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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 13, 2024 | The Indian Eye 29

Vance is seen wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans with his son on his shoul- DR. UDAY VAIDYA
ders, while on his side is his wife holding their daughter in a yellowish-brown
outfit and all other Indian family members of Usha Vance. All the 21 family Innovator honored with
members could be seen having fun in what appears to be a party in the back-
yard of a house. 2024 Award by UT Research

ANKUR SRIVASTAVA Foundation

Professor named he University of Tennessee Re-

search Foundation (UTRF)
Inaugural Director of Twith great pride recognized,

Semiconductor Initiatives Dr. Uday Vaidya, the University
of Tennessee - Oak Ridge Nation-
al Laboratory Governor’s Chair of
Advanced Composites Manufactur-
ing, with 2024 Innovator of the Year
Award.
The UTRF Multi-Campus Of-
fice Innovation Awards ceremony
was held in Knoxville on November
25th, 2024.
Dr. Vaidya’s pioneering leadership in advanced composites and materi-
als science has transformed lightweight, high-performance materials, driving
innovation across industries. His work has fostered impactful partnerships be-
tween academia, government, and industry to tackle critical global challenges,
resulting in numerous patents that underscore his ingenuity and influence.
Dr. Vaidya is an expert on the manufacturing and use of fiber reinforced
thermoplastic composites. His research focuses on developing applications
for thermoplastics in the military, the housing market, the health care indus-
try, and commercial transportation.
Dr. Vaidya is also interested in engaging minority and underrepresented
students in STEM fields and advanced manufacturing technologies. A pas-
sionate mentor, Dr. Vaidya is deeply committed to shaping the future of engi-
neering, science, and entrepreneurship. His graduate students have launched
three successful startups, and he actively supports emerging ventures across
the community.
Beyond his research, he led the development of InnoCrate, an innovative
educational toolkit designed to introduce K-12 students to the exciting world
of composites, inspiring the next generation of engineers, designers, and in-
nkur Srivastava has been appointed as the Inaugural Director of Semi- novators.
conductor Initiatives and Innovation, a newly created effort that will
Alead University of Maryland (UMD) in research and partnerships re- GAURAV CHOPRA
lated to the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act).
Professor Srivastava has been a leading advocate for UMD’s position in Purdue University promotes
the national conversation around semiconductor research. In January 2024,
his leadership led to an agreement between UMD and the Midwest Micro-
electronics Consortium (MMEC), expanding MMEC’s technical areas to in- Associate Professor
clude secure edge microelectronics, 5G/6G communications, and microelec-
tronics to support artificial intelligence. he Purdue University recently announced the promotion of Gaurav
In partnership with Northrop Grumman, his group, managed by MMEC Chopra to James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo Associate Professor
Hub, is co-investigator for the Secured Edge Project: Validated GPU Based Tof Chemistry as approved by the Purdue Provost’s Office. Chopra’s
Secure Processing Module, to build validated security measures in next gener- groundbreaking contributions, visionary leadership, and commitment to ad-
ation GPU’s for better protections to hardware systems critical for the future vancing chemistry and biology through AI make him an exceptional candidate
of artificial intelligence. Other partners include NHanced Semiconductors, for the Tarpo Associate Professorship.
Battelle, and NVIDIA. His lab’s interdisciplinary research merges chemistry, artificial intelli-
In 2022, UMD and Booz Allen Hamilton combined forces to create the gence, neuroscience, and immunology to develop novel approaches for drug
Mid Atlantic Semiconductor Collaborative (MASC) for the Department of discovery, particularly in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzhei-
Defense’s (DoD) Microelectronic Commons (ME Commons). mer’s.
Overall, he has contributed to more than $31 million in awards related Chopra’s innovative work on lipid accumulation in brain cells, through
to CHIPS Act funding. As the Inaugural Director of Semiconductor Initia- AI-guided drug discovery platforms, has uncovered therapeutic strategies for
tives and Innovation, he will be focused on increasing UMD’s presence on neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, demonstrating the po-
the national stage and contributing to leading edge technologies surrounding tential to slow or reverse disease progression.
the CHIPS Act. He will continue building and maintaining partnerships with He has combined machine learning with experimental validation for its
leading designers and manufacturers of semiconductors, including Carnegie potential clinical applications. His publications in Nature, Chemical Science,
Mellon University, Arizona State University, University of Texas-Austin, and and ACS Measurement Science have received high-impact recognition in the
Ohio State University, as well as numerous industry colleagues. Continued on next page... >>

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