Members of the UAB Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HIIE) team members continue to represent the University in the pages of the Birmingham Business Journal.
Thaddaeus Kwan, Ph.D., HIIE project analyst, was selected as one of the 2022 NextGEN Award honorees. He was selected in the “General, Education and Workforce Development” category.
Stephanie Rebman, editor-in-chief of the Business Journal, said Kwan and his co-awardees are part of the next wave of Birmingham business leaders.
“In a metro where law, banking and tech are often front and center, it is critical to also put individuals in the general business scene in the spotlight. These are company presidents, entrepreneurs, health care movers and shakers and more that will shape the city’s business climate,” she wrote. “Education and workforce development are also crucial for the future of the area’s business scene and quality of life overall. The leaders in this section have their sights set on building pipelines for youth and ensuring jobs.”
Kwan said he appreciates the spotlight on his work, which includes leading the HIIE’s Innovate Fellows program, which requires Fellows to perform market, prior art and patent analyses to assess the commercial merit of new intellectual property produced at UAB. Fellows’ research also identifies competition and potential industry partners.
Kwan was himself one of the first Innovate Fellows.
“It’s a privilege to be considered one of Birmingham’s up-and-coming business leaders. UAB produces so much groundbreaking research, and I’m thrilled to be a part of commercializing that research and helping to bring impactful products to market,” he said. “UAB is truly an asset to Birmingham, and as an alum and an employee, I’m glad to be part of the university’s rise.”