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2018 Innovation Celebration

The eighth annual MSU Innovation Celebration was Thursday, April 19, 2018 4-6p.m. in the Huntington Club on the 4th floor of Spartan Stadium.

This networking reception showcases innovative technologies and startups developed in campus labs, classrooms and beyond. We honor MSU researchers and students who reported an invention, licensed a technology or were awarded patents during the academic year, and recognize outstanding achievements in technology transfer and sponsored research.

Showcase Selections – Faculty Technologies

Federica Brandizzi: Single Modifying Gene to Boost Crop Productivity
Safoi Babana-Hampton: Hmong Memory at the Crossroads & Growing up Hmong at the Crossroads
Ranjan Mukherjee and Srinivas Kavuturu: Pancreatic Softness Index for Improved Surgical Outcomes, Engineering
Thomas Bieler: Advanced Brazing for Joining and Circuit Applications, Chemical Engineering
Mi Zhang: Smart Devices for Health Care & Wellbeing
Muhammad Rabnawaz: Self-Cleaning Coatings
Chris Waters: Method for Eradicating Bacterial Biofilms
Loic Dejardin: Minimally-Invasive Surgical Stabilizing System -Veterinary Orthopaedics

Showcase Selections – Faculty Startups

HydrateMe, IFaculty Inventor: Subir Biswas – Smart water bottle technology
PhotosynQ, Faculty Inventor: David Kramer – Plant & soil data collection device
CiboTech, Faculty Inventor: Bruno Basso – Crop data services
XG Sciences, Faculty Inventor: Lawrence Drzal – Graphene Technologies

Showcase Selections – Student Startups

Ninety6: clothing brand with 1990s style
SmartStaffing: elder care matchmaking system
Sidekick: Student safety app
Vade: nutritional supplements in unique packaging
Land Grant Goods: student organic farm goods
Vloggle: video blog support app

2018 Corporate Connector of the Year

MSU’s Corporate Connector of the Year is Dr. David J. Closs, the John H. McConnell Chair Professor of Business Administration in the Department of Supply Chain Management. His extensive work as an active mentor, connector, and member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals has connected countless undergraduate and graduate students to future...

2018 Innovators of the Year

The 2018 Innovators of the Year are Dr. Christoph Benning & Dr. John Ohlrogge, for their work in understanding how plants accumulate oil, via WRINKLED1 genetic research. Their key discovery, WRINKLED1 is the name for a ubiquitous regulator in oil-accumulating plant tissues. Many plant species accumulate vegetable oil in their seeds as a major...

2018 Innovation of the Year

The 2018 Innovation of the Year award goes to Dr. Donald Morelli, Chair of Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, for his work in thermoelectric technology. Morelli’s work in thermoelectric materials converts waste heat sources into electricity. While they have been studied for decades, only a few have reached commercial applications because of...

2018 MSU Technology Transfer Achievement Award

With nearly 100 inventions disclosed, over 400 peer-reviewed papers, 35 patents and 16 technologies licensed to industry, the 2018 MSU Technology Transfer Achievement Award goes to Dr. Lawrence T. Drzal, University Distinguished Professor in the Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. In 2007 he was co-founder of the successful MSU startup, XG Sciences, is the...