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 also serve in key leadership and advisory roles at the University and the Hajim School by serving on the Hajim School National Council.

Learn how you can support engineering for the future.

Distinguished Alumni

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

Headshot of Edward Ashton.

Edward Ashton ’96

An MRI expert by day and novelist by night, Ashton’s novel Mickey7 was adapted into the motion picture Mickey 17, directed by Bong Joon-ho and starring Robert Pattinson.

Headshot of Rick Carl.

Rick Carl ’19, ’20

A hardware engineer at Moog Music Inc., Carl is deeply involved in the product design for new instruments, including the Labyrinth and Muse.

Headshot of Benjamin Castañeda.

Benjamin Castañeda ’09

Professor Castañeda’s career has been defined by bringing medical technology to people who would otherwise not have access. He leads a global effort to meet critical needs for medical devices.

Headshot of Stu Elby.

Stu Elby ’82

The senior vice president of advanced engineering at MSG Ventures helped lead the technological innovation that made Sphere a revolutionary entertainment venue.

Headshot of Tadge Juechter.

Tadge Juechter ’79

As executive chief engineer of Corvette, Juechter helped reimagine the vehicle known as “America’s sports car” many times over.

Headshot of Bhaskar Pant.

Bhaskar Pant ’72

Pant is the Executive director of MIT Professional Education, providing technical professionals a gateway expertise via education courses and programs designed for them.

Headshot of Grace Stensland.

Grace Stensland ’23

As a sound designer and sound effects editor for animated films and TV, Stensland has contributed to Emmy Award-winning projects like the feature animated film Orion and the Dark.

Headshot of Amanda Stent.

Amanda Stent ’01

As the Head of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy & Research in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Bloomberg, Stent works across the company to help it break down barriers in key strategic areas related to AI.

Headshot of Donna Strickland.

Donna Strickland ’89

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.

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.