Rocky Hill, CT – Tanimu Deleon, PhD, engineering specialist and technical lead for human factors engineering at General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB), has been appointed to the Academy’s 11-member Governing Council. He will serve through June 30, 2021, with the recommendation that his name be submitted for election by the membership for a six-year term beginning on July 1, 2021. Dr. Deleon was humbled by the appointment and honored to join with such a distinguished and dedicated group of scientists and engineers from Connecticut’s academic, industrial, and public sector communities. Christine Broadbridge, Council President and Southern Connecticut State University’s executive director of research & innovation, professor of physics, and director of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Center for Nanotechnology, recommended Tanimu for the appointment, which was confirmed by unanimous vote of the council. Professor Broadbridge noted, “Dr. Deleon brings a unique and valuable perspective to the council that will broaden and enrich our discussions, and ultimately lead to more informed decisions on behalf of the Academy and in service to the people and state of Connecticut.”
Deleon decided to change careers as vice president of research and development for CM Investments, a start-up company, prior to joining EB in 2009. At EB, he has been instrumental in the development and validation of human engineering, a new discipline within the company. His novel approach required, within the context of life cycle cost savings, technical implementation of human engineering on a platform that leveraged new and legacy equipment with severe space constraints. His professional areas of expertise include human engineering, systems engineering, human factors, ergonomics, warfighter performance, upper extremity proprioception, vibration, neuromuscular performance, man-machine interface, emotional expression recognition, and biomechanics.
Michael Accorsi, Academy Member and Senior Associate Dean of the School of Engineering at UConn, shared that from Deleon’s accomplishments, it is clear he is a highly accomplished engineer, scholar, and leader dedicated to the goals of keeping our service men and women safe and comfortable throughout their missions. Accorsi further stated that, “To develop and lead the Human Engineering program for the world’s largest producer of submarines during one of the largest periods of growth is truly impactful.”
From Manhattan College, Deleon earned a BS and MS in computer engineering and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Connecticut. Additionally, he is certified by the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health in managing the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Dr. Deleon is a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, the Biomedical Engineering Society, and the American Society of Testing and Material (ASTM). Under the auspices of ASTM, he is part of the Ships and Marine Technology F25 and Exoskeleton/Exosuit F48 committees. Within F48, he is the technical contact for F3392-19 Standard Practice for Exoskeleton Wearing, Care, and Maintenance and he is the practice/guide development lead for Human Factors and Ergonomics. Additionally, Dr. Deleon has a consulting firm, Tantalum LLC.
In addition to his service on behalf of the Academy, Deleon volunteers in his local community. In a past capacity, Deleon served on the COOP Board of Directors and the Friends of Mount Kisco Ambulance Corp. Currently, he mentors professionals and college students and recently was asked to serve on the board of directors for the New London Community Meal Center.