Chemical engineering students part of OSU team that won Love’s Cup competition

Thursday, April 27, 2017

(STILLWATER, Okla., April 27, 2017) – Jacquelyn Lane and Rachel Davis, both chemical engineering undergraduates, teamed up with Chance Imhoff and Dr. David Thomison from the Riata School of Entrepreneurship to win the undergraduate division of the Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup Competition (formerly known as the Governor’s Cup).

“The Love’s Cup has been one of the highlights of my time in college, and I loved getting to put my research experience and classroom learning to work on such a practical project,” says Lane. “Both the skills I gained from the engineering college and from the business college were invaluable for this competition.”

This is the first time that a team from OSU has won the undergraduate division. Their team, named VisionRx, plans to commercialize a nanoparticle drug delivery platform technology for the treatment of retinal eye disease. Dr. Heather Fahlenkamp, chemical engineering professor, developed the technology for the business proposal, which is now owned by OSU.

The first place award also included a $20,000 cash prize. VisionRx will advance to the tri-state competition in Las Vegas at the end of May, where they will compete against teams from Arkansas, Nevada and Oklahoma.

“It is exciting for OSU and the state of Oklahoma when students like Jacquelyn, Rachel and Chance successfully leverage new educational experiences built on the fusion of technology, business and entrepreneurship,” says Dr. Rob Whiteley, head of chemical engineering. “The lines between engineering and business are becoming intertwined as we produce the next generation of engineers with the mandate to change the world.”

About the Love’s Cup
The Love’s Cup, formerly the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup, is a statewide collegiate business plan competition that simulates the real world process of researching a market, writing a business plan and making a presentation to potential investors.

RELEASE CONTACT: Chelsea Robinson | CEAT Marketing | 405-744-5831 | Chelsea.l.robinson@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, Oklahoma State has graduated more than 260,000 students who have been serving Oklahoma and the world for 125 years.