From the President
Posted: Thursday, December 9, 2021Grinberg Appointed SUNY Distinguished Professor
I’m pleased to inform you that Ilya Grinberg, professor of engineering technology, has been appointed Distinguished Professor by the State University of New York Board of Trustees. This honor is bestowed on faculty members who have achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within their field through significant contributions to research and scholarship or creative activity.
Through his more than 25 years with the college, Professor Grinberg has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to academic excellence and student success. Dr. Grinberg currently serves as director of the electrical engineering technology (EET) program, where he makes it a priority not only to impart crucial academic lessons but also to connect students with internships and jobs. Through this tireless work, he puts Buffalo State College’s social mobility mission into practice. Many of Grinberg’s former students have landed leadership positions and highly coveted jobs across the country.
Originally from Ukraine, Dr. Grinberg holds a Kandidat Nauk degree (equivalent to Ph.D.) in electrical engineering from Moscow State University of Civil Engineering and qualifications of an electrical engineer (equivalent to master’s degree in electrical engineering) from Lviv Polytechnic National University in Lviv, Ukraine. Since joining Buffalo State in 1995, Dr. Grinberg has spearheaded many initiatives. They include setting up the comprehensive Smart Grid Laboratory with the University at Buffalo in 2011, developing a senior design sequence emphasizing undergraduate research, and preparing students to compete in design project competitions against some of the top engineering programs in the nation.
Dr. Grinberg is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the largest professional society in the world, and is the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) of ABET commissioner. In fall 2020, he received an IEEE Region 1 Outstanding Teaching Award for his contributions to education in the power industry.
He has also developed and revised multiple courses at Buffalo State and leads departmental activities in ABET accreditation. He has authored or coauthored more than 57 peer-reviewed journals and conference publications. In addition, he’s a recognized scholar and author in World War II military history. The book he co-authored with Von Hardesty, Red Phoenix Rising: The Soviet Air Force in WWII (University of Kansas Press, 2012), was named an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice Magazine.
In 2012, Dr. Grinberg received the President’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity, and in 2016, he received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellent in Scholarship and Creative Activities.
He will be officially inducted into the SUNY Distinguished Academy at a ceremony in Albany in early June. Next fall, we will honor Dr. Grinberg on campus at our Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating Dr. Grinberg on this prestigious honor.
