2014 Rhode Island Bioscience Award Winners Announced

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Aug. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- Providence, R.I. – August 6, 2014 – Tech Collective, Rhode Island’s Bioscience and IT industry association, is proud to announce the recipients of its 2014 Rhode Island Bioscience Awards program.

The Rhode Island Bioscience Awards are designed exclusively to honor accomplishments, innovations, and leadership within the state’s medical device, research and development, pharmaceuticals, laboratories, production, design, and related bioscience sectors.

In its second year, four bioscience champions have been honored in the areas of consulting and testing, digital health, and education. The 2014 Rhode Island Bioscience Award Winners are: (no specific order)

Individual Recipients – outstanding bioscience professional or entrepreneur.

Dr. John D. Jarrell, PhD, PE – President, Materials Science Associates; Founder, BioIntraface, Inc.

Dr. Greg Paquette – Professor and Director of Biotechnology Programs, University of Rhode Island

Megan L. Ranney, MD MPH – Director, Emergency Digital Health Innovation program; Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital / Alpert Medical School, Brown University

Community Leader Recipient – individual, organization, or company advancing the bioscience industry forward through advocacy, education/mentorship, workforce development, youth engagement, and/or leadership.

David R. Vito – Assistant Professor of Biology, Community College of Rhode Island; Coordinator and Co-PI, Amgen Biotech Experience Program, University of Rhode Island

Award recipients will be honored at the 2014 Rhode Island Bioscience Awards celebration event on Thursday, August 28^th, 2014 from 8:30-11:30 am at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, RI.

“Tech Collective is proud to recognize John, Greg, Megan, and David as its 2014 Rhode Island Bioscience Award winners,” said Kathie Shields, executive director of Tech Collective. “From company growth and innovation to an increased number of services and supporting programs to foster this industry, Rhode Island’s foothold in the biosciences is growing and strengthening. This year’s Award winners are some of the industry innovators and leaders who are driving the biosciences forward in our state, and we are so proud to honor their diligence, passion, and success.”

Nominations and applications for the awards program were accepted through July 14^th, 2014. A Judging Committee of industry and business representatives evaluated the entries based on content, relevancy, and vision as well as the applicant’s passion for their career and contributions to the industry as a whole.

Rhode Island currently employs 4,602 bioscience professionals and an additional 11,847 workers in non-bioscience occupations according to Tech Collective’s recently released Rhode Island Bioscience Skills Gap Study. Contributing on a national and global scale, the report and following Skills Gap Forum series cites the state’s bioscience sectors as one of its highest growth potential industries.

For more information about the Rhode Island Bioscience Awards, the celebration event, and to view last year’s inaugural Award recipients, visit www.tech-collective.org.

About Tech Collective:
Tech Collective is Rhode Island’s Information Technology and Bioscience Industry Association. Uniting industry, government and academic stakeholders, our mission is to inspire, engage, educate and employ a high-skill, high-wage Knowledge Economy in Rhode Island. Since its transition from the Rhode Island Technology Council (RITEC) in 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $8M in federal, state and private grant funding to foster industry collaboration, awareness and development through events and initiatives including: the Tech10 awards, the Rhode Island Bioscience Awards, GRRL Tech, Women in Technology, Bio-Ed, and STEM-based education and training programs for K-16 students as well as incumbent and transitioning workers. Get connected to Tech Collective at www.tech-collective.org, on LinkedIn (Tech-Collective), on Twitter (@Tech_Collective), and on Facebook (TechCollectiveRI).