The award recognizes a Carolina administrator's dedication and commitment to fostering entrepreneurship across higher education.
The Eshelman Institute for Innovation will accelerate the creation and development of ideas leading to discoveries and transformative changes in education, research, and health care.
At the pre-event reception, Chancellor Carol L. Folt announced more than $280,000 in funding awards for faculty teams developing their technologies for commercial potential through Technology Development Grants, or in the early stages of company development through Carolina KickStart Commercialization Awards.
The three Triangle universities have spurred the rise of technology companies here in the same way that Stanford University and Berkeley helped spur Silicon Valley, Fern said. But now they must do more.