Small Times Magazine presented
its highly respected Small Tech Awards at its Small Times NanoCon
International conference and trade show today in Las Vegas. This is the
fifth annual Small Times Magazine Best of Small Tech Awards, which
spotlight the top leaders and the biggest successes in nanotechnology,
MEMS, and microsystems during the past year.
"The award winners and finalists this year truly reflect the diversity
of companies and people that are shaping the MEMS and nanotechnology
communities -- from tools innovators to fabs to companies bringing
commercial applications to a wide range of markets," said Patti Glaza, Vice
President and Group Publisher of Small Times.
Best of Small Tech Award: Product
The Small Times Magazine 2006 Best of Small Tech Product of the
Year award goes to an electron microscope that provides critical data for
research and development on a highly stable, easy-to-use platform that
provides ground-breaking results in nanoresearch: FEI Titan 80-311.
Runners-up are Acrymed's SilvaGard, Fiberstars' EFO, Oxonica's SERS
Nanotags, and SiTimes' SiRes Product Family.
Best of Small Tech Award: Company
CardioMEMS, Inc., captured the 2006 Best of Small Tech Company of the
Year award for its new, FDA-approved implantable wireless pressure sensors,
which measure pressure changes in the abdominal aorta, promising a
relatively inexpensive means of managing patients with congestive heart
failure by allowing healthcare providers to adjust patient medication
before a crisis occurs.
Runners-up are FEI Company, Micralyne, Nantero, Inc., and SiGNa
Chemistry.
Best of Small Tech Award: Business Leader
Chairman, President, and CEO of NeoPhotonics Corporation, Tim Jenks,
earned the 2006 Small Times Magazine Business Leader of the Year award
for the successful merger of California-based NeoPhotonics Corp. with
Photon Technology, Co. Ltd., in Shenzhen China. The newly merged company
has continued to thrive, with $50 million in annual sales, new product
launches, European distribution, and additional acquisitions.
Runners-up are Bob Gelfond (MagiQ Technologies), Michael Natan
(Oxonica, Inc.), James Rock (Akustica, Inc.), and Billy Stanbery (HelioVolt
Corp.).
Best of Small Tech Award: Researcher
IBM Research's Jia Chen discovered a new way to make carbon nanotubes
into light sources much brighter than large area Light Emitting Diodes
(LEDs) by injecting them with hot electrons so that they can efficiently
produce photons. In addition, the photon-emitting nanotubes have the
potential to be produced with the same processes as conventional electronic
components. Chen's breakthrough research in this area earned her the Small
Times Magazine Best of Small Tech Researcher of the Year award in 2006.
Runners-up are Russell Cowburn (Imperial College, London), James Tour
(Rice University), Huikai Xie (University of Florida), and Jie Zhang
(Motorola).
Best of Small Tech Awards: Innovator
James M. Tour, Rice University, developed the world's first nanocar, a
single-molecular gadget with a chassis, freely rotating axles, and wheels,
measuring in total just three to four nanometers across. Tour's ultimate
goal is the development of nanomachines for bottom-up manufacturing, and it
is this vision that earned him the Small Times Magazine 2006 Best of
Small Tech Innovator of the Year award.
Runners-up are James Balcom (Polyfuel), Dan Gamota (Motorola), Magnus
Gittins (Advance Nanotech), and Pradeep Haldar (University at Albany).
Best of Small Tech Awards: Advocate
Sean Murdock's tireless work as the face of nanotechnology earned the
Executive Director of the NanoBusiness Alliance our Best of Small Tech
Advocate award for 2006. His efforts to educate representatives and
senators about the importance of developing commercial nanotechnology
helped push forward at least two bills promoting nanotech investment.
Runners-up are Roger Grace (Roger Grace Associates), Matthew Laudon
(Nano Science and Technology Institute), Ellen McDevitt (MEMS Industry
Group), and Robert D. "Skip" Rung (Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies
Institute).
Best of Small Tech Awards: Lifetime Achievement
Morinobu Endo, professor of engineering at Shinshu University, captured
the 2006 Small Times Magazine Best of Small Tech Lifetime Achievement
award. This award is in recognition of his contributions as an innovator
and researcher with carbon nanotubes. He has devoted a lifetime of research
in how to manufacture nanotubes more rapidly and cheaply and how to
integrate them into useful objects, such as extended-life batteries. Endo
has authored or co-authored more than 40 textbooks and 250 papers in
peer-reviewed journals such as Nature and Science. He has received a long
list of awards and honors, including the 2004 American Carbon Society
Medal.
About the Awards
This is the fifth year of the prestigious Small Times Magazine Best
of Small Tech Awards. Small Times staff evaluates the nominees along with
seven panels of industry experts. Awards are based on accomplishments
between June 1, 2005, and June 1, 2006. More details can be found in the
September/October issue or online at http://www.smalltimes.com.
