September 27, 2006

Two UCSB Scientists Chosen as Top Innovators Under the Age of 35 by MIT's Technology Review Magazine

Gail Gallessich

Two innovative young scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara are featured among 35 of the top innovators in science and technology under the age of 35 in the 2006 edition of the "TR35" list, published in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Technology Review magazine. Winners are being featured at the 2006 Emerging Technologies Conference this week at MIT (Sept. 27, 28).

Jeffrey W. Bode, 32, assistant professor of chemistry, and Ben Zhao, 30, assistant professor of computer science, are the winners from UCSB. Bode has developed a more versatile way to connect small protein snippets called peptides. The result could lead to a surge in the creation of protein-based drug therapies. Zhao is working to make structured overlay information technology networks more secure by piggy-backing new networks on top of the Internet. His efforts could lead to practical networks that manage and heal themselves.

According to Jason Pontin, editor-in-chief of Technology Review: "The TR35 is an amazing group of people. Their accomplishments are likely to shape their fields for decades to come. It's evident when you scroll back and see names like Sergey Brin, Jonathan Ive, and Steve Jurvetson among the past winners."

The honorees are selected by the editors of the magazine in collaboration with a prestigious panel of judges from major institutions and corporations including Hewlett-Packard Labs, the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Caltech, and Applied Materials.

A number of the 35 winners will also be featured on Technology Review's new video blog, designed to highlight the personalities of the innovators. The vlog is located at: www.technologyreview.com/blog/video.aspx. Information about past and current TR35 winners and judges is available at www.technologyreview.com/TR35/.

Technology Review, the oldest technology magazine in the world, is published by Technology Review, Inc., an independent media company owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Founded in 1899, Technology Review describes emerging technologies and analyzes their commercial, economic, social, and political impact for an audience of senior executives, researchers, financiers, and policymakers, as well as for MIT alumni. In addition, Technology Review, Inc. produces technologyreview.com, a website that offers daily news and opinion on emerging technologies.

It also produces live events such as the Emerging Technologies Conference.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.