We are so proud that two LaunchPad entrepreneurs are among the 12 seniors who have been named as the 2020 Syracuse University Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor the University bestows. They were selected by a campus wide faculty committee based on standards that included academic achievement, independent research and creative work, intellectual growth, innovation in their dsciplinary field, a personal statement, and recommendations.
Nicholas Barba, Whitman, and Serena Omo-Lamai, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Renée Crown University Honors Program, were among the 12 students named Syracuse University Scholars this year.
Barba has been a Blackstone LaunchPad Global Fellow for several years, and is founder of Satellite as well as co-founder of Smarta — two student startups. Satellite is a hyper-local mobile and web application that empowers people to develop stronger and healthier relationships with their core group of family, friends and colleagues. Smarta is a home appliance company that manufactures devices based on automations, privacy and security. He has coached and mentored many Syracuse student innovators, and leads the LaunchPad’s outreach and communications programming, including the design and publication of the weekly e-newsletter, which he also contributes to through blog posts and web updates. He is the creator of a highly innovative LaunchPad badge system that tracks the progress of ventures and individual student entrepreneurs. Over the past several years he has been instrumental to the development of LaunchPad programming and has greatly contributed to its success across campus.
Omo Lamai was the co-founder of FibreFree, initially created through Invent@SU and then developed further with the LaunchPad. She and co-founder Charles Keppler won several campus business plan competitions including the Impact Prize and iPrize, and went on to the New York Business Plan Competition where they also won honors in the energy and environment category for their invention which captures microfibers in the laundry cycle and reduces discharge into aquifers, oceans and the atmosphere. Along with Keppler, she was a global finalist in the Dyson Innovation competition.
The 2020 Syracuse University Scholars are:
- Alexander Aguirre, College of Arts and Sciences;
- Nicholas Barba, Whitman School;
- Adam Bayer, School of Information Studies, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Margaret Garber, College of Arts and Sciences;
- Lara Hicks, College of Arts and Sciences, Maxwell School, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Natasha Liston-Beck, School of Architecture, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Bethany Murphy, College of Engineering and Computer Science;
- Serena Omo-Lamai, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Natalia Rice, College of Arts and Sciences, Maxwell School, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Nicole Stallings-Blanche, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Morgan Trau, Newhouse School; and
- Tyler Youngman, School of Information Studies, Renée Crown University Honors Program.
Congratulations to all on this honor.