Author: RMcase2021

East Hartford, Connecticut – Congratulations to CASE President Sten Vermund, Anna M.R. Lauder Professor of Public Health at Yale School of Public Health, who has been appointed the new Dean of the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida (USF), as well as Distinguished University Health Professor and Senior Associate Vice President of USF Health, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Dr. Vermund is president of the Global Virus Network whose international headquarters moved to USF earlier this year. He will serve as CASE president through Dec. 31, 2024, and will remain a member following his transition to USF.

On Jan. 1, 2025, Amy R. Howell, CASE Vice President and UConn Professor of Chemistry, will assume the role of CASE President. Dr. Howell is known for developing novel approaches to the synthesis of molecules with potential biological applications and for her collaborations with a broad range of local, national, and international scientists.

“We thank Sten for his service as a leader of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering the past two plus years and wish him all the best in his new role,” said John Kadow, Immediate Past President and Head of Medicinal Chemistry at Alphina Therapeutics. “He has been instrumental in the Academy’s financial success as well as its efforts to broaden our membership and provide vital service to the people and the state of Connecticut.”

East Hartford, CT —  Talented Connecticut middle and high school student scientists and engineers will be honored by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) at its 49th Annual Meeting and Dinner, to be held Tuesday, May 21, 2024, beginning with a reception at 6:00 PM at The Woodwinds in Branford, CT. Students from this year’s Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair, including the fair’s urban school challenge program, Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, and Connecticut Invention Convention received CASE awards and will be recognized as part of the meeting.

The H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence established by CASE will be awarded to the top winners of the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair. The medal was created to recognize and honor H. Joseph Gerber’s (1924-1996) technical leadership in inventing, developing, and commercializing manufacturing automation systems for a wide variety of industries, making those industries more efficient and cost-effective in a worldwide competitive environment.

The 2024 H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence

Ashley Malkin, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT

Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – 1st Place, Life Sciences-Senior Division; Project: Development and In Vitro Verification of a Polymersome for Blood-Brain Barrier Transport through a Novel Machine Learning Model

Meiyin Ren, Westminster School, Simsbury, CT

Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – 1st Place, Physical Sciences-Senior Division; Project: Dual-Degree-of-Freedom Pneumatic Shoulder Rehabilitation Device Based on Flexible Materials

Saachi Goyal, Academy of Information Technology and Engineering, Stamford, CT

Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – Urban School Challenge High School Winner; Project: A Novel Machine Learning Model for Estrous Cycle Classification in Mice

2024 Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – Middle School Winner, Urban School Challenge

Palaniappan Manikandan and Duke Clottey, Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, Windsor, CT

Project: Using Piezoelectric Sensors to Harvest Energy from Automobile Tires and the Road Surface

2024 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

1ST Place: Antonia Kolb, King School, Stamford, CT; Project: DETICKT IT: A Machine-Learning–Based Application for Real-Time Tick Identification and Spatiotemporal Disease Risk

2ND Place: Snigtha Mohanraj, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, West Haven, CT; Project: Synthesis of Porous Polymer Sponge Matrix Using Modified Sodium Alginate Clay Compound for Adsorptive Removal of Microplastics and Oil from Contaminated Water

3RD Place: Harshil Yerrabelli, Conard High School, West Hartford, CT; Project: Quantum Computing in Medical Diagnostics: A QSVM Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease Classification

4TH Place: Ashley Malkin, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT; Project: Development and In Vitro Verification of a Polymersome for Blood-Brain Barrier Transport through a Novel Machine Learning Model

5TH Place: Dina Watson, Manchester High School, Manchester, CT; Project: Determining the Predictiveness of Beech Leaf Disease Symptom Severity Following Spring Leaf out Based on Overwintering Nematode Abundance in Fagus Grandifolia Buds

2024 Connecticut Invention Convention CASE Awardees

Jhose Ashitha, Illing Middle School, Manchester, CT, Mall Barricade

Charlotte Bunting, William J. Johnston Middle School, Colchester, CT, The Safety Seat

Isla David, Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School, Bridgeport, CT, Fragrant Fido

