Distinguished Alumni

B.S. in electrical engineering, 1994  M.S. in electrical engineering, 1996 Carey G. Buxton boasts an exceptional career in national service, pioneering advancements in antenna systems and electromagnetic technologies.  

B.S. in civil engineering, 1978  For over four decades, Mike Hancock has been a dedicated leader and public servant in infrastructure development for the Commonwealth.   A native of Princeton, Kentucky, Hancock earned an associate degree from Hopkinsville Community College before pursuing his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering at the University of Kentucky, graduating in 1978 as a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Engineering Scholarship recipient. 

B.S. in mechanical engineering, 1984   For over four decades, Mark Rhodes has had a distinguished career in the aerospace and defense industry, making significant contributions to engineering, technology and leadership in advanced aviation programs. 

B.S. in chemical engineering, 1981  Mary Shelman is a globally recognized thought leader, author and speaker in agribusiness, AgTech and food system trends.   A first-generation college student, Shelman earned her Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1981, after completing her first two years of college at Elizabethtown Community College. In 1987, she went on to graduate from Harvard Business School with an MBA. 

B.S. in mechanical engineering, 1983 Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, 2023  For more than three decades, Sujit Sinha has been a leader in engineering and technology.  

B.S. in computer engineering, 1996   Brian Stewart has cultivated a distinguished 26-year career in global payroll and human resources (HR) solutions.  Stewart earned his Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1996. Following graduation, he founded a business in Lexington, utilizing a database he developed to facilitate the electronic transfer of insurance claims from medical offices to insurance companies.  

Trisha Sullivan graduated in 2023 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering. She is currently a Ph.D student studying Chemical Engineering. She is the President of Biomedical Engineering Society, Vice President of Society for Biomaterials and member of the Materials and Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association.

Xu Tao is a Ph.D. candidate in Department of Computer Science, under the supervision of  Simone Silvestri, Ph.D. She previously worked as a researcher at the LINKS Foundation in Italy from 2018 to 2021, and holds a Master of Science in computer engineering from Politecnico di Torino, Italy, earned in 2018. Her research interest lies in harnessing the potential of Internet of Things, Cyber-Physical System and LPWAN Network to revolutionize smart agriculture.

For over three decades, J. 'Chris' Adkins has exemplified leadership and innovation within the engineering profession. As a visionary in his field, Adkins has driven significant advancements in safety and operational excellence within the mining industry. 

Ollie James Akel has been a stalwart figure in the global oil and chemical industry, providing years of invaluable expertise and leadership. As a seasoned engineer and executive for 40 years, Akel’s prolific career spanned continents and corporations.

Eastern Kentucky native Rusty Justice has built a career based on entrepreneurial spirit, community involvement, and engineering know-how, all in the heart of the place he calls home.  Justice earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in mining engineering and civil engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1983 and 1985, respectively. Following his graduation, Justice set out to utilize his education and practical experience to establish himself as an innovator in design-build solutions across multiple industries. 

Major General Trey Rawls is culminating a distinguished 32-year career with the United States Air Force as one of the preeminent strategic experts in operational capabilities for 5th generation warfare. As the Commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, Maj. Gen. Rawls is responsible for the operational test and evaluation of more than 98 major acquisition programs valued at more than $1 trillion.

David Servis has carved out a nearly five decades-long career in civil engineering. He has dedicated his career to Tetra Tech offices across the United States, a company he is currently semi-retired from.  Servis, a New York native, earned an Associate of Science in 1972 from Jamestown Community College. He went on to the University of Kentucky to graduate with a bachelor's and master's degree in civil engineering in 1974 and 1976, respectively. 

Anna Workman has been a driving force in UPS's technological evolution, exhibiting leadership and innovation across various business domains within UPS Technology Group since the early 2000’s.

For over 30 years, Rob Beeler has provided strategic and technical leadership for software development organizations. A technological executive and entrepreneur, Beeler is currently chief technology officer and co-founder of Trava Security, a startup in the cybersecurity and cyber insurance space.

Xiangming “Jack” Cheng began his career as a researcher but quickly transitioned to an entrepreneur and visionary leader who empowers his employees to push the status quo and drives his company to become a global leader in metal manufacturing and distribution. A first-generation Chinese immigrant who has never forgotten his roots, Cheng is committed to giving back to his community and inspiring the next generation of leaders and achievers.

Tracy Drain is a flight systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. She is currently the lead flight systems engineer for the Europa Clipper mission, which is slated to launch in 2024 and will study Jupiter’s icy moon of the same name. After completing her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1998, Drain attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she received a master’s degree in the same field. She began working at JPL in 2000 and since then has been involved with a variety of deep space missions.

Edward G. Foree’s distinguished career included 12 years as an engineering professor with a prolific research group and 24 years leading a successful environmental consulting firm. A Henry County native, Foree enrolled at the University of Kentucky after graduating from Henry County High School as class valedictorian. After graduating from UK in 1964, Foree earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford University, in civil engineering with an emphasis on environmental engineering.

Vincent M. Holloway is a vice president within Tetra Tech’s Federal IT Group. This role culminates over 38 years of leadership and technical experience in the United States Army and defense service industry as a senior business and technology executive.

Howard F. Moore has been involved in petroleum processing and synthetic oils research for Marathon Petroleum Company (MPC) since 1974, when he represented the University of Kentucky in a National Science Foundation-funded partnership between UK and Ashland Oil to develop a coal pyrolysis unit.