Avinash Dongare, a resident member of the University of Connecticut’s Institute of Materials Science (IMS) has been elected Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Dr. Raj Rajendran, Chair of the Executive Materials Division of ASME, surprised Dongare with the nomination.
Dr. Rajendran has known Avinash since 2007 when they met while Dr. Rajendran was serving as Chief Scientist for the Engineering Directorate at the U.S. Army Research Office. During that time, Dongare was serving as Rajendran’s National Research Council (NRC) Fellow, working on modeling the response of complex molecules and single crystals under shock (high pressure and high strain rate) loading conditions.
“It is clear that Dr. Dongare stands among the most outstanding researchers of his generation,” Dr. Rajendran said of his decision to nominate Dongare. “I am confident his innovative research will continue to earn him well-deserved recognition and accolades from his peers.”
Rajendran also noted Dongare’s dedication to the field, noting that he actively serves the scientific community through his roles with ASME and as a reviewer for several leading journals in his area of expertise.
“His service and leadership underscore his commitment to advancing science and supporting the work of his colleagues,” Dr. Rajendran commented.
Dr. Dongare’s current research involves the development and application of advanced computational methods to investigate the behavior and properties of novel materials across multiple scales.
ASME is a nonprofit organization founded in 1880 to help the engineering community develop solutions to numerous challenges.
A research study recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) presents a breakthrough in the design of synthetic copolypeptides which mimic the mechanical properties of spider silk.
The study, entitled Synthesis and In Situ Thermal Induction of β-Sheet Nanocrystals in Spider Silk-Inspired Copolypeptides, was conducted in the research lab of IMS resident faculty member and Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Yao Lin, in collaboration with Dr. Jianjun Cheng, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC). Graduate students Tianjian Yang and Jianan Mao (UConn) and Tianrui Xue (UIUC) provided essential contributions to the study.
Leveraging advanced helix-accelerated, ring-opening polymerization techniques, the research team synthesized multiblock copolypeptides, which undergo a transformation into β-sheet nanocrystals upon heating, achieving robust materials with excellent mechanical integrity, tunability, and processability without the need for solvents.
The study also expands upon traditional poly-alanine-based constructs found in natural spider silk by introducing novel β-sheet-forming amino acids, offering new ways to tailor these materials for specific functional applications. This approach is expected to pave the way for next-generation biopolymer and high-performance fiber materials whose properties will include increases in tensile strength, extensibility, processability, and versatility similar to natural spider silk.
Professor Lin’s group studies bio-inspired macromolecules and materials using the techniques of polymer synthesis, macromolecular characterization, physical chemistry, molecular biology and biochemistry as tools.
(l to r) Drs. Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri, Yupeng Chen, Avinash Dongare, Liisa T. Kuhn, and David Pierce are among the 12 UConn faculty selected as members of CASE for 2024.
The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE), an organization of academic and industry professionals who advise the state government on matters of science and industry, announced the election of 35 new members in 2024. Twelve of these new members — over a third — are UConn faculty. Nearly half of those selected from UConn are members of the Institute of Materials Science (IMS).
Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri, Professor, UConn School of Pharmacy
Yupeng Chen, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
Avinash Dongare, Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
Liisa T. Kuhn, Professor and Associate Department Head, Biomedical Engineering, UConn Health
David Pierce, Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
All new members will be introduced at the Academy’s 49th Annual Meeting and Dinner at the Woodwinds in Branford, CT on May 21, 2024. IMS congratulates all the new CASE members.
We are excited to welcome our newest faculty member, Alexander Dupuy, who joins our department as an assistant professor this fall with an appointment to the Institute of Materials Science (IMS).
Having received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Riverside in 2016, Dupuy went on to work for the University of California, Irvine as a postdoctoral scholar and then as assistant project scientist before joining us here at UConn.
With 16 years of research experience in ceramic processing and synthesis, particularly using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), Dupuy makes for an exciting addition to the department. His research interests include materials related to electrifications (such as energy generation, storage/batteries, delivery, and conversion), materials for high temperature and extreme environments, and the processing, properties, and behavior of high entropy ceramics.
Dupuy previously authored 23 scientific publications. He also has significant mentorship experience, guiding 7 Ph.D. students, 11 undergraduate researchers, and 5 senior design students in their work over the past 13 years.
“I am thrilled to become a Husky,” Dupuy tells us. “The MSE department, School of Engineering, and Institute of Materials Science have made UConn a world-renowned institution for materials science scholarship and innovation. I am so pleased to be joining UConn and contributing to its important teaching and research missions.”
In a letter to the UConn community, President Radenka Maric recently announced the appointment of Dr. S. Pamir Alpay as Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship:
Dr. S. Pamir Alpay has been named Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
Pamir has very successfully served in this role on an interim basis since February 2022, overseeing the University’s $320 million research enterprise at Storrs, UConn Health, the School of Law, and our regional campuses.
