Innovation


UConn Ph.D. Student Is Working to Clean Up One of the World’s Dirtiest Chemical Processes

UConn Today – Before he became a UConn Ph.D. student, Laron Burrows worked as an engineer in the renewable energy industry.
His interest in making chemical processes more “planet friendly” isn’t just a passing interest, he says. It is his life’s work. His passion has led to the creation of a new company, called Andros, that is trying to disrupt one of the dirtiest chemical processes in the world: ammonia production.

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UConn MBA Student Launching Lingerie Company That Shuns Toxic Chemicals, Appeals to Health-Conscious Consumers

UConn Today – Christina Phillips was horrified when she discovered that toxic and dangerous chemicals are used to manufacture women’s bras and underwear.

Who would suspect that formaldehyde, pesticides, petroleum, dyes, parabens and “forever chemicals’’ are found in the creation of most popular brands of lingerie?

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Tech Startup Swipestorm Addresses Quick-Service Restaurants’ Customer-Service Issues

UConn Today – As a manager at a Connecticut Chick-fil-A, Nathan Catapano ’24 (CLAS) took pride in his restaurant’s customer service, reputation, and success.

If a customer had a less-than-satisfactory experience, Catapano wanted to correct the issue quickly and do everything he could to give them a remarkable dining experience.

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Veterans-Turned-Entrepreneurs Demonstrate Initiative, Courage, Dedication

UConn Today – Keri Yonika, an occupational therapist and a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, has both the knowledge and passion to help young children get a good start in life.

She loves her work with neurodivergent pre-schoolers, but not the constant pressure to see more clients. Yonika dreams of owning her own practice and running it with a client-centered approach.

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Innovation Quest Crowns Three New Champions

UConn Today – From the time he was a young child, Laron Burrows always knew he would be an entrepreneur.

“In the third grade I sold baseball cards and trinkets,” said Burrows, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering. “At age 12, I was developing a way to remove oil from seawater. I always thought science and engineering innovations provided great opportunities for entrepreneurship.”

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Brianna Regine Walston ’17, Founder of Strategic Communication Agency, Named Young Entrepreneur of the Year

UConn Today – Entering her senior year at UConn, alumna Brianna Regine Walston ’17 (CLAS), had a great career option.

She was in the midst of completing a very successful public relations internship in New York City, and the company was eager to offer Walston a permanent job after graduation.

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