Prof. Jih Ru Hwu | Novel Sensors | Excellence in Innovation Award

Prof. Jih Ru Hwu | Novel Sensors | Excellence in Innovation Awardย 

Prof. Jih Ru Hwu, National Tsing Hua Univeristy, Taiwan

Professor Reuben Jih-Ru Hwu is a Distinguished Chair Professor Emeritus with Lifetime Honor at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. He earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1982 and served as a faculty member at The Johns Hopkins University from 1982 to 1991. An internationally recognized chemist, Professor Hwu’s research encompasses drug design and synthesis, DNA-cleaving agents, nano-biomaterials, natural product synthesis, organosilicon chemistry, novel reactions and reagents, and green chemistry. He has published over 253 peer-reviewed articles and holds more than 52 patents. Throughout his distinguished career, he has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Chinese American Chemical Society, the World Academy of Sciences Award (1997), and Taiwanโ€™s National Chair Professorship. He is a Fellow of several esteemed organizations, including The World Academy of Sciences, IUPAC, The Royal Society of Chemistry, and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. His leadership roles include presidencies at the Chinese American Chemical Society, Asian Federation for Medicinal Chemistry, and Federation of Asian Chemical Societies, reflecting his global impact on the chemical sciences community.

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Summary of Suitability โ€“ Excellence in Innovation Award

Nominee: Professor Reuben Jih-Ru Hwu

Professor Reuben Jih-Ru Hwu, Distinguished Chair Professor Emeritus at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, is a globally renowned chemist whose career spans over four decades of groundbreaking innovation across drug design, nano-biomaterials, DNA-cleaving agents, organosilicon chemistry, and green chemistry. A Ph.D. graduate from Stanford University and former faculty member at The Johns Hopkins University, Professor Hwu has authored over 253 scientific articles and 52 patents, reflecting his prolific contributions to science and innovation.

๐ŸŽ“ Education

  • Ph.D. in Chemistry โ€“ Stanford University, USA (1982) ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

๐Ÿ’ผ Work Experience

  • ๐Ÿงช Faculty Member โ€“ The Johns Hopkins University, USA (1982โ€“1991)

  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿซ Professor โ€“ National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

  • ๐Ÿ… Distinguished Chair Professor Emeritus with Lifetime Honor โ€“ National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

๐Ÿงฌ Research & Achievements

  • ๐Ÿ“š Published >253 peer-reviewed articles

  • ๐Ÿงพ Holds >52 patents

  • ๐Ÿงช Expertise in:

    • Drug design and synthesis ๐Ÿ’Š

    • DNA-cleaving agents ๐Ÿงฌ

    • Nano-biomaterials โš›๏ธ

    • Natural product synthesis ๐ŸŒฟ

    • Organosilicon chemistry ๐Ÿงซ

    • Novel reactions and reagents โš—๏ธ

    • Sustainability and green chemistry ๐ŸŒฑ

๐Ÿ† Awards & Honors

  • ๐Ÿฅ‡ 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award โ€“ Chinese American Chemical Society

  • ๐Ÿ† Trophy of Gulf Chemistry Association (2022)

  • ๐Ÿงช CAS Registry Innovatorยฎ (2022)

  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿซ Excellent Senior Teacher with 30 Years of Service (2020)

  • ๐Ÿ‘‘ Taiwan National Chair Professorship

  • ๐ŸŒ The World Academy of Sciences Award (1997)

  • ๐ŸŒŸ JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (1994)

  • ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ”ฌ FACS Distinguished Young Chemist Award (1992โ€“93)

  • ๐ŸŽ“ Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (1986โ€“1990)

  • ๐Ÿ’Š Stuart Pharmaceuticals Achievement Award, USA (1986)

  • ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต Japan Ming-Yu-Wen-Hwa Award (1976)

๐ŸŒ Fellowships & Memberships

  • ๐ŸŒŽ Fellow, The World Academy of Sciences (1999โ€“)

  • ๐Ÿ”ฌ Fellow, IUPAC (2000โ€“)

  • ๐Ÿ‘‘ Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) (2005โ€“)

  • ๐ŸŒ Fellow, Asian Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (2013โ€“)

  • ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ Member, European Academy of Sciences and Arts (2019โ€“)

  • ๐Ÿงช Fellow, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (2025โ€“)

๐ŸŒŸ Leadership Roles

  • ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ President, Chinese American Chemical Society (1991โ€“93)

  • ๐ŸŒ President, Asian Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (2012โ€“13)

  • ๐ŸŒ President, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (2019โ€“23)

Publicationย Top Notes:

