2023 Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Annual Awards

2023 ABOVE & BEYOND AWARDS

Congratulations to these members of the IBB community, who were recognized for their dedication and excellence in 2023!

Faculty

Levi Wood - Associate Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

Levi is a collaborative and supportive PI and provides amazing mentorship to his trainees. He goes above and beyond for everyone he interacts with. His research focuses on applying systems analysis approaches and engineering tools to identify novel clinical therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases.

Hang Lu - Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, College of Engineering 

Hang provides tremendous leadership for the Bio-E program and through her guidance, the number of Bio-E students has grown. She knows the importance of community building for both the students and advisors and oversees several events each year to accomplish that sense of community. 

Entrepreneurship 

OZ-Link Technologies & Team - Kasie Collins, CEO (Postdoc), Jasmine Hwang, CSO (Postdoc), Steve Seo, COO (GT Affiliate), Wenting Shi, Lead Scientist (Ph.D. Candidate), Prof. M.G. Finn, Scientific Advisor 

This team’s groundbreaking research has consistently translated scientific discoveries into practical, real-world solutions. The group's work in developing innovative diagnostics and therapeutics has had a profound impact on our field, demonstrating exceptional ability to bridge the gap between research and tangible, game-changing solutions. They have participated in Create-X and Nucleate and fostered collaboration from other academic institutions and stakeholders to maximize their technology and real-world impact for patients.

Trainees

Athena Chien, Ph.D. - Biomedical Engineering, Craig Forest, Advisor

Athena provides outstanding contributions as the leader in the BBUGS Outreach and Education Committee. She spends a significant amount of her free time visiting schools, organizing science and engineering demonstrations, and actively engaging with students to spark their interest in these fields. Her passion for science outreach comes through in every exchange with her! Athena does all of this while remaining an exemplary student in her academic pursuits. Her dedication to both research and community engagement demonstrates a well-rounded commitment to advancing her field of research while actively contributing to the broader community.

Daniel Shah, Ph.D. - Biomedical Engineering, Edward Botchwey, Advisor

Daniel is a CTENG trainee and has served as a mentor for CMaT and as a Petit mentor, passing down his scientific skills to underprivileged students in the Atlanta area. He also supports graduate recruitment efforts year-after-year, engaging with his cohort, and incoming cohorts bringing a sense of ease into every conversation while including others to make the community more inviting.

Staff

Lisa Redding - Academic Program Manager, Bioinformatics and Quantitative Biosciences

Lisa is foundational to the operation of the QBioS and Bioinformatics Ph.D. programs. She provides prompt and personalized support to dozens of students and excellent co-ordination and management for the Bioinformatics Program. She values and prioritizes every student's needs, and her unfailing optimism is inspiring.

Leonard Law - Building Coordinator

Leonard makes a great first impression on all visitors thanks to his smile and positive attitude. He brings joy to IBB in all that he does, from welcoming visitors, rearranging our atrium for events, and answering and unending stream of questions from new students, faculty and guests. He embodies Bob Nerem's Rule of Life #10 - "People will remember not what you said, but only how you made them feel." He exhibits a contagious earnestness and warmth. Leonard is a true gem to have as part of our community.