Connor Flynn, St. Rose of Lima School, Newtown, CT, Safe-Twist

Advait Garg, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, CT, The Not Flop Top

Nolan Kosciukiewicz, John Wallace Middle School, Newington, CT, Super Flipper

Oliver Lind, Talcott Mountain Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Avon, CT, The Boreabrush

Justin Miller, Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, North Windham, CT, Glove Breaker

Sophia Murray, Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, North Windham, CT, A Piece of Cake

Nicolas Peach, Independent Inventor, Marlborough, CT, Self-Charge Car

Maria Rocha-Reaes, Discovery Magnet School, Bridgeport, CT, The Velcro Labeler

Lily Sacco, Hamden Middle School, Hamden, CT, O.W.B.I.S.

Arya Samat, Talcott Mountain Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Avon, CT, G.E.R. Green Energy Reminder

Phoenix Soto, Discovery Magnet School, Bridgeport, CT, Wax on Wax off

Isabella Velez, Benjamin Jepson Magnet School, New Haven, CT, The Tear Eliminator

East Hartford, CT —Menachem Elimelech, Sterling Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale University, and ARKA Group, LP, have been selected as the 2024 recipients of the Connecticut Medals of Technology. The awardees will accept their medals at the 49th Annual Meeting and Dinner of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, to be held at The Woodwinds in Branford on May 21, 2024.

Dr. Elimelech is recognized for his pioneering developments of energy-efficient, sustainable membrane-based technologies for desalination and the management of brines and industrial wastewaters. He is a leading international authority who has transformed the field of environmental engineering, particularly in these areas.

ARKA Group is awarded the Connecticut Medal of Technology for the company’s 60-year legacy of developing world-class optical technologies, ground processing and analytics and next-generation space solutions, supporting science and national security and providing sustained and significant benefits to Connecticut’s economy.

“As Connecticut Technology Medal honorees, both awardees demonstrate our state’s incredible infrastructure of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical talent and resources,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “Our state may be small demographically and geographically, but we are a significant force as a global technology leader propelled by our research community, companies, skilled workforce, and focus on long-lasting equitable economic and skilled workforce development. Please join me in thanking Dr. Elimelech and ARKA for their work and dedication to technology excellence and congratulating them on receiving Connecticut’s highest honor for technological achievement.”

“Dr. Elimelech’s pioneering research has not only enriched the academic community’s understanding of a highly complex topic, but also led to innovative approaches to addressing critical environmental issues and spawned the growth of an industry,” he said. “ARKA’s unparalleled technology expertise is contributing to the success of our nation in a variety of sectors and creating high-skilled jobs that will attract investment to our state and enhance our economy.”

Elimelech’s research and development is in the application of membrane processes including forward osmosis or FO (for desalination and water reuse), high-pressure reverse osmosis or HPRO (for brine concentration and management), and low-salt-rejection reverse osmosis or LSRRO (for brine management and minimal- and zero-liquid discharge applications).

HPRO and LSRRO are expected to revolutionize low-energy, low-cost brine management. Gradiant, a US company specializing in brine management (minimum- and zero-liquid discharge, MLD/ZLD), is commercializing a variant of the LSRRO and FO technologies, which is called Counter Flow RO (CFRO). The current market of brine management is estimated at $11.5B.

Elimelech’s innovative work on forward osmosis (FO) profoundly impacted the desalination and water industry. He was a co-founder of Oasys Water, a company which commercialized the ammonia-carbon dioxide FO desalination technology. More than 13 new FO start-up companies have been formed following his pioneering FO research.

In a recent breakthrough, Elimelech showed that the solution-diffusion model, which has been used to describe water transport in reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for more than 50 years, is fundamentally flawed and he proposed an alternative mechanism and theory for water transport consistent with experimental observations. This finding has direct implications for the design of high-performance desalination membranes.

Elimelech earned his BS and MS degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and his PhD in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1989. In his first appointment, Elimelech served as professor and vice chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UCLA. He joined Yale in 1998 as director and founder of the university’s Environmental Engineering Program as well as Llewellyn West Jones Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. In 2005, he was named Roberto C. Goizueta Professor and became chair of Yale’s Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department.