He previously served as executive director of the Innovation Partnership Building at UConn Tech Park beginning in 2017, where he was the university’s chief advocate for industry-informed research and primary liaison between the research community and government partners.
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to work closely with Pamir have been continually impressed by his visionary nature, tenacity, and exceptional effectiveness as a leader and researcher. Among his greatest strengths is his ability to successfully build highly productive relationships not only with colleagues but also numerous critical partners who are external to UConn.
Pamir arrived at UConn in 2001 as an assistant professor of materials science and engineering and physics and rose through the ranks, ultimately being named Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor in 2020. He served as head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering from 2013-17 and as associate dean for research and industrial partnerships for the UConn School of Engineering from 2019 to 2022.
Pamir’s research is at the intersection of materials science, condensed matter physics, and surface chemistry. He has over 200 peer-reviewed journal publications and conference proceedings, five invited book chapters, and a book on the physics of functionally graded smart materials. On the strength of his scholarship and service, he was elected fellow of the American Physical Society, ASM International, and the American Ceramic Society. He is also an elected member of the Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering (CASE).
He has raised more than $30 million for research and development from federal and state agencies and industry. He is the PI of an $18 million interdisciplinary Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) contract dedicated to optimization of high value-added manufacturing technologies for aerospace components. Working with Yale University, he recently led a statewide coalition to secure an NSF Regional Innovations Engine Development Award, “Advancing Quantum Technologies (CT),” allowing Connecticut to participate in NSF’s new flagship program promoting equitable economic development through technology innovation.
As executive director of the UConn Tech Park, Pamir established partnerships with industry, state government, and federal agencies and built several interdisciplinary research teams that successfully competed for large-scale funding. Since 2017, industry partners have invested more than $285 million for applied research at the Tech Park, corresponding to over $50 million per year in research and development funding. Pamir also established partnerships with small to medium-sized regional businesses as part of core outreach efforts, critical to UConn’s mission of supporting economic growth in the state.
He earned his B.S. and M.S. from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, and his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.
I am grateful to the strong pool of internal candidates who applied for this position. I also want to thank the deans, members of the University Senate, and others who met with the candidates. I have tremendous confidence in the ability of our faculty to bring the university to the next level. Aiding that effort is the fact that after many years the state’s unpaid legacy costs have been removed from our budget, allowing our faculty to be even more competitive.
Pamir has a strong, proven record of fostering an atmosphere of creativity and discovery that advances knowledge and innovation. His support for campus-wide research operations, deep understanding of national research funding infrastructure and processes, collaboration with industry, and commitment to building UConn’s academic and research enterprise will serve the university very well as we strive to become a top 20 public research institution. In order to reach that goal, Pamir and his team will work closely with our deans and faculty to support the development of complex proposals and nurture critical research partnerships and alliances.
Finally, I would also like to thank the members of the search committee:
Sandra Chafouleas, Search Chair, BOT Distinguished Professor
Inge-Marie Eigsti, Professor, Psychological Sciences
David Embrick, Director and Associate Professor, Sociology and Africana Studies
Xiuchun (Cindy) Tian, Department Head and Professor, Animal Science
Annemarie Seifert, Director, Avery Point Campus
Ali Tamayol, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Justin Radolf, Director and Professor, Department of Medicine
Maryann Markowski, Executive Assistant to Chief of Staff, Office of President
Pamir is a vital leader at UConn and is playing an extremely important role in charting the future course of our university, not only in his senior administrative and research roles, but also as the co-chair of the university’s 2023 Strategic Planning Committee, which will guide the continued growth and success of this institution in the years ahead.
Barrett Wells, professor and former department head of physics, joins the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as the new Associate Dean for Life and Physical Sciences. (Bri Diaz/UConn Photo)
When Barrett Wells became head of the Department of Physics in 2018, he says his opinion of the department changed.
“It was such an interesting thing, to learn more about what all my colleagues were doing,” the condensed matter physicist says. “I always felt we had a good department but as I learned more details [on colleagues’ research], I thought, ‘Wow, we’re better than I thought we were.’”
Now as Wells, who goes by Barry, joins the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as the new Associate Dean for Life and Physical Sciences, he expects he’ll experience that all over again.
“Of course, this will be different – broader, and much larger,” he notes. “But I’m looking forward to learning more broadly about all our science departments.”
Wells joined UConn in 1998, following positions at Boeing and Brookhaven National Laboratory. He became department head in 2018, where he met and worked with department heads across the CLAS Division of Life and Physical Sciences.
