We invite you to join the UConn Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors for a special presentation by Eric S. Hintz, Ph.D., titled Ingenious Yankees: Three Centuries of Innovation in Hartford. Hintz, a historian with the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the Smithsonian Institution, will discuss the research underlying Places of Invention, an exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History that showcases the spirit of innovation in Hartford, CT and several other communities.

Abstract:

Long before its emergence as the state capital and an industrial powerhouse, Hartford was founded in 1636 as a Connecticut River trading post. In the 1850s and ‘60s, firms like Aetna and Travelers emerged to underwrite the maritime trade, making Hartford the “insurance capital of the world.” Meanwhile, the Colt armory and its neighboring firms perfected the techniques of interchangeable parts manufacturing, establishing Hartford as one of the birthplaces of American mass production in the 19th century. Thus, all kinds of products—including firearms, sewing machines, bicycles, automobiles, and machine tools—were invented and manufactured in Hartford, making this New England city a hotbed of “Yankee ingenuity.” During the 20th century, Hartford’s innovators expanded into new sectors, including typewriters, brushes, aircraft engines, and helicopters, but after World War II, the effects of deindustrialization turned the city into one of the nation’s poorest. Now, during the 21st century, Hartford’s inventors and civic leaders are working to revitalize the city by drawing inspiration from its long history of innovation.

About Eric:

Eric S. Hintz, Ph.D., currently serves as a curator on two exhibitions, Places of Invention and American Enterprise, and is responsible for producing the Center’s annual symposium series, “New Perspectives on Invention and Innovation.” In addition, Eric coordinates the Lemelson Center’s fellowship and grant programs; assists in the collection of historically significant artifacts and documents; and pursues opportunities to speak and write about his scholarly interests. Eric’s research interests include the history of science and technology and US business and economic history; he specializes in the history of invention and R&D. He has discussed his work on MSNBC and National Public Radio; his publications have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Technology and Culture, the Business History Review, Enterprise and Society, and Research-Technology Management.

Event Details

February 11, 2019

Mark Twain House, Hartford

5:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Reception, introductions, and displays from UConn TIP companies and other CT entrepreneurs

6:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Presentation by Dr. Eric S. Hintz

This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP.

Questions? Contact Linda Burian at lburian@uchc.edu.

You are welcome to download the event flyer and share it with others who may be interested in attending.

This event is co-chaired by Dr. Lakshmi Nair and Dr. Mostafa Analoui and is sponsored by the Innovation and Inventorship Core Interest Group of the Connecticut Convergence Institute and the Office of the the Vice President for Research.

We thank visitors for signing in at the event.

About the UConn NAI Chapter:

The UConn Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI-UCONN) has been established to (1) promote scientific innovation and inventorship across all disciplines in the UConn community (ii) develop educational and mentorship programs around invention and inventorship (iii) increase awareness regarding innovation and encourage the disclosure of intellectual property (iv) drive engagement by bringing academia and industry together and (v) create a platform to share the lessons learned by the UConn inventors and other research communities in CT. For more information about the chapter visit their website.

Connecticut Convergence Institute CEO Dr. Cato Laurencin was an invited speaker at the 2nd Rock Stars of Regenerative Engineering event that took place on January 9, 2019 in California. The event is organized by the Regenerative Engineering Society whose mission is to promote and advance regenerative engineering, a new field defined as the Convergence of Advanced Materials Sciences, Stem Cell Science, Physics, Developmental Biology and Clinical Translation for the regeneration of complex tissues and organ systems.

In late December, Connecticut Convergence Institute Associate Director Lakshmi Nair presented a seminar about regenerative engineering for the UConn Health community. The seminar was hosted by the Department of Pediatrics and students, faculty, and residents were in attendance.

UConn School of Engineering professor Bahram Javidi, Ph.D. has been named a 2018 National Academy of Inventors Fellow. Javidi, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, is one of the University’s most active researchers, and his work seeks to integrate optics, photonics, and computational algorithms and systems to advance the science and engineering of imaging from nano to macro scales. Javidi joins four other NAI Fellows from UConn, Cato Laurencin, Lakshmi S. Nair, Pramod Srivastava, and Steve Suib.

Our December 5th Science Cafe brought together researchers, scientists, teachers, practitioners, and members of the community around the topic of LGBTQ+ health, well-being, and experiences. Attendees heard from Drs. Ryan Watson and Rebecca Puhl (Human Development and Family Studies and the Rudd Center) about the preliminary findings from their 2017 LGBTQ Teen Survey — a national study that sampled more than 17,000 young people from every state in the US. The survey included over 150 items that assessed health (such as substance use, eating behaviors, self-esteem, etc), school experiences, disclosure of sexual and gender identity, and more.

