Engineering professor earns national award
The National Medal of Technology, the nation’s highest honor awarded for technological achievement, will soon be in the hands of Esther Takeuchi, Greenbatch professor in Power Sources Research in the school of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
President Barack Obama will present Takeuchi with the award at a White House ceremony to be held on Oct. 7. Of the four recipients of the award this year, Takeuchi is the only woman.
Takeuchi is being recognized for developing a lithium battery system for an implantable cardiac defibrillation device, a critical advancement in the medical field.
According to Takeuchi, of the 300,000 cardiac defibrillation devices implanted every year, the majority of them utilize the battery she has invented.
“[The defibrillation device] delivers an electric shock to the heart and stops arrhythmia. Usually the patient does not recover [from arrhythmia], so this device is life-saving,” Takeuchi said. “It allows the device to last long enough so it can be implanted in the patient.”
Since Takeuchi arrived at UB in September 2007, she has worked to develop more effective batteries that are smaller, last longer and deliver more energy.
The National Medal of Technology, administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, recognizes individuals or companies for their groundbreaking contributions to the promotion of technology for the improvement of the economic, environmental or social wellbeing of the United States.
President John B. Simpson commends Takeuchi’s accomplishments and is thrilled that she is the first UB professor to receive this award.
“Professor Takeuchi’s work on power sources for biomedical devices has made possible life-saving technologies that have truly meant the difference between life and death for people around the world,” Simpson told the UB Reporter.
“And while her scientific contributions alone exceed the criteria for this award, it also is true that her presence as a faculty member at UB has and will continue to deeply enrich the experience of students and faculty,” Simpson said. “As a biomedical engineer whose career has flourished both in the private sector and in the academy, she also demonstrates the absolutely critical connection that now exists between UB and industry. I heartily congratulate her on this well deserved award.”
Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.-28) also congratulated Takeuchi for her accomplishments, expressing the wide-reaching impact Takeuchi’s work will have on UB and the Buffalo region.
“I am so pleased that the White House has recognized Dr. Takeuchi’s numerous accomplishments, particularly her contributions to the development of more effective life-saving technology,” Slaughter said. “She is an invaluable asset to the University at Buffalo, and I know we will see more great things from her in the future.”
Past recipients of the National Medal of Honor have been predominately male. Takeuchi encourages other aspiring female engineers to never let anything hold them back from achieving their goals.
“You’re important and you matter,” Takeuchi said. “Because you matter, don’t give up. Stay in the game.”
Takeuchi is excited that she has been nationally awarded for her biomedical engineering developments.
“I’m thrilled and greatly honored to have my work recognized in this way,” Takeuchi said.
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