I am very proud to announce that our colleague Dr. Marja M. Hurley was honored this week as one of the winners of the 2010 Women of Innovation Awards. The awards program, sponsored by the Connecticut Technology Council, recognizes women in the workforce who are innovators, role models and leaders in the technology, science and engineering fields.

Dr. Hurley is an accomplished endocrinologist, biomedical researcher, professor of medicine and an associate dean with both the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine. For more than two decades, she has led the Health Center’s widely recognized Health Career Opportunity Programs and has helped hundreds of students from underrepresented minorities successfully pursue careers in medicine, dentistry and other health professions.

Today, the health careers program, known as the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative, is an umbrella of innovative educational programs that reaches out to talented students from middle school, high school, college and graduate levels. Efforts are bolstered by mentoring and teaching support from UConn Health Center faculty in all disciplines including biomedical research, dentistry and clinical care.

In all aspects of her career, Dr. Hurley has been an exemplary role model, leader and innovator. She was joined by her husband and many colleagues Wednesday night when the award was announced. On behalf of the entire Health Center community, I’m delighted to extend my congratulations as well.

---