In 2021, he was appointed Sterling Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, the university’s highest academic rank; the first engineering professor at Yale to earn this distinction.

His major awards and honors include the International Water Association (IWA) Membrane Technology Award (2023); Honorary Doctorate, Ben-Gurion University, Israel (2023); Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (2023); Eni Prize for ‘Protection of the Environment’ — often considered the Nobel Prize in energy/environment — (2015); The Simon W. Freese Environmental Engineering Award and Lecture, American Society of Civil Engineers (2011); The American Institute of Chemical Engineers Lawrence K. Cecil Award in Environmental Chemical Engineering (2008); and The Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize, National Water Research Institute (2005).

Professor Elimelech is an elected member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (2022); Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (2021); Chinese Academy of Engineering (2017); Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (2007); and United States National Academy of Engineering (2006).

ARKA is a world leader in the design, development, manufacture, integration and test of precision optics, telescopes and electro-optical payload systems for defense, aerospace and scientific applications. ARKA’s mission has grown to include groundbreaking communications, software development, and data processing capabilities, expanding their reach to new areas of innovation.

“At ARKA, we are committed to solving our customers’ hardest problems with ingenuity and expertise, to protect our military and advance our understanding of the universe,” said ARKA Chief Executive Officer Andreas Nonnenmacher. “Congratulations to our engineering team, whose talent and passion are second to none. We are honored to receive this prestigious award and look forward to pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology even further in years to come.”

In December, the Danbury-based company entered a $136 million, five-year contract with the U.S. Army for AN/VVR-4 Laser Detecting Sets, designed to optimize military operations and ensure the safety and effectiveness of troops in the field.

In April, ARKA completed a two-year, $85 million expansion of its 550,000 square-foot facility in Danbury to increase production capability of smallsat systems, payloads and optical coating capabilities.

Based in Danbury, Connecticut, ARKA is a fully integrated mission partner providing world-leading technologies and services with an unrivaled reputation for excellence. ARKA’s 60-year legacy reaches back to the beginnings of our country’s space endeavors. Our advanced capabilities address the needs of the warfighter, including world-class optical technologies, ground processing and analytics and next-generation space solutions. ARKA helps create a safer world driven by innovation, mission performance, and advanced engineering. For more information, visit arka.org.

The Connecticut Medal of Technology is awarded to individuals, teams, and companies/non-profits or divisions of companies/non-profits for their outstanding contributions to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of Connecticut and the nation through the promotion of technology, technological innovation, or the development of the technological workforce. By highlighting the importance of technological innovation, the Medal also seeks to inspire future generations to prepare for and pursue technical careers to keep Connecticut and the nation at the forefront of global technology and economic leadership. Modeled after the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, this award is bestowed by the state of Connecticut by direction of the Office of the Governor, with the assistance of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, in alternate years with the Connecticut Medal of Science. Click here to see a list of past awardees.

Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, will deliver this year’s keynote address at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE), to be held Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at The Woodwinds in Branford. Dr. Iwasaki is Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Professor of Dermatology and of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases); Director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Yale School of Medicine and an Investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Earlier this month, she was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2024 by TIME Magazine.

In her keynote, Dr. Iwasaki will discuss the immunology of Post Acute Infection Syndrome. Additionally, her 2023 Connecticut Medal of Science will be bestowed after being awarded in 2023.

She is recognized for her major discoveries in the areas of innate sensing of viruses, and instruction of adaptive anti-viral immunity. Her research focuses on the mechanisms of immune defense against viruses at the mucosal surfaces, and the development of mucosal vaccine strategies. She has laid the foundation for key concepts in viral immunity and introduced innovative approaches in vaccine design to combat COVID-19. Dr. Iwasaki currently leads investigations into the pathophysiology of long COVID, serving as co-lead investigator on Yale’s LISTEN COVID-19 study and the COVID Recovery Study, which aims to determine the changes in the immune response of people with long COVID after vaccination. She also leads numerous other studies to interrogate the pathobiology of long COVID, both in patients and through developing animal models of long COVID.

