CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
2024 FACULTY | STAFF INNOVATION COMPETITION WINNERS
Alabama Power Foundation – Innovative Technology Prize
$15,000 GRAND PRIZE AWARD
Shahriar Amini – Novel Direct Air Capture
Culverhouse College of Business – Entrepreneurial Growth Business Award
$10,000 Award
Nicole Ruggiano – The Caregiver Connect App
Office for Research and Economic Development Awards
$5,000 - First Prize
Chao Zhao - A New Drug for Prolonged Sensory Selective Nerve Block
$3,000 - Second Prize
Dawen Li - Manufacturing of Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells
$2,000 - Third Prize
Hongsheng He– Smart Hand
Division of Finance and Operations: Staff Innovation Pitch Awards
$5,000 - First Prize
Reilly Blackwell – Hypogenica: Carbon-Negative CaCO3 Production
$3,000 - Second Prize
Stefanie Buckner – Up & Under Rugby Academy
$2,000 - Third Prize
Demitrius Barksdale – LEADingWell
Thank You to The Competitors, Judges, Facilitators, & Support Team
Facilitator
Ying Qin: Assistant Director, Office for Economic & Business Engagement – The University of Alabama
Judges
Kevin Kaye: Innovation Manager, Alabama Power
Pete Ludovice: Executive Director, College of Engineering – The University of Alabama
Gordon Martin: Kennemer Center Program Director, Honors College – The University of Alabama
Rob Morgan: Executive Director, STEM Path to the MBA – The University of Alabama
Frederick Spight: Assistant Professor, School of Law – The University of Alabama
Support Team
Dan Blakley: Associate Vice President for Economic & Business Engagement – The University of Alabama
Dr. Theresa Welbourne: Executive Director, Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute & Will and Maggie Brooke Professor in Entrepreneurship – The University of Alabama
Jenni Miesse Whinery: Marketing Manager, Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute – The University of Alabama
All Competitors
Shahriar Amini: Novel Direct Air Capture – Associate Professor, College of Engineering
Demitrius Barksdale: LEADingWell – Program Manager, Culverhouse College of Business
Reilly Blackwell: Hypogenica: Carbon-Negative CaCO3 Production – Laboratory Technician & Research Support, College of Arts & Sciences
Olga Bredikhina: EVOLVE – Transportation Research Economist, Office for Research & Economic Development
Stefanie Buckner: Up and Under Rugby Academy – Associate Director of Academic Development and Engagement, Culverhouse College of Business
Hongsheng He: Smart Hand – Associate Professor, College of Engineering
Qiang Huang: DNA Channels – Associate Professor, College of Engineering
Sushma Kotru: Vitamin D Tracker – Associate Professor, College of Engineering
Dawen Li: Manufacturing of Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells – Professor, College of Engineering
Nicole Ruggiano: The Caregiver Connect App – Associate Dean of Research & Professor, School of Social Work
Chao Zhao: A new drug for prolonged sensory selective nerve block – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering