Headlines
As reported by The Hartford Courant, January 30, 2009.
Group Names State's Women of Innovation in Business, Research and Education
By Janice Podsada
The Connecticut Technology Council announced winners of the fifth annual Women of Innovation awards Thursday, recognizing key executives, researchers and educators.
The 2009 winners, by category, are:
- Academic Innovation and Leadership: Assistant Professor Liisa Kuhn of the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. She researches the engineering of biomaterials that can help cure cancer or regenerate bone.
- Collegian Innovation and Leadership: Zoe Cournia, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University who is researching new anti-cancer agents.
- Community Innovation and Leadership: Joy Wulke, a sculptor and founder and creative director of Projects for a New Millennium, a nonprofit Branford corporation.
- Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership: Bala Krishnamurthy, chief executive of Aeolean Inc. in Ridgefield. Her company develops software for robotics and automation systems.
- Large Business Innovation and Leadership (two winners):
Diane Drew, manager, thermo/aerodynamics at Hamilton Sundstrand
in Windsor Locks. She holds patents in aircraft system
technology and designs aircraft thermal management systems.
Georgia Papathomas, senior vice president and chief information officer of Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield. She is responsible for the company's IT strategy and operations. - Research Innovation and Leadership: Mingjun Huang, senior director of virology, Achillion Pharmaceuticals in New Haven. She has been instrumental in the discovery and advancement of three compounds for the treatment of hepatitis C infection.
- Small Business Innovation and Leadership: Sally Cohn, executive vice president of client services at RecoveryPlanner.com Inc. in Shelton. She is a veteran in the disaster recovery business.
- Youth Innovation and Leadership: Oluwadamilola Oni-Orisan. She is a student at The Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics and Science and New Britain High School who plans to become a pediatric neurosurgeon.
- Public Sector Innovation and Leadership: Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, who was recognized for her efforts to introduce new voting technology.