In a clinical study published earlier this year in the American Journal of Medicine, Iwasaki and fellow researchers including CASE member Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM, identified demographic and clinical characteristics associated with long COVID based on a study of individuals ages 18 and older who reported a positive COVID-19 test or doctor’s diagnosis and reported symptoms of at least three months.  The study found that middle age, female sex, lack of a college degree, and severity of acute COVID-19 infection were associated with long COVID. In contrast, non-Hispanic Asian and Black Americans were less likely to report long COVID compared with non-Hispanic White individuals.

Dr. Iwasaki’s discoveries have resulted in paradigm shifts in our understanding of the immune response to infection and vaccine design. She is an expert on immune responses to viruses that occur at mucosal sites of host entry and has made key contributions to our understanding of how the host detects viruses, innate host defense mechanisms, generation of specific acquired immune responses, and design of new and improved vaccine strategies. Her two-stage vaccination strategy called “prime and pull” informed the development of a vaccine currently in a clinical trial to treat women with precancerous lesions in the cervix to prevent cervical cancer.

Dr. Iwasaki earned a BS in Biochemistry, with a minor in Physics, and a PhD in Immunology, all from the University of Toronto, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. In 2022, she was awarded a Sterling Professorship, the highest academic honor professors receive at Yale University.

She is an elected member of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) and in 2023 was elected its president. She also is an elected member of council for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy of Microbiology, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, and CASE. Iwasaki has received multiple awards to date, including the 2023 Connecticut Medal of Science, the Inspiring Yale Award, the Seymour & Vivian Milstein Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research, the Charles W. Bohmafalk Teaching Award, AAI’s Thermo Fisher Meritorious Career Award and BD Biosciences Investigator Award. To view Dr. Iwasaki’s full Yale profile visit https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/akiko-iwasaki/

East Hartford, CT — The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering is pleased to announce the election of two Honorary Members: Jack Crane, strategic advisor at CONNSTEP; and Josh Geballe, senior associate provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University and managing director of Yale Ventures.

Both will be recognized at the Academy’s 49th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at The Woodwinds in Branford, CT. The Academy’s Governing Council voted to name Crane and Geballe for their outstanding service to the Academy through participation and/or activities in support of the Academy’s mission to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the people and the state of Connecticut and to promote the application of science and technology to human welfare and economic well being.

Jack Crane is being honored for his lifelong commitment to K-12 education and his support of Connecticut’s manufacturing and small businesses. He has served the New Haven Public Schools Science Fair Program for 28 years. The Program engages the district’s K-12 students in hands-on science projects as a vehicle for fostering excitement in learning, promoting science literacy, and introducing the opportunities available through careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics).

Jack has served as Program Director and led the New Haven Science Fair Program Steering Committee. His leadership helped the district’s fair to thrive despite the pandemic. He continues to focus on the future and how the New Haven Science Fair Program can have a greater impact by reaching out to elementary school students and their parents; making them aware of opportunities for STEM jobs in the area.

As a senior advisor for CONNSTEP, a consulting group that helps manufacturers and other smaller businesses, Jack is particularly sensitive to the need for a highly skilled workforce to meet current and future business demands. He works closely with ReadyCT, a leader in K-12 career pathway programming, to ensure that students and employers have what they need to set them up for future success. Both CONNSTEP and ReadyCT are affiliates of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA).

In 2001, he and the rest of the NHSF Program team received the sixth Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring to recognize their efforts on behalf of traditionally underrepresented students in STEM. In 2002, he was recognized by the New Haven Public Education Fund for his contribution to students, staff, and parents. He received the 1998 Elm-Ivy Award for his outstanding contributions to building bonds between New Haven and Yale University. In 2023, Jack was named Volunteer of the Year by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.

Jack earned a BS at Purdue University and a master’s degree at Yale University, both in metallurgical engineering. He was Director of New Products R&D for Olin Corporation’s Metals Division, has authored or co-authored more than 50 papers on new products, synthesis, and fabrication of materials, and is also the holder or co-holder of more than 30 patents related to alloys, processes, and products. He is a fellow of the American Society of Materials, a recipient of the UCONN Engineering Services Award, and the first-ever recipient of the National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership Lifetime Achievement Award. Jack also received the Manufacturing Hall of Fame’s 2017 Leadership Award.

