Dr. THOMAS J. BARBER (pictured here with Adam Riess to his right, taken at the professorship dedication) joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut in 2000 after his first try at retirement did not stick. Dr. Barber received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in aeronautical engineering from New York University in 1964, 1965, and 1968, respectively.
In 1968, he joined Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and was responsible for the development of a variety of numerical solvers and associated physical models for the flow in gas turbine engines. In 1983, he joined the United Technologies Research Center, where he was responsible for the development and application of computational analyses for the investigation of fundamental fluid dynamics problems.
Dr. Barber has earned three patents for his work in applying enhanced mixing concepts to propulsion system nozzles and fuel cell systems. Dr. Barber taught graduate mechanical engineering courses for more than 30 years at Rensselaer of Hartford prior to joining UConn. He is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a member of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and has served as an associate editor of the AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power.
JEFFREY S. BARBER is a Managing Director of TA Associates, a private equity investment firm, co-heads the North America Healthcare and Consumer Group and focuses on investments in consumer products, retail, education and healthcare companies. Mr. Barber serves on the Board of Directors of Amplify Snack Brands, Full Sail, Marc Anthony, Paula’s Choice, The Los Angeles Film School, Truck Hero and Vatterott Educational Centers; and is a Board Observer of RMCAD. He formerly served on the Boards of Cath Kidston, Dymatize, Florida Career College, Microban International and Tempur-Pedic International. Prior to joining TA in 2001, Mr. Barber was an Associate at Weiss, Peck & Greer and Vestar Capital Partners. He also was a Financial Analyst in the Global Power and Utilities Group at Morgan Stanley. Mr. Barber received a BA degree, with all University and Departmental Honors, in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA degree, with Honors, from the Columbia Business School as a Beta Gamma Sigma Scholar. He is also a Trustee of Johns Hopkins University, a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Chairman of the Private Equity Advisory Board for the Columbia University Business School, Trustee of Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, a Board Member of Boston Children’s Hospital Trust and a Board Member of the US Lacrosse Foundation.
