Innovators to Know
The IIN’s Innovators to Know program recognizes excellence in innovation, broadly speaking. Individuals are nominated by their hub in an open process.
2024 IIN Innovators to Know
The 2024 IIN Innovators to Know were recognized during the total solar eclipse at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on April 8, 2024. The video of recipients describing their work can be found here.
Sam Miller, Discovery Partners Institute
John and Caroline LaHood, Distillery Labs
John Sedbrook, Illinois State University
Jaziel Dorado, Northeastern Illinois University
Scott Hamilton-Brehm, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Partha Dutta, University of Illinois Chicago
Arpit Dwivedi, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Sean Park, Western Illinois University
2023 IIN Innovators to Know
The 2023 IIN Innovators to Know were recognized during the Illinois Innovation Day event hosted by the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) on April 20, 2023.
John Vozenilek, Distillery Labs
Laura Clements, Discovery Partners Institute
Avani Flanagan, Eastern Illinois University
Reggie Greenwood, Governors State University
Roy Magnuson, Illinois State University
Josh Furstoss, Northeastern Illinois University
Tao Xu, Northern Illinois University
Jon Klingensmith, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Krishna Bavana, University of Illinois Chicago
Cara Bognar, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Elham Buxton, University of Illinois Springfield
Sean Park, Western Illinois University
IIN Innovation Awards
IIN Innovation Awards celebrate advances in research, technology commercialization and education across the IIN’s 15 hubs. Faculty awards were presented in multiple categories, and student awards were given in an open competition.
2022 IIN Innovation Awards
Computing & Data
Kaiyu Guan, Blue Waters Associate Professor of ecohydrology and remote sensing, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Environment & Water
Scott Hamilton-Brehm, Associate Professor of biological sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Food & Agriculture
Lahiru Jayakody, Assistant Professor of microbiology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Health & Wellness
Mohammad Islam, Research Assistant Professor of chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago
Open Category
Keith Jacobs, Statewide 4-H STEM Specialist, University of Illinois Extension
Student Category
Pierre Paul, founder of We Hear You, Distillery Labs
2021 IIN Innovators of the Year
Environment & Water
Kenneth B. Anderson, Director of the Advanced Coal and Energy Research Center, Professor of geochemistry, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Food & Agriculture
Girish Chowdhary, Donald Biggar Willet Faculty Fellow, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, co-founder and chief technology officer of EarthSense
Health & Wellness
Aadeel Akhtar, founder of PSYONIC
Elizabeth Gaillard, Professor of chemistry and biological sciences, Northern Illinois University
Open Category
SHIELD – Target, Test and Tell Team
Student Category
Alex Kosyakov, founder of Natrion
Nelson Fernandes, founder and project manager of SIUC’s Green Roof Project