From new approaches to cancer and heart failure to advanced materials and manufacturing, this year’s Innovation Award recipients are redefining what’s possible for some of society’s biggest challenges.
Across the University of Utah, researchers, students, and entrepreneurs are turning discoveries into technologies, companies and solutions with the potential to improve lives.
The 2026 University of Utah Innovation Awards recognize some of the people and teams leading that work.
A Legacy of “First Ascents”
New breakthroughs often start with a question no one has answered yet.
At the University of Utah, that curiosity has led to generations of discovery. From the world’s first permanent artificial heart to foundational advances in computer graphics, U researchers have developed countless ideas and technologies that have changed industries and improved lives.
First Ascents, which debuted at this year’s Innovation Awards, looks at the curiosity, experimentation and persistence behind that legacy and the researchers continuing that work today.
Meet the 2026 recipients