UC recognizes students for innovation achievement and leadership
On April 4, 2024, the University of Cincinnati’s NEXT Innovation Scholars program, along with the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies, recognized undergraduate students with the new Neil Armstrong Awards for Transdisciplinary Innovation and Impact.
The awards are in two categories: commercial innovation and innovation leadership.
Neil Armstrong Moonshot Award for Commercial Innovation
Seven UC students with representatives of Kao and its luxury beauty brand Molton Brown at the company's New York City offices. Photo/provided
The Neil Armstrong Moonshot Award for Commercial Innovation is awarded annually to a transdisciplinary team of students who demonstrate exemplary work in driving commercial innovation through collaboration with an industry partner from the Cincinnati Innovation District.
This year’s award went to a diverse team made up of the following students:
- Eliza Angelo, senior, business analytics, operations management and international business
- Jackie Cunningham, sophomore, industrial design
- Mallika Desa, junior, medical sciences
- Sophia Lammi, sophomore, fashion design and French
- Sharvari Patil, sophomore, marketing and information systems
- Faith Rider, third-year, computer science
- Gabe Willard, junior, architecture
They were selected for their work discovering and activating unique applications of generative AI in collaboration with Kao Corporation. The team was sought out to research, test and apply generative AI’s potential in the luxury beauty category.
The student team's work - in collaboration with a London-based team from beauty brand Molton Brown - led to the development of a novel approach to leveraging AI for consumer insights, culminating with a presentation to senior leaders in New York City and a follow-up project with more divisions of Molton Brown to further the team’s initial work.
Neil Armstrong New Frontiers Award for Innovation Leadership
Students Akash Khanikor (left) and Jonathan Raj (right) have been leaders in innovation at UC. Photo/provided
The Neil Armstrong New Frontiers Award for Innovation Leadership is awarded annually to an individual or team whose leadership of innovation initiatives or projects empowers and elevates others in the University of Cincinnati innovation ecosystem to reach new levels of innovation potential.
This year’s award went to the team of Akash Khanikor, a senior studying physics with an economics minor, and Jonathan Raj, a senior in biomedical engineering.
Raj and Khanikor are being recognized for their work to advance strategic foresight and futures research at UC. Over several semesters, they have sought increasing levels of responsibility and leadership, including serving as peer leaders for more than 20 students on various research teams. They also played key roles in the publication of the first annual Future Creators research publication, released in December 2023.
Featured image at top: A University of Cincinnati student closely examines a complex model structure. Photo/UC Marketing + Brand
Latest UC News
- Pianist, educator and scholar Lynn Worcester Jones joins CCM’s facultyUC College-Conservatory of Music Interim Dean Jonathan Kregor has announced the addition of Lynn Worcester Jones, DMA, to the college’s roster of distinguished performing and media arts faculty members. Jones is an innovative pianist, educator, writer, speaker, mentor and leader who encourages career preparation and excellence in students. She begins her new role as Associate Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Coordinator of Group Piano at CCM on Aug. 15, 2024.
- Residents concerned about high concentration of low-income housingEfforts to build more affordable housing in Cincinnati have created concerns for residents as low-income housing has been concentrated in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, WCPO reported. Gary Painter, PhD, the academic director of the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business real estate program and a professor of real estate, said a complaint against the city could lead to positive outcomes.
- Is ketamine the answer to treatment-resistant depression?The University of Cincinnati's Stephen Rush joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition to discuss the use of ketamine and esketamine to treat treatment-resistant depression.
- Scientists craft bold plan to unlock secrets of RNAUC Vice President for Research Patrick Limbach is a key figure in the National Academies’ massive undertaking to sequence RNA in the next 15 years.
- Fellowship aimed at diversifying the nursing workforce celebrates a meaningful milestoneTo help prepare and expand a nursing workforce that is reflective of and responsive to an increasingly diverse patient population, UC College of Nursing launched its Cultivating Undergraduate Nursing Resilience and Equity (CURE) program in the fall of 2021.
- GE Aerospace expands Next Engineers program for Cincinnati youthGE Aerospace Foundation is investing further in its Next Engineers program, including the Cincinnati location facilitated by the University of Cincinnati, extending the program locally through 2028. Engineering Academy, a three-year engineering education program for high-schoolers, graduated its first cohort of students. Students who complete the program and go on to pursue an engineering degree in college will receive a scholarship.