Notable Alumni
Celebrating our accomplished alumni
About
Explore the stories below that celebrate the achievements of notable members of our innovative and inspirational alumni community.
Inderpal Bhandari, global leader in data strategy and AI
Inderpal Bhandari (‘85 MS Electrical & Computer Engineering) is the former Global Chief Data Officer at IBM, where he led data strategy to ensure IBM remained the number one AI and hybrid cloud provider for the enterprise. Prior to IBM, Bhandari spent more than 20 years in senior data strategy positions at Medco, Express Scripts, and Cambia Health Solutions. Bhandari currently serves on the board of directors for both Walgreens Boots Alliance, and the AES Corporation, a global energy company.
Rena Bizios, National Academy leader in bioengineering
Rena Bizios (‘68 Chemical Engineering) is globally recognized for her contributions to the field of bioengineering. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2022, the National Academy of Inventors in 2019, and the National Academy of Medicine in 2015. Her understanding of cell-material interactions at the tissue/implant interface has led to the development of nanostructured biomaterials for applications ranging from implants to tissue regeneration, to drug delivery.
Read more about Rena Bizios...
Deepak Chopra, founder and leader in security, healthcare, and aerospace
Deepak Chopra (’73 MS Electrical and Computer Engineering) is the founder, president, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for OSI Systems, Inc., a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of specialized electronic systems and components for critical applications in homeland security, healthcare, defense, and aerospace. Chopra also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of several of the company's subsidiaries. During his career, he held various positions with ILC, Intel Corporation, TRW Semiconductors, and RCA Semiconductors. Along the way he noted that he wasn’t suited for big companies. “There is no innovation, no enthusiasm. Everyone is compartmentalized,” he said. “I wanted to be an entrepreneur, a small-company guy.”
Read more about Deepak Chopra...
Paul and Ellen Ferraro, power couple in aerospace and defense
Meet alumni couple Ellen J. Ferraro '89, '94 PhD and Paul Ferraro '89, '91 MS. Graduates of our electrical and computer engineering program, they both work for Raytheon—a business of RTX. Paul is president of Air & Space Defense Systems and Ellen is Vice President of Execution for Next-Generation Operational Control System (OCX).
Ellen believes it’s absolutely essential to encourage more young women and girls to go into engineering. Read more about her efforts...
Marshall Jones, trailblazer in laser engineering
Marshall G. Jones ('72 MS, '74 PhD Mechanical Engineering) invented novel methods to weld dissimilar metals, and developed fiber optic systems—making lasers much more convenient for industrial applications—while at General Electric (GE). Jones was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2001 and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2017. He holds 70 patents. In 2002, he received the Coolidge Award, the highest individual honor a GE scientist and engineer can receive. He spent 50 years with GE.
"Never Give Up: The Marshall Jones Story" documentary
Barun Kar, entrepreneur and tech executive
Barun Kar ('95 PhD Electrical and Computer Engineering) has co-founded startups including Auradine and Palo Alto Networks. A highly accomplished technology executive with more than 25 years of experience, Kar has demonstrated his expertise in leading R&D organizations to deliver competitive products and solutions, resulting in multi-billion-dollar revenues and top market shares. In July, Auradine, charged into the Bitcoin industry by unveiling its pioneering new Teraflux™ system for Bitcoin mining bringing to market the only Bitcoin miner wholly designed in the US. Kar is the chief operating officer for Auradine.
Read more about Barun Kar...
Roberto Padovani, innovator in wireless systems
Roberto Padovani, ('83 MS, '85 PhD Electrical and Computer Engineering) is retired from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. where he served as executive vice president and Fellow from 2011 to 2017. He also served as the company's chief technology officer from 2002 to 2011. Dr. Padovani was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2006, and is also an IEEE Fellow. He holds more than 80 patents on wireless systems and has published numerous technical papers in the digital communications field.
