Dr. Soljačić honored for his myriad contributions to the science community, including his pioneering work on wireless power transfer technology
Watertown, MA – WiTricity, an industry pioneer in wireless power transfer over distance, today announced that the company’s founder and Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Marin Soljačić, Ph.D., has been honored as a recipient of the 2014 Blavatnik National Awards. The awards honor America’s exceptional young scientists and engineers by celebrating their extraordinary achievements and recognizing outstanding promise. Dr. Soljačić was selected for his myriad contributions to the science community, including the invention of WiTricity’s groundbreaking wireless power transfer technology.
Having developed the foundational technology for wireless power transfer via magnetic resonance, Soljačić founded WiTricity in 2007 with the goal of commercializing the technology. Since the company’s inception, WiTricity has become an active participant in organizations looking to standardize wireless charging specifications based on WiTricity’s technology. These include the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and its Rezence™ specification for consumer electronics devices, as well as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), SAE International, and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for charging of electric vehicles and in-vehicle charging of mobile devices. As the holder of the foundational patents for highly resonant wireless power transfer over distance, WiTricity technology is part of the backbone of these standard specifications. WiTricity’s technology has been licensed by leading global brands including Intel and Toyota, validating the company’s vision of a world without wires.
“For me, being a scientist is the greatest fun around. It is an amazing privilege to do something so enjoyable that’s at the same time very useful and important to society. It has been remarkable to see WiTricity’s technology go from a science project to a full on company that is working with brands around the world to commercialize products,” said Soljačić. “The Blavatnik Award is a great honor. I congratulate the other award winners on their impressive accomplishments.”
“Marin Soljačić is a uniquely broad physicist whose research interests range from abstract theory to the most practical applications. He has explored new interactions between light and matter, pioneered a method to wireless transfer energy by magnetic fields, and is a true visionary of future technology,” says Robbert Dijkgraaf, Director and Leon Levy Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, and member of the 2014 Blavatnik Awards National Jury.
Together with fellow award recipients Dr. Rachel Wilson, Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard University, and Dr. Adam Cohen, Professor of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Physics at Harvard University, Soljačić was selected as a National Laureate from a pool of nominations submitted by 162 of the nation’s most prominent universities and research institutions representing 42 states. A jury composed from among the world’s most distinguished scientists and engineers undertook a rigorous review process to select the three National Laureates from over 300 nominations of highly qualified faculty-rank researchers.
The three National Laureates and 27 finalists will be honored at a black-tie ceremony on Monday, September 15th, 2014 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. More information can be found here: https://blavatnikawards.org/national-awards/.
About WiTricity
WiTricity Corporation provides the foundational technology to enable wireless power transfer over distance using magnetic resonance. Through deep domain expertise, a strong IP portfolio and an extensive reference design library, WiTricity works with innovative companies to incorporate WiTricity technology in their products and solutions. With a growing list of global licensees in the consumer electronics, automotive, medical devices and defense industries, the company has emerged as the leader in wireless power transfer over distance. For more information, visit www.witricity.com, or follow WiTricity on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Katie Kennedy
617-426-2222
kkennedy@v2comms.com
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