Ben Blaiszik, a graduate student in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics at MechSE, was selected as one of eight finalists for the $30,000 Lemelson-Illinois Student Prize. The prize is an extension of the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, which has recognized outstanding student inventors at MIT since 1995.
Written by By Kathryn L. Heine
Ben Blaiszik, a graduate student in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics at MechSE, was selected as one of eight finalists for the $30,000 Lemelson-Illinois Student Prize. The prize is an extension of the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, which has recognized outstanding student inventors at MIT since 1995.
Blaiszik's work with the Autonomic Materials Group seeks to impart self-healing functionality into many of today's most common materials in order to prevent catastrophic failure and heal micro-cracking damage. Self-healing materials have the potential to benefit society in a number of ways including: the prevention of weather corrosion damage on bridges, the reduction of material usage to replace worn out parts, and allowing house paint to remain aesthetically pleasing after being scratched.
A distinguished panel of scientists, technologists, engineers, and entrepreneurs will interview all finalists in the coming weeks, and will choose a winner in mid-February. The winner will be awarded the prize at a ceremony scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on March 4, 2009 in the auditorium of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), on the University of Illinois campus. The awards ceremony is open to the public, and will be immediately followed by a brief reception for all attendees.