UMass Amherst to Honor Eric Swanson, Michael and Theresa Hluchyj at Commencement
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Riccio College of Engineering alumni Eric Swanson ’82, Michael G. Hluchyj ’76, and Theresa M. Hluchyj ’77 will be honored at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, where Swanson will be bestowed an honorary degree and the Hluchyjs will receive Distinguished Achievement Awards for their contributions to healthcare innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Honorary Degree: Eric Swanson ’82
Eric Swanson’s career spans foundational scientific research, applied engineering, entrepreneurship, and industry. His innovations and contributions have helped advance a wide range of technologies, products and infrastructure used worldwide, which collectively have had a significant positive impact on society. Swanson has delivered a legacy of innovation that continues to drive significant, positive societal progress.
After earning his B.S. summa cum laude in electrical engineering from UMass Amherst and his M.S. in electrical engineering from MIT, he began a distinguished 16-year tenure at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. There he developed advanced technologies for national security, including inter-satellite laser communication and high-speed fiber optic networks. He also collaborated in the landmark discovery of optical coherence tomography (OCT), now a worldwide standard in health care, and he continues to advance the field through theoretical, experimental, entrepreneurial and industrial contributions.
Driven by a mission to turn laboratory research into real-world impact, Swanson has co-founded five technology ventures. His prolific technical career is further evidenced by his co-authorship of 80 journal articles, nearly 200 conference presentations, and 65 issued U.S. patents.
A Fellow of Optica, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the National Academy of Engineering, Swanson’s achievements have been recognized with some of the industry’s most prestigious honors. He is a recipient of the U.S. Presidential National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award (considered one of “America’s Nobels”), and the National Academy of Engineering Russ Prize, among other achievements.
Distinguished Achievement Awards: Michael G. Hluchyj ’76 and Theresa M. Hluchyj ’77
Michael “Mike” Hluchyj and Theresa “Terry” (Murphy) Hluchyj are an exceptionally engaged UMass Amherst couple whose leadership and philanthropy have fundamentally shaped the university’s interdisciplinary innovation. Their journey began as undergraduate students at UMass Amherst, with Mike earning a B.S. in electrical engineering and Terry a B.S. in nursing.
With a steadfast belief that innovation is accelerated at the intersection of disciplines, the Hluchyjs have spent nearly 20 years facilitating collaboration between faculty and students in the UMass Amherst Riccio College of Engineering and Elaine Marieb College of Nursing. In 2008, they established a graduate fellowship program for students interested in clinical healthcare research. Building on this legacy, they provided the visionary initial funding in 2021 to establish the Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation, a pioneering initiative dedicated to educating the next generation of healthcare innovators.
An accomplished engineer and entrepreneur, Mike earned his M.S. and Ph.D. from MIT. He is a founder and current board member of Uptycs, a leading cybersecurity firm. His distinguished career includes leadership roles at Akamai Technologies, and he was a founder of Verivue and Sonus Networks. An IEEE Fellow with 40 U.S. patents, Mike also serves on the Riccio College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council.
Terry began her clinical career at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge before transitioning to public health as a visiting nurse. Deeply committed to community service, she has held leadership roles with the Wellesley Service League and Wellesley Parent-Teacher Organization. She also served on the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation, the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Board of Advisors, and the UMass Amherst Campus Council. She is currently an art guide at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
This story was first published by the UMass News Office.