Josh Geballe is being recognized for his leadership in the state as a key advisor to Governor Ned Lamont, specifically his guidance to the people and the state of Connecticut during the COVID-19 pandemic as Chief Operating Officer for the Governor and Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, and for his work at Yale University and Yale Ventures.

During his time at the state, he was responsible for all executive branch agencies (a total of 30,000 employees) and led successful initiatives to modernize state operations and expand the use of technology to improve services and reduce costs.

In his role as senior associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation at Yale University and managing director at Yale Ventures, Josh is responsible for a wide range of services and programs for students, faculty, and the broader New Haven community to launch new startups based on Yale research, provide training in entrepreneurship and innovation, expand external research partnerships, and foster the growth of the local innovation and entrepreneurship community.

Before his state service, Josh’s professional background included serving as CEO of Core Informatics, a venture-backed scientific software company that was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he served as vice president and general manager of digital science. Previously, he spent 11 years at IBM in a variety of international executive roles.

Josh serves on the boards of directors of several nonprofit organizations, including ClimateHaven where he is the founding board chair, Connecticut Innovations, AdvanceCT, BioCT, and the Mory’s Association.

Josh holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a bachelor’s degree from Yale University.

East Hartford, CT – The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) is pleased to announce that Karen Cohen has joined CASE as Associate Director. Cohen comes with more than 30 years of writing and communications experience.

Most recently, she was content manager at Kelser Corporation in Glastonbury, developing website content for the managed IT services company. Previously she owned and managed her own company, The Write Stuff, LLC, for more than 20 years, where she wrote and edited materials for corporate, academic, and nonprofit customers on subjects ranging from technology to business to human-interest.

She also held positions in various communications roles at several business units of United Technologies Corporation (now RTX).

At CASE, Cohen will primarily handle membership responsibilities for the 460+-member organization, Academy communications and serve as staff liaison for the ten technical boards. She will support CASE’s Governing Council, including the executive, membership, nominating, and broadening participation, equity and inclusion committees. Additionally, she will support the Academy’s student awards and recognition program, the Connecticut Medals of Science and Technology process, the Science & Technology Policy Fellowship Program, and technology and science projects on behalf of the state and its residents.

Cohen’s previous experience will complement the Academy’s mission of service and fostering STEM education and accessibility for all, promoting the interest and experience of science and engineering for everyone in the state, especially young people.

A Connecticut native, Cohen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of St. Joseph.

Rocky Hill, CT —The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) announces the election of 35 of Connecticut’s leading experts in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine to membership in the Academy. The new members will be introduced at the Academy’s 49th Annual Meeting and Dinner to be held  at the Woodwinds in Branford, Connecticut on May 21, 2024.

The 35 newly elected members are:

• Ali M. Bazzi, Charles H. Knapp Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
• Hilary P. Blumberg, John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience and Professor of Psychiatry, and in the Child Study Center and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging; Director, Mood Disorders Research Program, Yale School of Medicine
• Indrajeet Chaubey, Dean, UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources
• Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri, Professor, UConn School of Pharmacy
• Yupeng Chen, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
• Jeffrey M. Cohen, Director, Strategic Technologies and Partnerships, RTX Technologies Research Center
• Kelly P. Cosgrove, Professor of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Public Health
• Caroline N. Dealy, Associate Professor, Orthodontics, UConn School of Dental Medicine
• Lindsay J. DiStefano, Associate Vice President for Research Development, UConn
• Avinash Dongare, Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
• Azita Emami, Dean and Linda Loch Lorimer Professor of Nursing, Yale School of Nursing
• John D. Fortner, Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Andrew L. Goodman, C.N.H. Long Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis and Director of Microbial Sciences Institute; Chair, Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine
• Stephanie Halene, Arthur H. and Isabel Bunker Professor of Medicine (Hematology) and Professor of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine
• Scott F. Kaslusky, Executive Director of Engineering, Collins Aerospace
• Theodore W. Kim, Associate Professor, Computer Science, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Liisa T. Kuhn, Professor and Associate Department Head, Biomedical Engineering, UConn Health
• Mark A. Lemmon, Alfred Gilman Professor and Chair of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine
• Yi Li, Professor, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, UConn
• Sarah E. Maurer, Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Associate to the Dean, Central Connecticut State University
• Lucila Ohno-Machado, Waldemar von Zedtwitz Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Informatics and Data Science; Deputy Dean for Biomedical Informatics; Chair, Section of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, Yale School of Medicine
• Rebecca Page, Professor, Department of Cell Biology, UConn Health
• Wolfgang Peti, Professor, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health
• David Pierce, Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering, UConn College of Engineering
• Christopher Pittenger, Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry; Deputy Chair for Translational Research, Director, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Director, Yale Program for Psychedelic Science, Co-Director, Yale Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior, Yale School of Medicine
• Ravi Rajamani, President, Independent Data Consortium for Aviation
• Megan L. Ranney, Dean and C.-E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health (Health Policy) and Professor of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Public Health
• Karin M. Reinisch, David W. Wallace Professor of Cell Biology and Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine
• Valerie Reinke, Professor of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine
• Wayde R. Schmidt, Vice President of Applied Research, Ambri, Inc.
• Kevin N. Sheth, Professor of Neurology & Neurosurgery; Executive Director of the NNCTU and Vice Chair for Clinical and Translational Research, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery; Director, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health; Division Chief, Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Yale School of Medicine
• Amit Surana, Principal Technical Fellow, RTX Technologies Research Center
• Eric P. Winer, Alfred Gilman Professor of Pharmacology and Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology); Director, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine
• Xiaoyong Yang, Professor, Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine
• Harrison H. Zhou, Henry Ford II Professor of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University

East Hartford, CT — Talented Connecticut middle and high school student scientists and engineers will be honored by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) at its 48th Annual Meeting and Dinner, to be held Wednesday, May 24, 2023, beginning with a reception at 6:00 PM at the Woodwinds in Branford.

Students from this year’s Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair, including the fair’s urban school challenge program, Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, and Connecticut Invention Convention received CASE awards and will be recognized as part of the meeting.

The H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence established by CASE will be awarded to the top winners of the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair. The medal was created to recognize and honor H. Joseph Gerber’s (1924-1996) technical leadership in inventing, developing, and commercializing manufacturing automation systems for a wide variety of industries, making those industries more efficient and cost-effective in a worldwide competitive environment.

The 2023 H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence

Yuriy Sandmeier, King School, Stamford, CT
Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – 1st Place, Life Sciences-Senior Division; Project: Knockdown of the essential 23S rRNA methyltransferase, rv3579c, increases the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to macrolides

Jingyuan Zhang, Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – 1st Place, Physical Sciences-Senior Division; Project: A Self-Stabilizing Haptic Accessibility Mouse for Parkinson’s Disease Sufferers

Ana-Lois Davis, Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, Windsor, CT
Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – Urban School Challenge High School Winner; Project: Non-Invasive Pre-screening Approach for Early Detection of The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) to Aid in Cervical Cancer Prevention in Underrepresented Demographics

2023 Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – Middle School Winner, Urban School Challenge

Ethan Joseph, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, West Haven, CT; Project: Design and Implementation of a Novel Machine-Learning-Based System Utilizing Feature Extraction for Precise Cervical Cancer Detection via Biopsy Sample

2023 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

1ST Place: Ambika Grover, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT; Project: Design of a Novel, Dual-Functioning, Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Factor XI Inhibiting Anticoagulant Therapeutic for Rapid Ischemic Stroke Treatment

2ND Place: Snigtha Mohanraj, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, West Haven, CT; Project: Implementing Nontoxic Modified Biochar Enhanced Filtration for the Efficient Removal of Emerging Contaminants in an Aqueous Solution

3RD Place: Aditi Gupta, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, CT; Project: Assessing the Impact of Synthetic Sweeteners on Hunger Perception in Drosophila Melanogaster