“Everybody’s grumbling about the same things, or they’re happy about the same things,” he jokes. “I’m hoping that sitting where I am, I can help keep the voices of the people in the departments centered in where we are going and what decisions we make.
“I want to get a clear understanding of what each unit believes their problems and strengths are, and the people involved.”
Wells will oversee the Division of Life and Physical Sciences, which comprises the Departments of Chemistry; Earth Sciences; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Geography; Marine Sciences; Molecular and Cell Biology; Mathematics; Physics; Physiology and Neurobiology; Psychological Sciences; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences; and Statistics.
“Barry is a thoughtful and experienced scientist and leader, and I’m very happy to have him,” says Ofer Harel, interim dean of the College. “His track record shows that he asks the right questions and really advocates for his faculty and staff.”
Among the unique challenges of the position, Wells says, is ensuring adequate space for laboratory research. He will work closely on these and other issues with Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs Andrew Moiseff, who previously served in Wells’ role.
“Andy is a major part of the reason I decided to apply for this role,” says Wells. “He’s been wonderful to work with. It’s a little scary to try to live up to him.”
Wells says he wants to ensure people have access to resources for both interdisciplinary and disciplinary research. Research and teaching in the disciplines needs to be strong, he says, for interdisciplinary research to be successful.
As the University moves toward replacing its general education requirements – most of which are offered in CLAS – with a common curriculum, Wells anticipates that he and the other CLAS associate deans will work to ensure that the College continues to provide a diverse, liberal education to all UConn students.
“We all know we are trying to create and disseminate knowledge, and I’m looking forward to working with people who keep the core mission of the University in mind,” he says.
Inclusion is also very important to Wells, whose own home field of physics has traditionally lacked representation of women. Data also shows, he notes, that most women scientists have partners who are also scientists, which factors into where they end up making their academic home.
“People come from all over the world to work at UConn, and we have to make that a great choice,” he says. “We want to create situations that are really good for them.”
Although Wells says he has a steep learning curve to surmount, he has found the CLAS offices among the best to work with at the University. He hopes to contribute to the overall success of not just his division, but the College.
“My definition of success is that CLAS departments feel that they are running smoothly and that people are able to do their best work.”
Xiuling Lu has attained the esteemed title of AAPS Fellow, a recognition of her steadfast commitment to pioneering research, marked by its unwavering excellence and innovation, and the transformative effects it has had on patients grappling with unmet medical needs.
An AAPS Fellow is an AAPS member who is recognized as a leader in the pharmaceutical field. Peers recognize Fellows for facing challenges head-on with creative solutions in the discovery, development or regulation of pharmaceuticals and biologics.
The status of Fellow denotes professional excellence and a sustained, positive impact to global health and to the AAPS Community. AAPS Fellows are encouraged to continue to actively contribute to their fields and to AAPS throughout their tenure.
Lu stands as a distinguished luminary in the realm of nanoparticle-based therapeutics and their corresponding product advancement. At UConn, her lab has successfully devised inventive image-guided therapeutic nanoparticle systems, surmounting considerable obstacles within the realm of cancer treatment. Lu’s contributions extend further to a profound comprehension of the challenges associated with designing therapeutic agents, enhancing the bedrock understanding of delivery and treatment barriers.
Lu’s engagement encompasses not only the translation of prospective therapeutics to clinical applications but also the commercialization of nanomedicines. Her resolute dedication to scientific advancement and her altruistic endeavors within the community have merited her a multitude of local and national accolades. Lu has served of Chair of the Faculty at the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education, and presently holds the mantle of Associate Director at the Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research, concurrently serving as a leader in the AAPS Nanotechnology Community.
Dr. Mihai Duduta’s research has the potential to change the future of robotics.
Mihai “Mishu” Duduta has joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering with an appointment in the Institute of Materials Science (IMS). Having earned his B.S. from MIT, he completed his M.S. and Ph.D. at Harvard University. Following the completion of his Ph.D., Duduta joined the faculty of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto as an assistant professor. He is a recipient of the Banting Foundation Discovery Award for 2022 for his research on “Smart Micro-catheters Based on Electro-mechanical Artificial Muscles.”
At the heart of his research “Mishu” (as Duduta prefers to be called) is focused on the science of soft robotics, novel materials, and energy storage. He seeks to “invent new ways to store energy and deliver power that bring new robotic capabilities.”
IMS News reached out to Dr. Duduta to welcome him and learn more about him and his research.
Your research focus includes novel materials, soft robotics, and energy storage. All of these are at the cutting edge of future technology. What led you to pursue this field of science?
I have always been fascinated by energy, and by materials that can act as transducers, effectively transforming one type of energy into another, for example chemical energy stored in covalent bonds of a fuel, to thermal energy, or heat by burning said fuel. I see Robotics as the next area of innovation for energy storage, conversion and harvesting.
