Innovators, Researchers and Community Engagers: Two University Professors and Student Named Finalists in Connecticut Technology Council’s Prestigious Women of Innovation Awards

Kristine Horvat, Ph.D., has always cared deeply about the environment, and she loves to delve into green chemistry and energy. Her questions about finding alternative sources of energy pointed her toward the sea. “Low carbon energy options are necessary to mitigate global warming and the depletion of fossil fuel supplies,” she explained. “I hope to contribute to finding ways to utilize alternative carbon options, such as algae, as sources of energy.”

Horvat, associate professor and the Jacob F. Buckman endowed chair and coordinator of the B.S. program in Chemical Engineering, collaborates regularly with colleagues in chemical engineering and across disciplines, working closely with biology faculty and continually mentoring undergraduates and graduate students.

“Specifically, I have worked with students on projects to de-water algae for fuel production, to ferment algae into bioethanol, and to extract oil from algae for future biodiesel production,” she said. “Several projects have utilized macro algae in the form of seaweed collected from the Long Island Sound.

“Working with students and training them to be the next generation of engineers is my favorite part of working at the University,” she said. “I enjoy seeing them have that `ah-ha’ moment in the classroom, where it is clear they understand complex engineering concepts. In the lab, it is amazing to see when students analyze data and find meaningful patterns that allow them to make useful conclusions. It’s incredible when students have ideas for research directions that are innovative and connect upon what they have learned in the classroom.”

For her efforts, Dr. Horvat was named a finalist in the Women of Innovation Awards, the 20th anniversary of the council’s honoring women who blaze trails in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Dr. Horvat was recognized in the Academic Innovation & Leadership - Post-Secondary category. “I was so honored as I have strived to think creatively to help build both curriculum changes in the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering B.S. program and to develop unique projects in my own low carbon energy research lab,” she said. “I find it very rewarding to be able to explore and be continuously curious about something as important as energy.”

Dr. Horvat was one of three members of the Charger community nominated. They were chosen from hundreds of nominees in nine different categories.

“The range of innovation represented by the finalists is truly remarkable—it spans from cutting-edge life sciences to environmental research, from AI to data science, from information technology to manufacturing,” said Milena Stankova Erwin, executive director of the Connecticut Technology Council.

Erwin noted that highlighting their accomplishments sends “a powerful message to young girls and emerging professionals that they belong here, that their ideas and diverse voices are needed. Connecticut has a rich tradition of innovation, and women are a vital part of that story.”

Joining Dr. Horvat as a finalist was Nagasree Garapati, Ph.D., who from her earliest years growing up in India, wanted to be a schoolteacher. Her mother often notes that when she was young, she would hold a stick and pretend to be pointing at a blackboard. After a mentor of hers showed her all the possibilities that lived within chemistry and chemical engineering, her vision for her future changed. She wanted to pose questions, research, and teach – at the college level – while finding a way to encourage younger students to consider engineering.

Today, as a Tagliatela College assistant professor of chemical engineering, her job blends all of that. She collaborates often with Dr. Horvat. Most recently, together they mentored undergraduate students who developed a teaching module for creating color-changing paints using household ingredients such as turmeric, blueberries, baking soda and lime – a lesson that teachers from all over will be able to access and use. This month, those students took the top prize in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ K-12 Outreach Competition.

Building community – across the world – including establishing a collaborative research project between her undergraduate and graduate students and their counterparts at Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha's Cummins College of Engineering for Women in Pune, India, and in Connecticut – is central to Dr. Garapati’s vision. After receiving a grant from the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stonybrook University, she visited nine schools in Connecticut, encouraging students to think about engineering and inviting students to the University to see how those dreams might take shape.

Dr. Garapati received the news about her recognition when she was in India – in the middle of the night. “I was delighted, surprised, and filled with so many emotions when I learned I had been selected as a finalist for the CTC Women of Innovation – Community category. Being named to this group is especially meaningful to me because it affirms the impact of my work and connects me to a community of inspiring women who are dedicated to creating positive change.”

Along with two talented professors, chemical engineering major Amna Al-Azdee ’28,’29 M.S. was also named a finalist in the Collegian Innovation and Leadership category. Part of the Tagliatela College’s 4+1 program, she is pursuing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is currently a NASA Johnson Space Center Pathways Intern in Houston.

“Last spring, I had the honor to design, manufacture, and build a test stand of a fuel cell for the future of deep-space exploration,” she said. “This fall, I have been developing my skills in flight operations to help with displays and programs, working with a team of talented professionals on a software that will be used on the Artemis 2 Mission. It will be the farthest humans have ever gone into space, and we will receive the highest resolution photos to date, taken by humans, of the back side of the moon.”

When she returns to campus in 2026, she looks forward to “being the one who contributes to new experiences for others,” she said. She hopes to work for NASA after graduating from the University. Al-Azdee said she was “shocked that I was even named a finalist, especially as someone who has yet to complete their second year as an undergraduate student,” she said. But from the start when she got on campus, she challenged herself to take on new experiences.

Each Charger finalist said they are able to make strides in their field in large part because of the highly supportive and collaborative environment that is part of the everyday fabric of work, study, and research in the Tagliatela College. “Having three University of New Haven finalists for the Women of Innovation Awards speaks to the University’s culture and its commitment to empowering women to lead, create, and innovate,” Stankova Erwin said.

“Faculty are always encouraged to work together and run research programs where we explore new, innovative ideas,” Dr. Horvat said. “I’ve learned so much from Biology faculty about algae classifications and bacteria growth. I also continuously work with chemical engineering and chemistry faculty for both research help and collaborations as well as having discussions on innovative ideas for program curriculum.”

Dr. Garapati said she could sense a very supportive vibe when she arrived on campus four years ago. “If I need assistance with anything—whether it’s classes, advising, or other professional matters—I know I can rely on my colleagues—Drs. Chong Qui, Huan Gu, Kristine Horvat, and other senior faculty—for guidance. Dean Ronald Harichandran and Associate Dean Stephanie Gillespie always provide support and opportunities for professional development. This culture of support and collaboration fosters creativity and innovation while empowering us to engage students in meaningful ways.”

Al-Azdee said that the faculty have always “kept their doors open to me. They encouraged me to work on research projects and helped me plan my future through both academic and professional guidance,” she said.

“But most of all, when I talk to them about everything I would like to accomplish, they always try to find answers, solutions, and ways to accomplish my dreams. This makes me want to give back to the program, to take everything that I have learned and pay it forward.”