4TH Place: Naomi Park, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT; Project: Concurrent Removal of Rising, Soluble Ocean Carbon Dioxide and Oil-in-Water Contaminants via Multi-Functional Remediation Framework

5TH Place: Grace Kistner, Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture Science and Technology Education Center, Bridgeport, CT; Project: Utilizing the Nematocysts of Cassiopea xamachana as a Bioactive Antiproliferative Compound

2023 Connecticut Invention Convention CASE Awardees
Maxwell Anstett, John Read Middle School, Redding, CT, Fishstalker
Jhose Ashitha, Illing Middle School, Manchester, CT, SAFE POOL
Jade Collins, John Read Middle School, Redding, CT, Double It Up
Rhea Doshi, Talcott Mountain Academy, Avon, CT, CocoPure Water Filter
Jonah Filardi, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, Old Lyme, CT, Instru-Clean
Levi Gatti, Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, Windham, CT, The Velcro Shelf
Nicolo Girasoli, Bolton Center School, Bolton, CT, The Garden Bot
F. Woods Goss, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, Old Lyme, CT, Robot reporter
Wyatt Temple, East Windsor Middle School, East Windsor, CT, I need more water pet dish
Anthony Joszczyk, Renbrook School, West Hartford, CT, Pool Saver
Mohnish Maheshwari, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, CT, The Hat Visor (HV)
Isabella Merlo, Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School, Bridgeport, CT, Multipurpose Sweeper
Julianne Twarog, Shelton Intermediate School, Shelton, CT, Auto-Easy Door Opener
Evin R. Wilson, Stafford Middle School, Stafford, CT, Snow Snorkel
Blake Zevetchin, Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, Windham, CT, Plant Clipper Cleaner

East Hartford, CT — Akiko Iwasaki, Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Professor of Dermatology and of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, and an Investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Connecticut Medal of Science. Dr. Iwasaki is recognized for her major discoveries in the areas of innate sensing of viruses, and instruction of adaptive anti-viral immunity. She has laid the foundation for key concepts in viral immunity and introduced innovative approaches in vaccine design to combat COVID-19. Dr. Iwasaki currently leads investigations into the pathophysiology of long COVID, including Co-Lead Investigator for the Yale LISTEN Study. The medal-bestowing ceremony will be scheduled at a time to be determined and the honor will be shared with members and guests at CASE’s 48th Annual Meeting and Dinner, to be held May 24, 2023, at the Woodwinds in Branford.

Dr. Iwasaki’s discoveries have resulted in paradigm shifts in our understanding of the immune response to infection and vaccine design. She is an expert on immune responses to viruses that occur at mucosal sites of host entry and has made key contributions to our understanding of how the host detects viruses, innate host defense mechanisms, generation of specific acquired immune responses, and design of new and improved vaccine strategies. Her two-stage vaccination strategy called “prime and pull” informed the development of a vaccine currently in a clinical trial to treat women with precancerous lesions in the cervix to prevent cervical cancer.

“I am delighted that Dr. Iwasaki has been selected to receive the 2023 Connecticut Medal of Science,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “Her groundbreaking research has led to major advancements in the field of immunology, and her contributions to the understanding of the human immune system’s response to viral infections have been invaluable, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her achievements are a testament to the talent and dedication of Connecticut’s scientific community, and I am proud that she calls our state home.”

Dr. Iwasaki earned a BS in Biochemistry, with a minor in Physics, and a PhD in Immunology, all from the University of Toronto, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. In 2022, she was awarded a Sterling Professorship, the highest academic honor professors receive at Yale University.

She is an elected member of the council for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), and an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy of Microbiology, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, and CASE. Iwasaki has received multiple awards to date, including the Inspiring Yale Award, the Seymour & Vivian Milstein Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research, the Charles W. Bohmafalk Teaching Award, AAI’s Thermo Fisher Meritorious Career Award, and BD Biosciences Investigator Award, to name a few. For more, see Dr. Iwasaki’s Yale profile.

Dr. Iwasaki and her husband, fellow Yale faculty member Ruslan Mezhitov, have two children and reside in Connecticut.