Rowan honors innovators at inaugural award ceremony
GLASSBORO-A prominent entrepreneur and space explorer was the keynote speaker for a special award ceremony to award innovators in their fields of study held at Rowan University.
Twenty-four people were awarded for their work in several different categories. These innovators were recognized for various projects ranging from research in breakthrough methods of diagnosing degenerative diseases to improving the molecular structure of nanofibers.
Anousheh Ansari, who was the keynote speaker, has excelled in life as a successful business woman and pursues to encourage other aspiring entrepreneurs to bring about radical change on a global level. The inaugural Excellence in Innovation Awards was held in the Enyon Ballroom and drew a crowd of students, faculty and members of the community.
Ansari is most famously known as not only the first female private space explorer but the first astronaut of Iranian descent to visit space. She shared her story of growing up longing to visit space as a child and pursuing that dream when she immigrated to the United States as a teenager. And despite not knowing any English, she engrossed herself in earning an education and obtained a bachelor's degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Washington University.
Because of her pursuit of education and inspiring life as an innovator, Rowan University President Ali A. Houshmand announced that the university created a new scholarship in her name.
"I was so honored and I feel the greatest gift I ever received was education," said Ansari. "I always feel comfortable taking risks because I know I can always fall back on it. So I want to make sure that all the kids have that gift."
The majority of award recipients were professors working on projects and research in their field of study. However, Hao Wu, an international Ph.D. student in cell & molecular biology, was a unique awardee.
She came to Rowan to complete her studies and was able to be included in the patent that proposes the retina could serve as a tool to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease. She thanked her Professor, Venkat Venkataraman, saying she felt honored to be able to win the Distinguished Student Award through his help.
The ceremony marks a notable growth in the university. Up until 2013, Rowan University was solely a teaching institution. Now, with expansions with the School of Medicine, College of Engineering and College of Science & Mathematics, Rowan has become a research institution.
"So this has been an absolutely incredible event, really showcasing the entrepreneurship that Rowan has - both growing in research between the schools and industry partners..." remarked Jeff Eker, a senior attending Rowan University. "...It's amazing to see people who inspired innovation on a global scale coming to an institution that just several years ago was barely known on the regional scale."
Anthony Medina may be reached at amedina@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @theSJTimes. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.