Skip to Content Skip to Content

President's Innovation Prize

Penn students develop AI-driven solution to transform senior care
Nami Lindquist, Melanie Herbert, and Alex Popescu

Melanie Herbert (center), a fourth-year in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, created Sync Labs—an innovative AI solution that addresses caregiving in senior care. Joined by Nami Lindquist (left) of the Wharton School and Penn Engineering and Alex Popescu of Penn Engineering (right) their technology, which has earned them the 2025 President’s Innovation Prize, allows caregivers to see three times more seniors while providing more personalized care.

nocred

Penn students develop AI-driven solution to transform senior care

Fourth-year students Melanie Herbert, Nami Lindquist, and Alexandra Popescu were awarded the President’s Innovation Prize for Sync Labs, a privacy-centered AI system to address the growing caregiving gap in senior care

8 min. read

Class of 2025 President’s Engagement, Innovation, and Sustainability Prize winners announced
Top left: Team PIXEL: Ejun Mary Hong and Jack Roney; top right: The Nourish to Flourish team: Rashmi Acharya, Imani Nkrumah Ardayfio, and Inaya Zaman; bottom left: Sync Labs: Melanie Herbert, Nami Lindquist, and Alexandra Popescu; bottom right: Piotr Lazarek for Nirby.

(Top left) Team PIXEL: Ejun Mary Hong and Jack Roney; (top right) The Nourish to Flourish team: Inaya Zaman, Rashmi Acharya, and Imani Nkrumah Ardayfio. (Bottom left) For Sync Labs, Melanie Herbert, Nami Lindquist, and Alexandra Popescu; (bottom right) Piotr Lazarek for Nirby.

nocred

Class of 2025 President’s Engagement, Innovation, and Sustainability Prize winners announced

Four prize-winning teams will design and undertake post-graduation projects that make a positive, lasting difference in the world.

4 min. read

Celebrating ‘excellence and service in combination’ at PIP/PEP luncheon
pep and pip winners at luncheon

The 2024 President’s Engagement and Innovation Prize winners are (from left to right): Simran Rajpal and Gauthami Moorkanat for Educate to Empower; Catherine Hood, Brianna Aguilar, and Anooshey Ikhlas for Presby Addiction Care Program; and Rahul Nambiar and Yash Dhir of Jochi.

nocred

Celebrating ‘excellence and service in combination’ at PIP/PEP luncheon

Seven graduating students were recognized at an annual luncheon for the President’s Engagement and Innovation prizes.
Class of 2024 President’s Engagement, Innovation Prize winners announced
penn pip and pep winners 2024

(Top left to right) Yash Dhir and Rahul Nambiar of Jochi; Simran Rajpal and Gauthami Moorkanat for Educate to Empower. (Bottom left to right) Catherine Hood, Anooshey Ikhlas, and Brianna Aguilar for Presby Addiction Care Program.

nocred

Class of 2024 President’s Engagement, Innovation Prize winners announced

Three prize-winning teams will design and undertake post-graduation projects that make a positive, lasting difference in the world.
2023 PIP/PEP winners: Where are they now?
Sonura team

Recipients of the 2023 President’s Innovation Prize, team Sonura, five bioengineering graduates from the School of Engineering and Applied Science, have created a device that filters out disruptive environmental noises for infants in neonatal intensive care units. Their beanie offers protection and fosters parental connection to newborns while also supporting their development.

nocred

2023 PIP/PEP winners: Where are they now?

Nearly a year after the winners of the President’s Innovation Prize (PIP) and President’s Engagement Prize (PEP) began their projects, the winners—now alumni—discuss their progress. 
Safe and sound: Sonura supports newborn development by sequestering disruptive noise
Sonura team

Recipients of the 2023 President’s Innovation Prize, team Sonura, five bioengineering graduates from the School of Engineering and Applied Science, have created a device that filters out disruptive environmental noises for infants in neonatal intensive care units. Their beanie offers protection and fosters parental connection to newborns while also supporting their development.

nocred

Safe and sound: Sonura supports newborn development by sequestering disruptive noise

A team of five recent graduates from the School of Engineering and Applied Science and recipients of the 2023 President’s Innovation Prize have developed a beanie that filters out harmful noises for infants in neonatal intensive care units.