Biography of Roberto Padovani
Dan Riccio, the engineer behind nearly every Apple product
Dan Riccio ('86 Mechanical Engineering) has been a leader in designing, developing, and engineering almost all of Apple’s products. “Every innovation Dan has helped Apple bring to life has made us a better and more innovative company,” noted Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. In 2020, Dan transitioned from his Sr. VP of Hardware Engineering position to focus exclusively on Apple’s newest product category, Spatial Computing and delivering the Apple Vision Pro—reporting directly to Tim Cook as VP of Engineering.
Read more from the Apple Newsroom...
Mark Russell, distinguished leader in defense systems
Mark E. Russell ('85 MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering) recently retired as chief technology officer and senior vice president at RTX. Over the course of his 40-year career, Russell worked and led most phases of product development, including design engineering, operations for semiconductor fabrication and field deployment and testing as head of technology and engineering. In 2020, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for leadership in developing radar systems. He was also appointed to the Defense Science Board and has been named a fellow by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Russell holds 36 patents in the areas of microwave and millimeter wave components.
Read more about Mark Russell
Marvin Schlanger, executive and leader in the energy sector
Marvin Schlanger (‘72 MS, Chemical Engineering) is the former chairman of the board of UGI Corporation, a holding company that distributes, stores, transports and markets energy products in the US and Europe. Schlanger began his career with Mobil. He joined ARCO Chemical Company in 1975, where he remained for 23 years serving in various positions including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer. Schlanger was CEO and a member of the ARCO Chemical Board of Directors when the company was acquired by Lyondell Chemical Company in 1998. He went on to serve as Chairman of the Supervisory Board for LyondellBasell Industries. He has also served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of CEVA Group.
Read more about Marv Schlanger...
Barry Siadat, innovator and investor in advanced materials
Barry Siadat ('77 MS, Polymer Science and Engineering, '79 PhD Chemical Engineering) has been an inventor, innovator, business leader and investor in the specialty chemicals and materials industries. He has over two dozen patents and is the author of over 20 scientific publications. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Board of Ascend Performance Materials, Archroma, and SI Group. Previously, he held the role of Corporate Vice President and Chief Growth Officer at AlliedSignal, and later as President of Avient Technologies. In his early career, he held management positions with WR Grace & Co., including VP of Corporate Technology.
Read more about Barry Siadat...
Karen St. Germain, leading NASA's Earth Science Division
Karen St. Germain (’93 PhD Electrical and Computer Engineering) is the Division Director of the Earth Science Division, in the Science Mission Directorate at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters. She provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and overall management for the entire agency’s Earth Science portfolio, from technology development, applied science, research, mission implementation and operation.
Read more about Dr. Karen St. Germain...
Eric A. Swanson, co-inventor of optical coherence tomography
Eric A. Swanson ('82 BS, Electrical Engineering) is one of three research colleagues who were awarded the National Medal of Technology in October 2023. The honor was bestowed in recognition of the invention of optical coherence tomography (OCT), which uses light beams to visualize microscopic structures within tissues of the body such as the retina and coronary artery.
Read more about Eric's career...
Cristina Thomas, National Academy leader in polymeric materials
Cristina Urdaneta Thomas ('92 PhD, Chemical Engineering) was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering for her innovation, commercialization, and leadership in using polymeric materials for energy savings and traffic safety, and to ensure worker well-being. Thomas retired from 3M after 27+ years of service, most recently as global R&D services director. During her career, she advanced through R&D Management positions involving safety, security, strategic planning, and global application development. She is co-inventor in more than 25 patents.
Read more about the achievements of Christina Thomas...
H. Brian Thompson, leader and investor in telecommunications networks
H. Brian Thompson ('60 Chemical Engineering) heads his own private equity investment and advisory firm, Universal Telecommunications. As a veteran senior executive of the telecommunication industry, Thompson has been instrumental in impacting the rise of competitive telecommunications both in the U.S. and abroad. Thompson is the author of The Red Thread – My Fortunate Life in Telecommunications.
Read more about H. Brian Thompson
Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric
John F. (Jack) Welch (’57 BS Chemical Engineering - deceased) was an engineer and American business executive. He was chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE) between 1981 and 2001. Welch attributed his meteoric rise at GE to the opportunities he seized on campus at UMass Amherst.
Read UMass Magazine tribute to Jack Welch