Calcium Impregnated Silica Gel in the Domino Reaction Involving Irreversible Aldol Addition, Dehydration, and Michael Addition

6-Chlorocoumarin Conjugates with Nucleobases and Nucleosides as Potent Anti-Hepatitis C Virus Agents

Biochemical Nanotubes Containing Heterocycles as Artificial Strands for Pseudo Duplex and Triplex DNA Formation

ฮฒ-d-Ribofuranose as a Core with a Phosphodiester Moiety as the Enzyme Recognition Site for Codrug Development

Sustainable Domino Cโˆ’N/Cโˆ’C Bond Formation with Outstanding E Factors and High Volume Productivity

Generation of Quaternary Carbons in Cycloalkanones and Lactones with Arynes through a Domino Process

 

Prof. Anna Pyayt | Sensors Award | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Anna Pyayt | Sensors Award | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Anna Pyayt, University of South Florida, United States

Anna Pyayt is an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida (USF), serving in the Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering. She holds affiliated faculty positions in the Departments of Medical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, as well as the Material Science and Engineering Program at USF. Recognized as a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, Dr. Pyayt has made significant contributions to the field of sensing applications, artificial intelligence, and mobile health technologies. She completed her dual Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Nanotechnology at the University of Washington. Dr. Pyayt’s research includes innovations in single-cell endoscopy, deep learning, and assistive technologies for the visually impaired. Her work has attracted substantial funding and numerous accolades, including significant grants from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Health, State of Florida. She has also been honored with multiple awards for her innovative contributions and has mentored students who have achieved significant recognition in their respective fields. Dr. Pyayt’s sabbatical at MagLab further underscores her commitment to advancing scientific research and education.

Professional Profile

Education

  • B.Sc. in Computer Science/Applied Mathematics with honors, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 2001
  • M.Sc. in Computer Science/Applied Mathematics with honors, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 2002
  • M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, December 2005
  • Dual Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Nanotechnology, University of Washington, December 2009

Research Interests

  • Sensing
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Knowledge Graphs
  • Mobile Health
  • Single Cell Endoscopy and Spectroscopy
  • Deep Learning
  • Software and Hardware Assistive Technologies for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Research Internships

  • Hewlett-Packard Labs, Summer 2007
    • Invented, designed, and fabricated two new sensors โ€“ an angle sensor and a Nano-photonic sensor (patented and published)
  • Microsoft Research, Summer 2006
    • Invented, designed, and fabricated a new display technology, Telescopic Pixel (patented and published in Nature Photonics)

Funding

  • Cancer SEARCH: $1,200,000, Department of Health, State of Florida, Co-PI
  • PFI-TT: $550,000, NSF, Co-PI
  • Georgia Tech Female Founders I-Corps: $5,000, PI
  • Interstellar Initiative: $30,000, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the New York Academy of Sciences, Co-PI
  • USF COVID-19 Rapid Response grant: $25,000 + $5,000 match, PI
  • AWS Diagnostic Development Initiative: $50,000 from Amazon, Co-PI
  • 3D Visualizations for Material Science: $1,000, PI
  • Teaching Grant: $2,500, PI
  • Equipment Donation from Beckman Coulter Diagnostics: $100,000, PI
  • Industrial Support: $200,000, Co-PI
  • National Science Foundation: $420,000, Senior Personnel
  • National Science Foundation: $196,732, PI

Awards and Honors

  • President, Secretary, Executive Member of the USF Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors
  • Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors
  • Featured in Advances in Engineering (2021)
  • Published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical (2019)
  • Elsevier coverage for MELISA paper (2018)
  • Invited to exhibit Hemolix technology at Cade Museum (2018)
  • Award from the ADVANCE Florida Network Women in STEM Scholars (2018)
  • Featured on Science Updates (2017)

Awards and Honors of Students

  • Numerous awards and recognitions for her students, including NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 Grant, best departmental paper awards, poster awards, travel scholarships, fellowships, and leadership awards.

Publications Notes:๐Ÿ“„

Understanding Diffusion in a Single-Metal Organic Framework Crystal Used for Sensing Applications

Fully Digital Audio Haptic Maps for Individuals with Blindness

Leveraging Scalable Profiling to Learn and Visualize the Latest Trustworthy COVID-19 Medical Research Findings

Mobile ELISA with a Transparent Incubator

Simplifying Access to Large-scale Structured Datasets by Meta-Profiling with Scalable Training Set Enrichment

Visualizing and Querying Large-scale Structured Datasets by Learning Multi-layered 3D Meta-Profiles