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.”
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.
