Alumni

Our graduates have put their finances and careers on the line to launch new enterprises. They have risen to leadership positions in growing companies. They have played key roles in developing products and carrying out projects. They have continued their research as faculty members at universities and as scientists at research institutions. And they have found ways to apply their engineering skills in patent law, medicine and other areas. We salute them all. They have carried our University's mission to the far reaches of the globe—and even into Space. Meliora: Ever better!

Our alumni have also served in key leadership and advisory roles at the University and the Hajim School by serving on the Hajim School National Council.

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Distinguished Alumni

Below are just a handful of alumni who have been instrumental in creating and disseminating new knowledge and technology.

Headshot of Stewart Bushman.

Stewart Bushman '95

Bushman, an engineer at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, led the propulsion system that guided NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto.

Headshot of Tanzeem Choudhury.

Tanzeem Choudhury ’97

Choudhury is a leading researcher and innovator in developing novel wearable and mobile systems for influencing everyday human behaviors. Named one of 35 top innovators under 35 by MIT’s Technology Review, she is an outspoken advocate for gender equity.

Headshot of Jay Last.

Jay Last '51

Last is considered one of the "fathers" of Silicon Valley and an early leader in the development of semiconductors.

Headshot of Diane Litman.

Diane Litman ‘82 M ‘86 PhD

Litman, the first woman to receive a PhD in computer science at Rochester, is widely recognized for her work in the areas of artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, knowledge representation and reasoning, natural language processing, and user modeling.

Headshot of Theophana Mitsa.

Theophana Mitsa ’88 M ‘91 PhD

Mitsa co-invented Blue Noise Mask with Professor Kevin Parker. The widely used halftoning technique was one of the most lucrative inventions in the University's history. Mitsa later wrote the book on temporal data mining.

Headshot of Charles Munnerlyn.

Charles Munnerlyn '69 PhD

Munnerlyn  is one of the founding fathers of laser vision correction.

Headshot of John Seinfeld.

John Seinfeld '64

Seinfeld has defined and revolutionized the study of air pollution and its impact on human health.

Headshot of Donna Strickland.

Donna Strickland ’89 PhD

Strickland, a professor of optics at the University of Waterloo, shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for her pioneering work in chirped pulse amplification while completing her degree at Rochester.

Headshot of Michele Weslander-Quaid.

Michele Weslander-Quaid '94

Weslander-Quaid, Google's Chief Technology Officer and Innovation Evangelist, was been named one of the "7 most powerful women to watch in 2014" by Entrepreneur magazine.

Awards

Distinguished Alumnus Awards

Established in 1984, the Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes graduates of Arts, Science & Engineering whose exceptional professional achievements, contributions to their chosen field, and service to their alma mater have brought honor to themselves and to the University of Rochester. View a list of the recipients on our Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients page.

Rochester Distinguished Scholar Award

The Distinguished Scholar Award recognizes doctoral alumni who have led distinguished careers in academia, private enterprise, public service and the arts. The Provost selects one or more recipients of this award annually from nominations put forward by the University community. It is presented at the University doctoral commencement ceremony. View a list of the University of Rochester engineering recipients on our Distinguished Scholar Award page.