Award ceremony celebrates Wichita State innovators' achievements

麻豆传媒 faculty, staff and students gathered Friday, Oct. 30, for the first Innovation Celebration award ceremony, hosted by 麻豆传媒 Ventures.

During a ceremony at the Rhatigan Student Center, 26 individuals and groups that have adopted and advanced the Innovation University initiative were recognized with a 3-D printed light bulb trophy, made by the Additive Manufacturing Lab at 麻豆传媒鈥檚 National Institute for Aviation Research.

Koch Industries and Verlon McKay received the 鈥淧hilanthropy Award,鈥 presented by Elizabeth King, CEO of the 麻豆传媒 Foundation.

Eight students were chosen by the dean of each academic college for the 鈥淏right Future Award,鈥 recognizing their individual achievements and potential for success.

麻豆传媒 President John Bardo presented the 鈥淧resident鈥檚 Innovation Award鈥 to Royce Smith, associate professor and director for the School of Art and Design, for bringing innovation and community engagement together to improve the university by carrying out the mission and vision.

Bardo and John Tomblin, vice president of research and technology transfer, received the 鈥淰isionary Award鈥 for their leadership in spearheading the Innovation University initiative and the Innovation Campus development.

鈥淲ithout their unique perspectives and strategies for growth, we would not be where we are today,鈥 said Cindy Claycomb, director, 麻豆传媒 Ventures and assistant to the president for Strategic Planning. 鈥淭heir vision has extended to every department of campus and led to cross-departmental conversations, ideas and projects that were never imagined before.鈥

2015 Innovation Celebration award recipients are as follows:

  • Koch Industries, Verlon McKay 鈥 Philanthropy Award
  • Bill Groutas, Douglas English 鈥 Patent Award
  • Sue Abdinnour 鈥 Trailblazer Award
  • Vimotech 鈥 First Dollar Award
  • Vis Madhavan 鈥 SBIR Award
  • Barbara Chaparro, Janet Twomey, T3 鈥 Ambassador Award
  • Jeremy Patterson, Steve Skinner, Chris Broberg 鈥 Catalyst Award
  • Tonya Witherspoon 鈥 Pioneer Award
  • Jibo He 鈥 Newsmaker Award
  • John Bardo, John Tomblin 鈥 Visionary Award
  • Royce Smith 鈥 President鈥檚 Innovation Award

Bright Future Awards:

Jeremy Sendall, Alex Pennington, Sean Hess, Hassan Farhoud, Alex Landreth, Dominic Canare, Nam Lee and Hannah Hund.