It is with mixed emotions that we announce our beloved Department Head's transition to the role of Dean of Engineering at the University of Missouri, effective August 1st. Marisa Chrysochoou has profoundly impacted the department and college community, advocating for student success and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Her guidance and dedication over the past six years have left an indelible mark on us all, and her departure leaves large shoes to fill. The department sincerely thanks Marisa for her extraordinary leadership and contributions and wishes her the very best in her new role.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kay Wille will step in as interim Department Head and we look forward to his leadership in this new capacity.

Dr. Manish Roy, a faculty member in the college of Engineering, has been awarded the 2024 AAUP Teaching Excellence: Early Career Award, the 2024 Distinguished Engineering Educators and a summer faculty fellowship by the Center for Career Development at UConn. 

The AAUP Teaching Excellence: Early Career Award is a prestigious university-wide recognition that honors outstanding teaching among early career faculty. The Distinguished Engineering Educator award is a significant career accolade within the College of Engineering. As part of his summer faculty fellowship, Dr. Roy will collaborate with UConn's Center for Career Development to explore strategies for integrating career competencies into his courses. He is already actively involved in various student-centered initiatives with the career center and looks forward to further enhancing his teaching methods.

Dr. Manish Roy, a faculty member in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, has been honored with the 2024 Emerging Leader Fellow Award by the Civil Engineering Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). The award was presented at this year's ASEE Annual Conference held in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Roy earned his Ph.D. at UConn in 2019 and currently serves as an Assistant Professor in Residence in the School of Engineering. The Emerging Leader Fellow Award is bestowed upon a member of the ASEE Civil Engineering Division who has been affiliated with the division for no more than five years and demonstrates potential for future leadership. This prestigious recognition aims to encourage and support promising members to engage in and learn more about leadership activities within the division. Recipients are selected based on nominations from fellow division members.

Since 2022, Dr. Roy has been an active participant in ASEE, serving on the Executive Committee of the Civil Engineering Division. His leadership roles include chairing the Effective Teaching Committee in 2023 and the Educational Policy Committee in 2024 at the ASEE Annual Conferences.