University of Arkansas researchers Jie Xiao and Morten Olgaard Jensen were announced Thursday as the latest additions to the Arkansas Research Alliance Scholars program.
The ARA Scholars program was created in 2010 to attract top-notch research talent from around the world to Arkansas. Funded through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, it provides recipients with a three-year, $500,000 grant to continue their research in Arkansas.
The 2015 Scholars represent China and Denmark. Gov. Asa Hutchinson introduced them Thursday morning from his conference room at the state Capitol.
Xiao, who will begin at the UA in January, comes from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. Her work focuses on materials synthesis and electrochemical catalysis/kinetics.
Jensen focuses on experimental cardiovascular surgery. Before coming to the UA, he was director of research at the Scandinavian School of Cardiovascular Technology in Denmark.
“The ongoing research supported by Arkansas Research Alliance does more than push research forward,” Hutchinson said in a news release. “It pushes Arkansas forward. It creates pathways to progress, opportunity and a promising future.”
ARA President and CEO Jerry Adams said Xiao and Jensen bring to Arkansas track records of “stimulating innovation, encouraging collaboration and creating opportunity.”
“The ARA Scholars program continues to demonstrate this organization’s commitment to elevating a fundamental belief: research matters,” he said. “It plays a pivotal role in bridging university research and economic development.”
Here’s more from ARA on the newest scholars:
Jie Xiao, Ph.D.
Xiao’s research spans from materials synthesis and electrochemical catalysis/kinetics to advanced characterization, with particular interest in the identification of new materials and novel technologies for energy storage and conversion.
In addition to being widely published, Xiao has received many accolades, including the Ronald L. Brodzinski Early Career Exceptional Achievement Award, R&D 100 award and Zapperd Award from the American Chemical Society. She will join UA in January 2016 as associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.
Before joining UA, Xiao was a senior scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, leading fundamental research and practical applications of energy materials and systems. She received her Ph.D. degree in materials chemistry from State University of New York at Binghamton in 2008. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s in electrochemistry from Wuhan University in China.
Morten Olgaard Jensen, Ph.D., Dr.Med
Jensen’s research focuses on experimental cardiovascular surgery, seeking to create useful solutions with sophisticated technologies. He was appointed to the Danish Academy of Engineering and became the youngest person since 1965 to receive the prestigious “Elektroprisen.” He serves on biomedical engineering committees and has initiated several projects that are in the commercialization process.
Earlier this year, he was the third engineer in Denmark since 1479 to obtain the Doctor Medicinae degree for demonstrating significant clinical impact. He joins UA as associate professor of biomedical engineering.
Before joining UA, Jensen was director of research at the Scandinavian School of Cardiovascular Technology. He’s also served in various capacities at National Instruments in Austin, Texas, the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery at the University Hospital of Aarhus in Denmark, the University College London and the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.
Jensen received his Ph.D. from the University of Aarhus in 2008 and has published extensively on his work, in scientific journals, magazines and public media.
Other ARA Scholars include:
- Ranil Wickramasinghe, Ph.D., 2010 ARA Scholar, Professor and Ross E. Martin Chair in Emerging Technologies in the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, UA;
- Daohong Zhou, M.D., 2010 ARA Scholar, Deputy Director of the Division of Radiation Health, College of Pharmacy, UAMS;
- Peter A. Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., 2011 ARA Scholar, Chairman, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Simmons Chair in Cancer Research, UAMS;
- Gareth Morgan, M.D., FRCP, FRCPath, Ph.D., 2014 ARA Scholar, Director of the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, UAMS;
- Carolina Cruz-Neira, Ph.D., 2014 ARA Scholar, Director of the George W. Donaghey Emerging Analytics Center, UALR.
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