After the presentation, an expert panel comprised of Dr. Paul Poteat of Boston College, Dr. Micki McElya of UConn, and Robin McHaelen of True Colors, provided a response to the survey.

Attendees participated throughout the cafe with questions and thoughts about the findings.

Special thank you to the Kavli Foundation for sponsoring our Science Cafe series.

Pictured: Dr. Mohammed Hassan, incoming President of TWAS, Dr. Cato Laurencin, and Dr. Romain Murenzi, Executive Director of TWAS

Connecticut Convergence Institute CEO Dr. Cato Laurencin attended the World Academy of Science Meeting held in Trieste, Italy. The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for the advancement of science in developing countries – works to support sustainable prosperity through research, education, policy and diplomacy. The meeting included two symposia focused on breakthroughs in science of stem cells and gene editing; and data analytics, social media and sustainability.

You can view the opening ceremony by clicking the video below.

Every other month the Connecticut Convergence Institute hosts a science cafe with the Kavli Foundation on a different scientific topic. Our science cafe series aims to bring science to members of the community in an engaging and informal way.

At this Science Cafe, Drs. Ryan Watson and Rebecca Puhl (Human Development and Family Studies and the Rudd Center) will share the preliminary findings from their 2017 LGBTQ Teen Survey — a national study that sampled more than 17,000 young people from every state in the US. The survey included over 150 items that assessed health (such as substance use, eating behaviors, self-esteem, etc), school experiences, disclosure of sexual and gender identity, and more. Drs. Watson and Puhl will be accompanied by an expert panel (Dr. Paul Poteat of Boston College, Dr. Micki McElya of UConn, and Robin McHaelen of True Colors) to discuss the implications of the findings as they pertain to the next steps in scholarship, goals for policy, and practical applications for parents, children, and teachers. The panel will discuss and reflect on the findings from this large national survey with the ultimate goal of contributing to engaged scholarship and providing a foundation for future action.

There will be plenty of time for audience questions and participation, as our Science Cafes are geared towards creating discussion with attendees. This event is FREE and open to everyone interested in the topic.

Topic: LGBTQ+ health, well-being, and experiences across the U.S.

When: Wednesday, December 5th, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Where: Nathan Hale Inn,  855 Bolton Rd,Storrs, CT 06269

RSVP: Please use this link to RSVP for this science cafe.

For questions please contact Noehren@uchc.edu.

Each month CICATS will be featuring an interview with a member of our staff. This month we are highlighting Dr. Chia-Ling Kuo of our biostatistics team.

Tell us about your role at CICATS.

I am a senior biostatistician in CICATS. I help residents and fellows with their research projects. I co-apply grants with other investigators as a co-investigator and develop my own research projects and grants with topics inspired by my collaborative work.

What do you enjoy most about your position?

I enjoy working with folks in other disciplines so I don’t always think inside my box. The communication itself is fun. It is like people who speak different languages need to get a task done. I learn what I need to know and at this point I am proud to say that I know everything at a level that is enough to impress people who don’t know anything.

What are some of your challenges?

 It is challenging that I have to support 100% of my salary. It is more challenging that people see my efforts as hours that I spend on a project and value experiments more than my expertise.

Tell us about a recent success.

I am fortunate to have a R21 funded recently that supports 30% of my salary.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

I randomly find things to do with my family mostly for my daughter. I guess my husband and I also enjoy kid-friendly activities. When we are at home, we enjoy being with our two dogs.

Dr. Kuo Chia-Ling Kuo can be reached at 860-679-2897 or by email at kuo@uchc.edu.

Each month the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities selects two editor’s choice articles. These articles are available with free access for a limited period of time and are chosen by Dr. Cato Laurencin who serves as Editor-in-Chief. The current selections are:

Impact of Depression and Demoralization on Blood Pressure Control in African Americans with Hypertension: Findings from the TRIUMPH Trial

Dimensions of and Responses to Perceived Discrimination and Subclinical Disease Among African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study

The Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Initiative provides awards to undergraduate institutions across the country to implement and study innovative approaches to engaging and retaining students from diverse backgrounds in biomedical research. CICATS has a record of success in creating pipeline programs and research experiences in biomedical sciences for underrepresented minority students as indicated by the Young Innovative Investigator Program (YIIP) and the M1 Mentorship Program.  As a result, the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) invited UConn to be a research partner on their BUILD award.  Under the UTEP BUILD award, there are 13 Research partners, with UConn being the only academic institution from the northeast. Learn more about the most recent cohort of CICATS BUILD Scholars.

CICATS BUILD program is run by Lana Angelo. Recently, Lana traveled to Texas to attend and present at the annual BUILDing Scholars conference. She met up with all of the 2018 CICATS BUILD Scholars.