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President's Innovation Prize

9 Penn students win big prizes to fund projects to promote social change

9 Penn students win big prizes to fund projects to promote social change

Penn has awarded nine graduating seniors with the annual President’s Engagement and Innovation prizes. President Amy Gutmann said, “Each of the prize recipients has demonstrated a purpose-driven desire to get out and make a difference in their community, across the country, and around the world.”

Fostering a ‘culture of innovation’
Gutmann speaking about innovation at Penn Museum

Fostering a ‘culture of innovation’

Penn President Amy Gutmann opened McKinsey’s first-ever “Innovation Night,” held at the Penn Museum on Thursday, March 14. It’s a testament to the University’s critical, visionary role in Philadelphia.

Lauren Hertzler

Gaining momentum by the minute
michael wong

Gaining momentum by the minute

Michael Wong, the student behind startup InstaHub, chats about his path to Penn, his passion for entrepreneurship, and his plans after graduation in May.

Lauren Hertzler

Marching toward the market
Visiplate team members

Marching toward the market

Rui Jing Jiang and Brandon Kao, winners of the 2018 President’s Innovation Prize, are well on their way to their goal: to gain FDA approval for a device to treat glaucoma.

Katherine Unger Baillie

A bustling summer at the Pennovation Center
maker faire

A bustling summer at the Pennovation Center

It was a season full of excitement, to kick off an academic year that will, undoubtedly, see even more fulfillment.

Lauren Hertzler

2018 Ivy Day ceremony
Penn Senior Honor Awardees 2018

Left to right: Seniors Makayla Reynolds, Kayvon Asemani, Silicia Lomax, Jerome Allen, Alexandra Rubin, Dawit Gebresellassie, Madeline Gelfand, and Nicholas Silverio were honored with Senior Honors at the 2018 Ivy Day ceremony. Photo by Scott Spitzer.

2018 Ivy Day ceremony

In a 145-year old tradition, 28 seniors were honored, as well as one junior, a sophomore, and two class of 2017 alumni.
President’s Engagement and Innovation Prize winners honored at awards luncheon
2018 Winners of the President's Engagement and Innovation Prizes

Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett with winners of the President's Engagement Prize and President's Innovation Prize

President’s Engagement and Innovation Prize winners honored at awards luncheon

Nine Penn seniors have given their families even more reason to be proud. As soon as they graduate this month, they will start working full-time on innovative projects they designed to make a positive, lasting change for the “betterment of humankind.”  

Jacquie Posey

Tackling blindness with nanotechnology
PIP Kao Jiang Battu

To tackle blindness caused by open angle glaucoma, Brandon Kao, Rui Jing Jiang, and Adarsh Battu came up with Visiplate, a nanoscale ocular implant that shunts away excess fluid.

Tackling blindness with nanotechnology

To tackle blindness caused by open angle glaucoma, Brandon Kao, Rui Jing Jiang, and Adarsh Battu came up with Visiplate, a nanoscale ocular implant that shunts away excess fluid.

Ali Sundermier