Three Wichita State University researchers and two students have been awarded the John A. See Innovation Award, totaling $50,000.

The faculty winners are Davood Askari, Gisuk Hwang and Bill Hendry.

Askari, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, won for his research project, “An innovative high-performance nanocomposite materials system reinforced with highly-interlocked Carbon Nanotubes.”

Hwang is also a member of the mechanical engineering department; his winning research project is titled “Efficient water boiler using 3D microstructured surface.” And Hendry, professor and chair of biological sciences, won for his project, “Developing a human patient “Avatar” system particularly relevant to head and neck squamous cell cancer.”

For the first time, students were also recognized for their venture-based projects. Johnna Crawford from the english department won for her project titled “Gage: emotional processing and mood management software”. And Max Hinman, student in the innovation design program won for “Localholic: online social marketplace for Wichita small businesses.”

The John A. See Awards began in 2014 after See donated $1 million to provide prizes to WSU faculty and students conducting outstanding research or producing other significant work.
See was director of flight test and prototype development at Boeing until his retirement in 1985. Although not a Wichita State alumnus, he has been a generous WSU supporter who values the importance of higher education and believes in WSU’s commitment to growth and pioneering work. In 2011, he created the John A. See Engineering Scholarship.