Purdue Northwest unveils 2024 Innovator Award winners
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The Society of Innovators at Purdue University Northwest on Monday announced the winners of its 2024 Innovators Awards. The recipients will be officially inducted into the society during its annual luncheon next month in Westville.
Gary Johnson, chairman of the board for the society, said the quality of this year’s inductees “showcases the wide swath of innovation in northwest Indiana.
“These stories of success provide role models for others and demonstrates that innovation flourishes in our region,” Johnson said in a news release.
To be eligible for induction, the innovators must live or work in northwest Indiana, and their innovation needed to provide a new solution, benefit society, and create measurable value, the society said.
The awards include both individual and team winners, as well as the Advocate for Innovation inductees, one of which is IronWorkz Corp. in Gary.
“When it comes to being advocates for innovation, we are giving people spaces and opportunities to create products or services that may be useful for them and their community,” said co-founder CEO Faith Spencer.
The induction will take place Nov. 20 on Purdue Northwest’s Westville campus. The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest Class of 2024 honorees are:
John H. Davies Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
- Barbara Eason-Watkins (Michigan City, Ind.) – retired Superintendent, Michigan City Area Schools
Richard C. Sussman Award for Team Innovation
- Food Bank of Northwest Indiana (Merrillville, Ind.)
- Innovation: OrderAhead food lockers
- Team Members: Victor Garcia, Julie Anderson, Tricia Sheaks, Steve Mehmert, Diane Wortz
Team Inductees
- ArcelorMittal Global Research and Development Center (East Chicago, Ind.)
- Innovation: Coil Rotation System for Advanced High Strength Steel
- Team Members: Gleyson Barbosa, Joe Xiao, Evgueni Poliak, Henry Williams, David Colbert
- Erosion & Construction Solutions, Inc. (Merrillville, Ind.)
- Innovation: Siltworm and BioWorm sediment filtration devices
- Team Members: DJ Moore, Joe Moore, Mike Lorenzo, Tiff Arcella, Ben Landis, Scott Shelton
- Kidstuff Playsystems (Gary, Ind.)
- Innovation: KidsVision modular commercial playsystems
- Team Members: Richard Hagelberg, George McGuan, Ed Rodriguez
Individual Inductee
- Tyamo Okosun (Hammond, Ind.) – Research Associate Professor, Purdue University Northwest Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation
- Innovation: Integrated Virtual Blast Furnace (IVBF)
Advocate for Innovation Inductee
- Kristin Burton (Hammond and Westville, Ind.) – Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Purdue University Northwest
- IronWorkz Corporation (Gary, Ind.)
- Team Members: Faith N. Spencer, Emmani Ellis
Advocate for Youth Innovation Inductee
- Krissy LaFlech (Munster, Ind.) – Business Teacher, Munster High School