HAWAII GOVERNOR LINGLE PRESENTS INNOVATION AWARDS
For Immediate Release: December 8, 2008
GOVERNOR LINGLE PRESENTS
INNOVATION AWARDS
Six Winners from October and November Chosen
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today recognized six recipients of the Governor’s Innovation Awards for their ingenuity and commitment to developing creative ways for Hawai‘i to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The recipients, three each from October and November, include private sector organizations, government entities and private citizens. The winners have developed innovative solutions to address pressing issues facing Hawai‘i, including increasing Hawai‘i’s energy independence by finding creative ways to harness the islands’ abundant natural renewable resources, utilizing new technology and science to save lives and improve the quality of life for people with illnesses and disease, and enhancing methods to control invasive species and protect native habitats.
“These six Innovation Award recipients are outstanding examples of using creative thinking, innovative technology and collaboration to develop new, more efficient ways of approaching the challenges facing our state,” said Governor Lingle. “The innovative solutions developed by these organizations, individuals and government entities serve as models for the rest of the nation and the world, and are helping to position Hawai‘i as a leader in the 21st century global economy.”
The Governor’s Innovation Award recipients are:
October Innovation by an Organization: Tissue Genesis, Inc.
Tissue Genesis, Inc.’s mission is to advance tissue engineering and cell therapy solutions that save lives and improve the quality of life for patients with common medical ailments, including heart disease and diabetes. The company conducts advanced research and development in bioengineering, vascular tissue engineering, musculoskeletal tissue engineering, cell therapy, and related regenerative medical fields. Tissue Genesis’ vascular graffs are the only cell-lined graffs or vessels that can be produced using the patient’s own harvested cells within a matter of hours. The research and development conducted at the company’s research facility in the Kaka‘ako Biomedical Park is being adopted nationally and internationally. The company recently received European certification for its system that recovers regenerative cells from the patient’s own fat to aid in repairing damaged tissues and help in other medical procedures.
November Innovation by an Organization: Kite for Sail
Kite for Sail is developing innovative alternative energy systems using advanced wind propulsion technology to supplement the existing propulsion system on ocean vessels. The company is developing a 30-kilowatt propulsion system that harnesses wind energy to generate 40 horsepower in 25-knot wind conditions that can power vessels and yachts weighing between one to two tons. Test boats using this system have demonstrated fuel savings between 25 and 50 percent. Also in the design stage is a larger kite harness system that could generate 1,500 to 5,000 kilowatts, suitable for vessels up to 150,000 tons.
October Innovation by an Individual: Dana Slaymalcer
Dana Slaymalcer of Resource Mapping Hawai‘i developed a collection of imaging technologies that is improving how conservation officials combat invasive species and protect Hawai‘i’s native habitats. The technology, which was developed for The Nature Conservancy, allows conservation officials to identify major invasive weeds using their computers, rather than having to spend days hiking and surveying topographical and environmentally challenging terrain. Using both natural light and multi-spectral imaging, the system can map thousands of acres of land, including terrain which would otherwise be inaccessible. The imaging system has a three-dimensional capability that allows the heights of individual plants to be calculated, combined with multi-spectral sensing that allows a computer to search the images for specific kinds of plants in remote forested areas, such as Australian tree fern, miconia or strawberry guava plants – which are major invasive species problems in Hawai‘i. The images produced by the system are so detailed that specific leaves on trees can be identified. The Nature Conservancy is testing the innovative cyber tool to identify invasive weeds on 80,000 acres of forested land on Kaua‘i that the Conservancy oversees.
November Innovation by an Individual: Heidi Kuehnle
Heidi Kuehnle, an expert on plant breeding, is leading the way in finding plant-based alternatives to fossil fuels. Her biotech company, Kuehnle AgroSystems, custom designs plants to maximize their potential to be used for biofuels and other uses. The company, which is based in the Mānoa Innovation Center, is currently subcontracted by various companies to perform research on algae strains that can be used to make biofuels, aquaculture feeds and chemicals. Kuehnle, who is on unpaid leave from the University of Hawai‘i where she is a professor of horticulture, has led her firm’s work in securing almost $2 million in federal research grants through the Small Business Innovation Research Program in recent years.
October Innovation in Government: Department of Transportation, Airports Division
Through an innovative public-private partnership, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Airports Division has improved the survival rate for victims who experience cardiac arrest in the state’s airport system. Over the past two years, DOT installed 100 defibrillators in 10 of its airports statewide. As part of the defibrillators program, more than 1,700 airport employees have taken part in the American Heart Association’s “Heartsaver” training courses. Since the program’s inception, five people who suffered cardiac arrest at various airports have been saved, as a result of defibrillators being used. The survival rate has increased to 100 percent every time 911 was called, CPR initiated and an automated defibrillator was used. DOT is offering “Heartsaver” courses to the public at four different airports through the remainder of the year.
