CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
2025 FACULTY | STAFF INNOVATION COMPETITION WINNERS
Alabama Power Foundation – Innovative Technology Prize
$15,000 GRAND PRIZE AWARD
Nicholas Baker – LIME Semiconductor
Culverhouse College of Business – Entrepreneurial Growth Business Award
$10,000 Award
Andrew McClinton – Three Zone Clean Combustion Wood Stove
Institute for Social Research - Community Impact Awards
$7,500 Award
Lakia Scott – EquiFile
$2,500 Award
Percy Taabazuing – F-1 Connect
College of Engineering - Engineering Innovation Award
$5,000 Award
Jason Bara – Versatile and Sustainable 3D Printing Resins
$3,000 Award
Rachel Cook – Plascrete
$2,000 Award
Dawen Li – Transformative Manufacturing of High-Performance Perovskite Solar Modules with Self-Healing Capability
Division of Finance and Operations - Staff Innovation Pitch Awards
$5,000 Award
Percy Taabazuing – F-1 Connect
$3,000 Award
Alisa Boyd – C.O.W.
$2,000 Award
Amanda Laycock – Doc in a Box
New Idea Awards
$2,500 Award
Milad Esfahani – Sustainable Separation Strategies for Recovery of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals from Coal Combustion Residues
$1,500 Award
Ben McManus – ThinkR
$1,000 Award
Keri Barron – See It. Know It. Nurse It.
Thank You to The Competitors, Judges, Facilitators, & Support Team
JUDGES + FACILITATORS
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Liz Moore Benda: Economic Development Coordinator, City of Tuscaloosa
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Jennifer Dempsey: STEM Instructor, The University of Alabama
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Sarah Dunlap: Research and Evaluation Project Director – Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Alabama
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Earl Evens: Executive in Residence – Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute, The University of Alabama
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Kevin Kaye: Innovation Manager, Alabama Power
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Pete Ludovice: Executive Director – College of Engineering, The University of Alabama
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Rob Morgan: Executive Director – STEM Path to the MBA College of Engineering, The University of Alabama
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Frederick Spight: Assistant Professor –School of Law, The University of Alabama
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Despina Stavrinos: Director – Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Alabama
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Nathan Wagener: Engineering Technician, The University of Alabama
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Kelly Welbourne: Vice President, eePulse
SUPPORT STAFF
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Dr. Theresa Welbourne: Executive Director –Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute & Will and Maggie Brooke Professor in Entrepreneurship, The University of Alabama
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Jenni Miesse Whinery: Marketing Manager –Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute, The University of Alabama
ALL COMPETITORS
- Mahesh Acharya: AI generated messages from foreign elites sway American public opinion on critical foreign policy issues – Instructional Faculty, Barefield College of Arts & Sciences
- Nicholas Baker: LIME Semiconductor – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
- Jason Bara: Versatile and Sustainable 3D Printing Resins – Professor, College of Engineering
- Keri Barron: See It. Know It. Nurse It. – Assistant Professor, Capstone College of Nursing
- Alisa Boyd: C.O.W – Administrative Assistant, University of Alabama Libraries
- Laura Brown: Happy Moms Wellness Center – Part-Time Instructor, School of Social Work
- Chandra Clark: Eyes on Skies – Associate Professor, College of Communication & Information Sciences
- Rachel Cook: Plascrete – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
- Milad Esfahani: Sustainable Separation Strategies for Recovery of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals from Coal Combustion Residues – Associate Professor, College of Engineering
- Md Mehedi Farhad: UAV Power Line Fault Monitoring System – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
- Na Gong: Engineering – Professor, College of Engineering
- James Harris: Auto-IMEC – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
- Li Kang: AI Know – AI-Powered Baby Monitor Robot – Assessment Specialist, Division of Student Life
- Sushma Kotru: LumiD – Associate Professor, College of Engineering
- Negin Koutahzadeh: A portable solar-powered non-thermal plasma system for water treatment – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
- Amanda Laycock: Doc in the Box – Space & Event Operations Manager, Culverhouse College of Business
- Tu Le: IoT Shepherd – Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
- Dawen Li: Transformative Manufacturing of High-Performance Perovskite Solar Modules with Self-Healing Capability – Professor, College of Engineering
- Shuhui Li: Eliminating Subsynchronous Oscillations, Empowering the Grid of Tomorrow – Professor, College of Engineering
- Yi Lin: AI Voice Coach Assistant – Assistant Professor, Barefield College of Arts & Sciences
- Andrew McClinton: Three Zone Clean Combustion Wood Stove – Research Engineer, College of Engineering
- Lillian McKinney: Revitalizing Youth Opportunities in Eutaw, Alabama: The Coach Pop and Madie Gaines Center – Adjunct Professor, Capstone College of Nursing
- Benjamin McManus: ThinkR – Associate Professor, Barefield College of Arts & Sciences
- Nicole Prewitt: Shop With A Purpose (SWAP) – Community Development Director, The Division of Community Affairs
- Porsharee Ray: A Mobile Non-Profit Music and Technology Studio/Voices on the Move – Senior Care Advocate, School of Law
- Lakia Scott: EquiFile – Attorney, The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program
- Percy Taabazuing: F-1 Connect – Economic Researcher, Culverhouse College of Business
- Jialai Wang: Cure7™ – Concrete in 7 Days – Professor, College of Engineering
- Yiran Wang: TowerGuard: Physics-Informed Sensing for Safer Structures – Assistant Professor, Barefield College of Arts & Sciences