Dean JC Zhao of the University of Connecticut (UConn) College of Engineering is pleased to announce a transition in leadership for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). 

Zhao has appointed Professor Avinash Dongare as interim MSE department head, replacing current department head Professor Bryan Huey who will depart the UConn College of Engineering to join Purdue University as its next head of the School of Materials Engineering. Huey will start at Purdue on Aug. 15.

“I am pleased to appoint Professor Avinash Dongare as the interim head of our MSE Department at UConn,” says Zhao. “He is a nationally respected researcher and a dedicated educator whose leadership and collaborative approach will help guide the department during this important transition.” 

Dongare earned his doctorate (2008) in MSE from the University of Virginia. He joined UConn in 2012 as an assistant professor in MSE and was recently promoted to a full professorship in 2023. He also holds joint appointments as a professor in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering and the Department of Physics. In addition, Dongare has been the director of graduate studies within the MSE department since 2020.   

Dongare was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2024) and the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (2024). He is recognized as one of the world’s top 2% of scientists (2024). He is also the recipient of the Early CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (2015), and the National Academies NRC Research Associateship Award from the US Army Research Office (2007).  

Dongare’s research includes the development and application of advanced computational techniques across scales to predict the behavior of materials under extreme environments. He has authored 100+ peer-reviewed publications and proceedings. His research has totaled nearly $20 million in externally funded grants and contracts across a diverse array of sponsors (NSF, DOE, DOD, & industry). He also served as an editor for the Journal of Materials Science (2018 to 2022) and is active member in materials and mechanics communities (TMS, MRS, ASME, SES, and APS).  

“It is an honor to serve as the interim department head and to help lead the community that I have been a part of for over a decade,” says Dongare. “I have been nurtured in this department and genuinely value the collegial and supportive culture that it offers. The department has continued to rise in rankings over the last decade – thanks to the inspirational leadership of Pamir Alpay and Bryan Huey. I am committed to working closely with our faculty, staff, and students to continue moving forward in materials research and education under Dean Zhao.” 

Huey joined UConn Engineering in 2004 and rose through the ranks from assistant professor to full professor. He has served as the department’s head since 2017.

He saw the growth of the department in those years, with their faculty overseeing $50 million in active research (as of fall 2024). The UConn MSE department is ranked 34th nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, and is in the top 20 among public institutions. Also in fall 2024, Huey and fellow faculty, staff and students celebrated moving into the new 200,000-square-foot Science One building, which also houses the Institute of Materials Science. 

“I want to humbly thank Professor Bryan Huey for his outstanding leadership over the past seven years, and for many years serving the department beforehand,” Zhao says. “His commitment to research excellence, student success, and departmental growth has left an enduring legacy at UConn Engineering. We wish him continued success at Purdue.” 

Before arriving at UConn, Huey earned three degrees in MSE: his bachelor’s in 1993 from Stanford University and his master’s (1996) and doctorate (1999) from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and a member of the Materials Research Society’s Strategic Agility Council. Huey is also the past chair of the University Materials Council, the nationwide association of MSE department heads.