The University of Arizona
 
 
 

Past Winners


Technology Innovation Awards

2011



Evan C. Unger,M.D.,F.A.C.R; Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering; Director of Body Imaging for the Department of Radiology; Co-Director of the Arizona Caner Center's Caner Imaging Program.

Dr. Unger exemplifies the ideal of a technology innovator at the University of Arizona. Dr. Unger has pioneered original research, championed the clinical translation of his research products, and founded companies in the technology-based private sector to market these products. Dr. Unger's products are routinely used in clincal diagnostics tests that impact the lives of Arizonans and improve healthcare world-wide.

2010



Dr. Eugene W. Gerner
Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Director of the Arizona Cancer Center’s Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer program and BIO5 Institute member.

Dr. Gerner received the award for his development of a two-drug combination shown to reduce the risk of recurrent colorectal polyps, a precursor to colon cancer. Dr. Gerner is a co-founder of Cancer Prevention Pharmaceuticals.

2009



Victor Hruby, Ph.D.
Regents Professor, Chemistry
Founder of Selectide Corporation


2008



Dr. Jay Nunamaker Jr.
Computer Science and Communication at the Eller College of Management
Regents and Soldwedel Professor of Management Information Systems (MIS)
He is the co-founder of several companies: Ventana Corporation, PLEX Corporation and Combinatorics.





2007



Laurence Hurley, Ph.D.
UA College of Pharmacy and Bio5.
Founder of Cylene Pharmaceuticals





Nasser Peyghambarian, Ph.D.
UA College of Optical Sciences
Founder of NP Photonics




2006




Michael W. Marcellin, Ph.D
UA Colleges of Engineering and Optical Sciences
Founder of DTS AZ Research, LLC,
and developer of JPEG2000



2005




James C. Wyant, Ph.D.
UA College of Optical Sciences.
Founder of WYKO





Michael Descour, Ph.D.

UA College of Optical Sciences.
Founder of DMetrix



2004




Thomas M. Grogan, M.D
UA College of Medicine
Founder of Ventana Medical Systems





Hsinchun Chen, Ph.D.
Eller College of Management
Founder of Knowledge Computing Corporation,
developer of COPLINK.




Student Technology Innovation Award
2011
Jared Moore
a final-year PhD candidate in Optical Sciences. Jared Moore has been the leading force in the invention and development of a new high-resolution pre-clinical x-ray computed tomography (CT) system that has unique capabilities beyond any commercially available product. Moore has designed and contructed an adaptive, pre-clinical x-ray CT system named FaCt, which can adjust its magnification and field of view, as well as its emitted x-ray beam illumination profile according to the object being imaged.
2010
Samantha Kendrick
PhD candidate in the Cancer Center’s Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, Kendrick’s cancer research led to a major discovery in the BIO5 lab – a new class of drug receptors and a lead compound.
2009
Pouria Valley
Ph.D. student in the College of Optical Sciences
2008
Brian Miller
Ph.D. student in the College of Optical Sciences.
Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
2007
David Stone, Ph.D
UA Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences
Creator of a concrete-like material that uses waste products

Lifetime Achievement Award

2009

Mike Cusanovich, Ph.D.
Regents Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics,
Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Emeritus and
Director of the Arizona Research Labs.
Building the Bioindustry Organization of Southern Arizona (BIO-SA)

2008

Henry Koffler, PH.D
President Emeritus, The University of Arizona
Steering The University of Arizona toward its top-tier status as a research institution.

2007

John P. Schaefer, Ph.D
President Emeritus, The University of Arizona
For leading the The University of Arizona in becoming a top research institution

Special Recognition Award

 
2011

Faculty Entrepreneur Dr. Michael Cusanovich
Industry Cluster Pioneer Bob Hagen
Incubation Leader Bo Statham

 
2007

Jim Fountain
Former director, Arizona Center for Innovation
For his work in the creation of Innovation Day at the UA

 
 2005

Richard Powell,
Vice President, Research, Graduate Studies and Economic Development