November Innovation in Government: Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) has formed innovative public-private partnerships to make Hawai‘i a national leader in the pursuit of energy independence. Over the past year, DBEDT has worked extensively with federal agencies, national and local organizations, and the private sector to form partnerships to advance the goal of reducing the state’s dependence on foreign oil and helping to bring energy price stability to Hawai‘i’s consumers. These partnerships have resulted in millions of dollars in federal, private and nonprofit grants to move renewable energy projects in Hawai‘i forward with minimal state taxpayer funds. These funds will be used to focus on four technology areas: deploying undersea transmission lines to deliver energy generated from wind and solar sources on Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i to O‘ahu; upgrading and expanding O‘ahu’s electricity transmission and distribution system to enhance reliability and stability, and to be able to accept up to a gigawatt of renewable energy; evaluating the integration of electric vehicle storage into the electrical grid to maximize renewable energy use; and deploying energy storage systems to study both grid stability issues and bulk power issues raised by new “as-available” renewable energy systems. Some of the organizations DBEDT is partnering with include: U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Governors Association, General Electric, Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company, Columbus Electric Cooperative, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Sentech, First Wind, Castle & Cooke, Better Place, Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute, Enterprise Honolulu, Public Utilities Commission and the Office of the Consumer Advocate.
The six Innovation Award recipients will be formally recognized along with the December winners at a ceremony next month.
Governor Lingle initiated the Governor’s Innovation Award in May of this year to acknowledge and encourage innovation across all sectors statewide. The awards, which are presented monthly, recognize deserving individuals, companies, nonprofits, organizations and government agencies that are developing innovative products, services and processes. The award is part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s Hawai‘i Innovation Initiative, a comprehensive plan to transform Hawai‘i’s economy from one dependent on land development to one that builds on human ingenuity and the ability of Hawai‘i’s people to innovate.
The Governor’s Innovation Award nominees are evaluated monthly by a 15-member selection panel comprised of industry, education and government representatives statewide. Nominations are submitted online and are judged on creativity; effectiveness in achieving a goal or purpose; transferability and adoptability by others; and significance in addressing an important local or global issue, problem or opportunity. The selection committee provides final recommendations to Governor Lingle for her selection.
For additional information or to submit a nomination, visit www.hawaii.gov/gov/innovation-award.
####
For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043
GOVERNOR LINGLE PRESENTS
INNOVATION AWARDS
Six Winners from October and November Chosen
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today recognized six recipients of the Governor’s Innovation Awards for their ingenuity and commitment to developing creative ways for Hawai‘i to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The recipients, three each from October and November, include private sector organizations, government entities and private citizens. The winners have developed innovative solutions to address pressing issues facing Hawai‘i, including increasing Hawai‘i’s energy independence by finding creative ways to harness the islands’ abundant natural renewable resources, utilizing new technology and science to save lives and improve the quality of life for people with illnesses and disease, and enhancing methods to control invasive species and protect native habitats.
“These six Innovation Award recipients are outstanding examples of using creative thinking, innovative technology and collaboration to develop new, more efficient ways of approaching the challenges facing our state,” said Governor Lingle. “The innovative solutions developed by these organizations, individuals and government entities serve as models for the rest of the nation and the world, and are helping to position Hawai‘i as a leader in the 21st century global economy.”
The Governor’s Innovation Award recipients are:
October Innovation by an Organization: Tissue Genesis, Inc.
Tissue Genesis, Inc.’s mission is to advance tissue engineering and cell therapy solutions that save lives and improve the quality of life for patients with common medical ailments, including heart disease and diabetes. The company conducts advanced research and development in bioengineering, vascular tissue engineering, musculoskeletal tissue engineering, cell therapy, and related regenerative medical fields. Tissue Genesis’ vascular graffs are the only cell-lined graffs or vessels that can be produced using the patient’s own harvested cells within a matter of hours. The research and development conducted at the company’s research facility in the Kaka‘ako Biomedical Park is being adopted nationally and internationally. The company recently received European certification for its system that recovers regenerative cells from the patient’s own fat to aid in repairing damaged tissues and help in other medical procedures.
November Innovation by an Organization: Kite for Sail
Kite for Sail is developing innovative alternative energy systems using advanced wind propulsion technology to supplement the existing propulsion system on ocean vessels. The company is developing a 30-kilowatt propulsion system that harnesses wind energy to generate 40 horsepower in 25-knot wind conditions that can power vessels and yachts weighing between one to two tons. Test boats using this system have demonstrated fuel savings between 25 and 50 percent. Also in the design stage is a larger kite harness system that could generate 1,500 to 5,000 kilowatts, suitable for vessels up to 150,000 tons.
