Radenka Maric facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Radenka Marić
|
|
|---|---|
Marić in 2023
|
|
| 17th President of the University of Connecticut | |
| Assumed office February 1, 2022 |
|
| Preceded by | Andrew Agwunobi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1966/1967 (age 58–59) Derventa, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
| Education | University of Belgrade (BS) Kyoto University (MS, PhD) |
Radenka Marić is an American engineer and a leader in education. She became the 17th president of the University of Connecticut (UConn) on September 28, 2022. She is the second woman to lead UConn as president. Before becoming president, she served as the interim president and also as UConn's vice president for research and innovation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Where Radenka Marić Grew Up
Radenka Marić was born and grew up in Derventa, a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At that time, it was part of a country called Yugoslavia.
Her Journey in Learning
She studied at the University of Belgrade in Serbia, where she earned her first degree. Later, she moved to Japan to continue her studies. She received her master's degree and PhD in materials science and energy from Kyoto University.
Academic Career and Research
Starting Her Career
After finishing her studies in Japan, Radenka Marić moved to the United States in 2001. She worked at a company in Atlanta that focused on clean energy. Three years later, she led a research institute in Canada that worked on fuel cell technology.
Joining UConn and Important Research
In 2010, she joined UConn as a professor. She taught chemical and biomolecular engineering. In 2016, she received a special award called a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. This allowed her to be a visiting professor in Italy. There, she researched clean energy technology called High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC).
Contributions to Science and Energy
Professor Marić is a highly respected professor at UConn. She holds a special position focused on sustainable energy. Throughout her career, she has helped secure over $40 million for research. She has also published more than 300 articles and holds six patents for her inventions.
Leading Research and Innovation
In 2017, she became the vice president for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at UConn. In this role, she managed all the research activities at UConn and UConn Health. This included programs that help new businesses grow from university research. She became interim president of UConn on February 1, 2022.
Awards and Publications
In 2019, she was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is also a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. She is the main author of a book about fuel cells called Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to Complete Systems.
President of the University of Connecticut
Leading a Big University
As President of the University of Connecticut, Radenka Marić is in charge of a very large organization. UConn has seven campuses, including its main campus in Storrs. It also has a medical center and hospital. Over 35,000 students attend UConn. She also oversees big building projects and fundraising efforts for the university.
A Focus on Clean Energy
President Marić is committed to making UConn more environmentally friendly. With the support of the UConn Board of Trustees, she has set goals for UConn to become carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon zero by 2040. This means the university aims to produce no net carbon emissions. In October 2023, UConn hosted a national summit about sustainable clean energy. President Marić uses her scientific knowledge to help UConn switch to clean and renewable energy sources.
