The Charger Blog

Tagliatela College of Engineering Inducts Two Outstanding Alumni and a Corporate Partner into its Hall of Fame

Kadmiel B. Adusei '20 M.S. was presented the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Anil Shah '86 M.S. received the Distinguished Lifetime Alumni Award, and RBC Bearings was presented with the Exemplary Partner Award.

November 12, 2024

by Jackie Hennessey, Contributing Writer

Kadmiel B. Adusei '20 M.S. speaking at a podium
Kadmiel B. Adusei '20 M.S.

When Kadmiel B. Adusei 杏吧原版20 M.S. left his native country of Ghana for the first time, he flew 4,900 miles to begin his master杏吧原版檚 degree in environmental engineering at the University of New Haven. 杏吧原版淚 didn杏吧原版檛 know anybody in America,杏吧原版 he said. His welcome was warm, and when he began taking his classes, he said, 杏吧原版淚 knew I had come to the right place.杏吧原版

Agamemnon Koutsospyros, Ph.D., professor emeritus, opened Adusei杏吧原版檚 eyes to the possibilities that lived in research. 杏吧原版淗e talked with us about his research and how research was moving engineering and science forward,杏吧原版 said Adusei. 杏吧原版淗e and my other professors showed me the beautiful way that research, academia, and industry are entwined.杏吧原版

Adusei杏吧原版檚 plan was to work in industry after earning his master杏吧原版檚 degree. At first, that杏吧原版檚 what he did. He was a senior design technician with CPH Engineers, where he contributed to wastewater treatment plant renovations, and he was a staff engineer at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. In both positions, he found his colleagues turning to him with problems that needed solving, and he杏吧原版檇 delve in. 杏吧原版淚 realized what I wanted to be doing was research,杏吧原版 he said.

Kenneth Giuntoli 杏吧原版91 MBA, executive director of business development at RBC and a member of the Tagliatela College of Engineering杏吧原版檚 Advisory Board, with RBC employees who are University of New Haven alumni
Kenneth Giuntoli 杏吧原版91 MBA, executive director of business development at RBC and a member of the Tagliatela College of Engineering杏吧原版檚 Advisory Board, with RBC employees who are University of New Haven alumni
杏吧原版楬e has accomplished so much in such a short time杏吧原版

As a grad student, Adusei talked with Goli Nossoni, Ph.D. associate professor of civil engineering, about what was involved in applying for and pursuing a Ph.D. 杏吧原版淪he spent so much time with me, explaining what I needed to do to be a strong candidate,杏吧原版 he said. He used that advice and applied.

Today, Adusei is pursuing his Ph.D. at George Mason University. His current doctoral research focuses on disinfectant byproducts and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) in drinking water. His work is supported by a National Science Foundation research grant.

His research could have health impacts as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 杏吧原版渟uggest associations between increases in exposure to (specific) PFAS and certain health effects, including increases in cholesterol levels, lower antibody response to some vaccines, changes in liver enzymes, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, small decreases in birth weight and kidney and testicular cancer.杏吧原版

Last year, as a graduate assistant at George Mason, he taught a course in hydraulics. 杏吧原版淚 incorporated what my University of New Haven professors did in their classes 杏吧原版 making sure every student was involved through a mix of hands-on activities and discussions, and encouraging them to always ask questions.杏吧原版

In 2023, he won George Mason杏吧原版檚 College of Civil and Infrastructure Engineering杏吧原版檚 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant. He plans to seek a position in academia so he can continue to do research and teach. 杏吧原版淚 love both,杏吧原版 said Adusei, who has also co-founded a company that provides health and environmental solutions.

For his accomplishments, Adusei was recognized by the Tagliatela College of Engineering with its 2024 Outstanding Young Alumni Award. He was celebrated at the Tagliatela College杏吧原版檚 biennial Hall of Fame event earlier this fall.

杏吧原版淗e has accomplished so much in such a short time and he is a great champion of our university,杏吧原版 said Ronald S. Harichandran, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering and vice provost for research. 杏吧原版淲hen he was here, he was extremely active in promoting the University, organizing events, and supporting the dreams and goals of students in several African communities.杏吧原版

杏吧原版業ncredibly humbled and honored杏吧原版
Anil Shah 杏吧原版86 M.S. with Dean Ron Harichandran. Both men are facing forward while one holds an award
Anil Shah 杏吧原版86 M.S. with Dean Ron Harichandran

As part of the Hall of Fame celebration, Anil Shah, '86 M.S., received the 2024 Distinguished Lifetime Alumni Award. A member of the University杏吧原版檚 Board of Governors, Shah founded MRCC, an IT solutions and staffing firm in Billerica, Mass., with branches in India. Over 28 years, MRCC has completed 700 projects for clients, including General Electric, Goldman Sachs, MIT, and Harvard University.

杏吧原版淗e is a longtime friend of the college,杏吧原版 Harichandran said. 杏吧原版淗e established an endowment to support graduate students in engineering and computer science, and he participates in outreach in India to recruit engineering students.杏吧原版

RBC Bearings of Oxford received the Exemplary Partner Award. RBC杏吧原版檚 President and CEO is University alum Mike Hartnett 杏吧原版69 杏吧原版08 Hon.. 杏吧原版淢ike and RBC have funded scholarships, building projects, and academic-excellence initiatives at the University, sponsoring senior design projects in mechanical engineering since 2009,杏吧原版 Harichandran said. An entire table at the awards dinner was filled with Tagliatela College of Engineering alumni now working for RBC Bearings.

At the event, Dean Harichandran highlighted the Tagliatela College杏吧原版檚 successes and growth, with nearly 2,000 graduate and undergraduate students currently pursuing engineering degrees. He noted that federal grants secured by faculty rose from $190,000 a decade ago to $2.75 million in the last fiscal year. 杏吧原版淲e now have three National Science Foundation CAREER Award winners in the college,杏吧原版 he said. 杏吧原版淭his is the most prestigious award given by NSF to early career faculty.杏吧原版

Dean Harichandran attributes this success to 杏吧原版渢he passion of the faculty and the expectations of excellence we set for them,杏吧原版 he said. 杏吧原版淭he students who come to us are really hands on and driven. They are strong students, and they work hard.杏吧原版

Adusei the Young Alumni Award recipient said he was thrilled to be recognized and to be back on campus. 杏吧原版淚 was incredibly humbled and honored,杏吧原版 he said. 杏吧原版淚t was like stepping back home. I didn杏吧原版檛 want to leave.杏吧原版