Brief Bio

Dr. George Bollas is the Pratt & Whitney Endowed Chair Professor in Advanced Systems Engineering in UConn’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Director of the Pratt & Whitney Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering (PW-IASE), and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Engineering (COE). Before joining UConn, he was a postdoctoral fellow at MIT after earning B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His interdisciplinary scholarship lies at the convergence of artificial intelligence, systems and process systems engineering, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable energy. His group combines first-principles modeling, machine learning, digital twins, optimization and control, model-based systems engineering, and agentic AI to improve the design, operation, health monitoring, verification, and resilience of complex cyber-physical systems. He has led major government- and industry-sponsored efforts in physics-informed AI, aerospace and naval systems, manufacturing process control, digital engineering, resilient supply chains, autonomous systems and laboratories, and AI-enabled energy, water, and resource-recovery technologies. Across 49 funded projects with a combined value of approximately $29.0 million, Dr. Bollas’ scholarship has produced 86 peer-reviewed archival publications, three issued patents and three patent applications, 14 book chapters, 207 conference proceedings and presentations, and 89 invited-lecture, session-chair, and panel contributions. As of August 2026, his Google Scholar reports 3,950 citations, an h-index of 38, and an i10-index of 66. His research has supported 22 doctoral students (16 completed and six current), six master’s students, four postdoctoral researchers, and 27 undergraduate researchers. Under his leadership and collaboration with more than 100 industry professionals and executives, the PW-IASE has supported a research portfolio exceeding $90 million over the past decade. Dr. Bollas translates scholarship into educational, workforce, and entrepreneurial impact. His documented portfolio comprises three undergraduate courses, five graduate courses, two graduate programs, and four professional-training offerings, including stackable microcredentials in artificial intelligence, systems engineering, machine learning, and AI-assisted programming for students, practicing engineers, and non-programmers. Working closely with the State of Connecticut, employers, manufacturing organizations, and technology providers, he has created industry-informed programs that support the upskilling and reskilling of the New England workforce. He further promotes entrepreneurship through workshops connecting students and researchers with founders, investors, incubators, and mentors. His honors include the NSF CAREER Award, the ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award, participation in the National Academy of Engineering’s Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium, election to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, the 2024 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award, and appointment as a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador for 2026–2028. He has also received UConn awards recognizing excellence in teaching, mentorship, research leadership, and service.