You have said that in order for robots to interact more closely with people they must be more compliant, or flexible. How can the combination of materials, soft robotics, and energy storage achieve this goal and what do you see as the future implications as the science advances?
As machines become smaller or softer, we’ll need to invent new materials and mechanisms for actuation, sensing and computation. The end goal is to replicate nature as closely as possible, in an engineered system. If we have artificial muscles that can effectively replace natural ones, and run as efficiently for long periods of time, we can radically change almost all segments of the economy: from healthcare, to agriculture, manufacturing and beyond.
We are happy to welcome you to UConn IMS. How did you become interested in UConn and how will you contribute to student success, a key priority for the University?
UConn has a great location, outstanding students, talented faculty, and fantastic infrastructure. My goal is to train students to be more capable scientists and engineers, but also to develop a strong grasp of how to communicate science effectively, as well as gain an understanding of where their work can bring societal value.
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) offers internal funding for faculty projects that are at critical stages of development. This funding is provided to serve as high-leverage, strategic investment in outstanding faculty research projects. The Institute of Materials Science is proud to announce our faculty members who have received internal funding for the 2022-2023 academic year. We congratulate each of our faculty on their research accomplishments.
Scholarship Facilitation Fund
Left to right: Drs. Menka Jain; Ying Li, Na Li, Xiuling Lu, and Helena Silva
MenkaJain, Physics Workshop: Quantum Matter: Dynamics and Sensor
YingLi, Mechanical Engineering Publication in Science Advances, a Premium Open-access Journal for Maximum Impact
NaLi, Pharmaceutical Science Open access publication: Mechanisms and extent of enhanced passive permeation by colloidal drug particles
XiulingLu, Pharmaceutical Science Imaging Tumor Heterogeneity and the Variations in Nanoparticle Accumulation using Perfluorooctyl Bromide Nanocapsule X-ray Computed Tomography Contrast
HelenaSilva, Electrical and Computer Engineering Circuit Simulation of an Erasable Physical Unclonable Function using a Phase-Change Memory Array
Research Excellence Program
left to right: Drs. Kelly Burke, Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri, Jie He, Menka Jain, Seok-Woo Lee, James Rusling, Tannin Schmidt, Yi Zhang
Kelly Burke, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering- $25,000 Implantable Degradable Films for Right-Size Post-Operative Pediatric Pain Control
Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri, Pharmaceutical Science- $49,998.08 Continuous manufacturing (CM) of the biological drug product for pulmonary drug delivery Co-PIs: Yu Lei, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Yanchao Luo, Nutritional Sciences; Matthew Stuber, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Jie He, Chemistry- $50,363.63 C-H Bond Electroactivation of Nonpolar Organic Substrates in Water: Enzyme-Mediated Reaction Pathways in Microemulsions Co-PIs: James Rusling, Chemistry
Menka Jain, Physics- $50,000 New approaches for on-chip cooling for applications in electronics and quantum devices Co-PIs: Ilya Sochnikov, Physics
Seok Woo Lee, Material Science and Engineering- $25,000 Investigation on cryogenic shape memory effects of kinetically frozen ThCr2Si2-structured intermetallic compounds
James Rusling, Chemistry- $50,000 Rapid CRISPR-based blood test for early Alzheimer’s disease Co-PIs: Breno Diniz, Uconn Health, Center for Aging; Islam Mosa, Chemistry
Tannin Schmidt, Biomedical Engineering- $74,853 Role of Proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) in Inflammatory Bone Loss Co-PIs: Sun-Kyeong Lee, Medicine; Joseph Lorenzo, Medicine; Kshitiz Gupta, UCHC Biomedical Engineering; Alix Deymier, Biomedical Engineering
Yi Zhang, Biomedical Engineering- $49,863.63 A wireless, battery-free multimodal neural probe for simultaneous neuropharmacology and membrane-free neurochemical sampling in freely moving rodents Co-PIs: Alexander Jackson, Physiology & Neurobiology; John Salamone, Psychological Sciences; Xudong Yao, Chemistry
IMS faculty member Challa Vijaya Kumar will give the Writing in Science and Engineering Workshop at Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS). 253 Ph.D. students from various departments around the four campuses of BITS have enrolled in the 4-day 12-hour workshop which will be held live with virtual attendance available.
Dr. Kumar is currently serving as a Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Chair and has embarked on a series of seminars across India. Awards in the Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program are viewed as among the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholar Program.
In addition to the upcoming Writing in Science and Engineering workshop, Kumar has presented seminars at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati and Osmania University where he was presented with a certificate of appreciation for his support in organizing the “Current Trends and Futuristic Challenges in Chemistry” seminar in July.