October Innovation by an Individual: Dana Slaymalcer
Dana Slaymalcer of Resource Mapping Hawai‘i developed a collection of imaging technologies that is improving how conservation officials combat invasive species and protect Hawai‘i’s native habitats. The technology, which was developed for The Nature Conservancy, allows conservation officials to identify major invasive weeds using their computers, rather than having to spend days hiking and surveying topographical and environmentally challenging terrain. Using both natural light and multi-spectral imaging, the system can map thousands of acres of land, including terrain which would otherwise be inaccessible. The imaging system has a three-dimensional capability that allows the heights of individual plants to be calculated, combined with multi-spectral sensing that allows a computer to search the images for specific kinds of plants in remote forested areas, such as Australian tree fern, miconia or strawberry guava plants – which are major invasive species problems in Hawai‘i. The images produced by the system are so detailed that specific leaves on trees can be identified. The Nature Conservancy is testing the innovative cyber tool to identify invasive weeds on 80,000 acres of forested land on Kaua‘i that the Conservancy oversees.
November Innovation by an Individual: Heidi Kuehnle
Heidi Kuehnle, an expert on plant breeding, is leading the way in finding plant-based alternatives to fossil fuels. Her biotech company, Kuehnle AgroSystems, custom designs plants to maximize their potential to be used for biofuels and other uses. The company, which is based in the Mānoa Innovation Center, is currently subcontracted by various companies to perform research on algae strains that can be used to make biofuels, aquaculture feeds and chemicals. Kuehnle, who is on unpaid leave from the University of Hawai‘i where she is a professor of horticulture, has led her firm’s work in securing almost $2 million in federal research grants through the Small Business Innovation Research Program in recent years.
October Innovation in Government: Department of Transportation, Airports Division
Through an innovative public-private partnership, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Airports Division has improved the survival rate for victims who experience cardiac arrest in the state’s airport system. Over the past two years, DOT installed 100 defibrillators in 10 of its airports statewide. As part of the defibrillators program, more than 1,700 airport employees have taken part in the American Heart Association’s “Heartsaver” training courses. Since the program’s inception, five people who suffered cardiac arrest at various airports have been saved, as a result of defibrillators being used. The survival rate has increased to 100 percent every time 911 was called, CPR initiated and an automated defibrillator was used. DOT is offering “Heartsaver” courses to the public at four different airports through the remainder of the year.
November Innovation in Government: Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) has formed innovative public-private partnerships to make Hawai‘i a national leader in the pursuit of energy independence. Over the past year, DBEDT has worked extensively with federal agencies, national and local organizations, and the private sector to form partnerships to advance the goal of reducing the state’s dependence on foreign oil and helping to bring energy price stability to Hawai‘i’s consumers. These partnerships have resulted in millions of dollars in federal, private and nonprofit grants to move renewable energy projects in Hawai‘i forward with minimal state taxpayer funds. These funds will be used to focus on four technology areas: deploying undersea transmission lines to deliver energy generated from wind and solar sources on Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i to O‘ahu; upgrading and expanding O‘ahu’s electricity transmission and distribution system to enhance reliability and stability, and to be able to accept up to a gigawatt of renewable energy; evaluating the integration of electric vehicle storage into the electrical grid to maximize renewable energy use; and deploying energy storage systems to study both grid stability issues and bulk power issues raised by new “as-available” renewable energy systems. Some of the organizations DBEDT is partnering with include: U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Governors Association, General Electric, Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company, Columbus Electric Cooperative, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Sentech, First Wind, Castle & Cooke, Better Place, Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute, Enterprise Honolulu, Public Utilities Commission and the Office of the Consumer Advocate.
The six Innovation Award recipients will be formally recognized along with the December winners at a ceremony next month.
Governor Lingle initiated the Governor’s Innovation Award in May of this year to acknowledge and encourage innovation across all sectors statewide. The awards, which are presented monthly, recognize deserving individuals, companies, nonprofits, organizations and government agencies that are developing innovative products, services and processes. The award is part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s Hawai‘i Innovation Initiative, a comprehensive plan to transform Hawai‘i’s economy from one dependent on land development to one that builds on human ingenuity and the ability of Hawai‘i’s people to innovate.
The Governor’s Innovation Award nominees are evaluated monthly by a 15-member selection panel comprised of industry, education and government representatives statewide. Nominations are submitted online and are judged on creativity; effectiveness in achieving a goal or purpose; transferability and adoptability by others; and significance in addressing an important local or global issue, problem or opportunity. The selection committee provides final recommendations to Governor Lingle for her selection.
For additional information or to submit a nomination, visit www.hawaii.gov/gov/innovation-award.
####
For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043
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