By UNH Today

UNH has received a $15,500 gift from the Fairfield County Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) to establish the Southern Connecticut Chemical Engineers Scholarship Fund at the University.

“Chemical engineers are important to the industrial base of Southern Connecticut to provide energy systems, fuels, special purpose chemicals, plastic products, environmental improvements and consulting services,” said Ray Goodell, chair of the Fairfield County Section of the AIChE. “We hope this scholarship will encourage the continued development of the chemical engineering community in Southern Connecticut.”

Ron Harichandran, dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering, said the new scholarship will benefit current and future generations of students.

“I am grateful for the support of the Fairfield County Section of the AIChE for their generous contribution to establish this scholarship,” he said. “Our students are much sought after by employers because of the blend of theoretical knowledge and real-world problem solving experience they gain. Developing relationships with influential professional organizations such as AIChE provides our students transformational opportunities to interact with thought leaders in the field and prepare for rewarding careers in engineering.”

Last fall, the Tagliatela College of Engineering was ranked in the top tier of undergraduate engineering programs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report for the second consecutive year. UNH also is working with the cities of West Haven and New Haven to finalize plans to build a new state-of-the-art facility near its campus for the Engineering and Science University Magnet School. Additionally, the University was recently awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to help boost engineering student retention rates.