Tech Connect - Cloud Computing 2010

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CloCkwise from top left: meredith hay, exeCutive viCe president and provost at the university of arizona; assoCiate professor hong hua; harold strong, first viCe president of the assoCiation of university researCh parks; and horaCio rilo, assoCiate direCtor of the arizona diabetes Center.

he University of Arizona
honored its outstanding
faculty and student
innovators whose work is on
the “Leading Edge” at its
seventh annual Innovation Day.

The March 24 event recognized four faculty members and a Uof A Center for their leadership in technology innovation. Honored were:

Roger Angel, regents professor of
astronomy and optical sciences, who is
developing new ways to make telescopes and
their mirrors as well as making solar power
by concentrating sunlight
Assistant Professor Michael Gehm for his
invention, design and construction of new
optical sensor systems with unprecedented
performance.

Dr. Rainer Gruessner, chairman of the department of surgery, whose research has focused on all types of abdominal organ transplants as well as pancreas islet cell transplants to restore insulin production in patients who have had their pancreas removed, which in turn has reduced or eliminated their risks of acquiring severe diabetes.

Hong Hua, associate professor of optical sciences and electrical and computer engineering, who developed ways of visualization by merging augmented and virtual reality environments.

Controlled Environment Agriculture Center for innovative interdisciplinary research programs including high-value transplant production, crop nutritional quality enhancement, new lighting technology for plant production, plant health sensing, food production in extreme climates, and computerized environmental control of greenhouse.

At the Technology Innovation Awards luncheon, Professor Eugene W. Gerner was recognized for his development of a two-drug combination shown to reduce the risk of recurrent colorectal polyps, a precursor to colon cancer, by up to 95 percent with minimal toxicity. He is a professor of cell biology and anatomy, director of the Arizona Cancer Center’s Gastrointestinal Cancer program and BIO5 Institute member.