Fairfield University School of Engineering Prof Earns Brinkman Grant

Fairfield University School of Engineering Prof Earns Brinkman Grant

Tess Brown, tess.brown@fairfield.edu and 203-254-4000 ext. 2647

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (October 11, 2016) — Sriharsha Srinivas Sundarram, PhD, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been named the recipient of a grant from The Earl E. and Hildagunda A. Brinkman Private Charitable Foundation to continue his innovative research work with Fairfield students.

“The research in the area of micro and nano manufacturing is, essentially, making things with very small features,” said Dr. Sundarram. His current research involves creating artificial human tissue that would be sufficiently analogous to human flesh so that it could be used for preliminary pharmaceutical testing.

The Brinkman Foundation, based in Rochester, NY, has been a longstanding supporter of the School of Engineering (SOE). In August 2016, the Foundation announced a $78,000 grant to the University — $70,000 to support the School of Engineering and $8,000 to support the research of Shannon Harding, PhD, in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Of the funding awarded to the SOE, $15,000 was dedicated solely to Dr. Sundarram’s enhanced professorship for this year. Dr. Sundarram was selected because of his pioneering research and his strong commitment to incorporating students into all aspects of his work.‌

Dr. Sundarram’s research with undergraduate and graduate students focuses on making nickel forms to create tiny, efficient batteries and on building artificial human tissue.

Dr. Sundarram came to Fairfield two years ago from St. Cloud State University, Minn. And prior to that he was at the University of Texas at Austin where he received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and was an instructor for about three years.

“I chose Fairfield because of all the facilities they had in place, which are those of a much larger school and because there’s good cross-collaboration between faculty, which is not always possible at a larger school,” Dr. Sundarram said.

He was also recognized by the Brinkman Foundation because of his efforts to foster relationships with regional manufacturers.

Earlier this year, Fairfield’s science and engineering programs were named sixth among the “25 Great Colleges for Good Science Students,” by TIME’s Money Magazine .

Learn more about the SOE and why Fairfield is Among the Best in the Country for STEM Education at Fairfield.edu/engineering.

Posted On: 10-11-2016 03:10 PM

Volume: 49 Number: 45