Technology and Innovation in the Fight Against COVID19 E1
Today’s innovative group shares their insight into what Arizona’s science and technology industry is doing to support the community in addressing the pandemic. These are just a few of the many Arizona companies that have stepped up and are making a difference in the fight against COVID-19.
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson provides state-of-the-art programs of medical education, groundbreaking research opportunities, and leading-edge patient care.
Founded on the campus of the University of Arizona in 1967 as the state’s only MD degree-granting college and a resource for the people of Arizona, today the UA College of Medicine ranks among the top medical schools in the nation for research and primary care.
From an initial class of just 32 students, the UA College of Medicine today has graduated more than 4,000 physicians. College of Medicine students, faculty, staff, and alumni today continue more than 50 years of service in advancing medical care and knowledge in Arizona—and around the world.
Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy serves as Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine; Director, Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences, UA Health Sciences; Medical Director, Center for Sleep Disorders, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson.
He is a NIH- and PCORI-funded researcher with interest in noninvasive ventilation in the home and the study of sleep in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation. His early research involved the study of patient-ventilator interaction in critically ill patients and subsequently the study of respiratory assist devices in the domiciliary setting.
He has led pre-FDA clinical research of home ventilators for industry (Philips, Inc.) that has led to FDA approval and performed independent third-party bench testing of respiratory assist devices for regulatory submissions to FDA.
He has previously served as Chairperson of the Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He has recently served as a Special Advisor to the NIH/NHLBI in the lung division and is currently on the editorial board of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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The UA Zuckerman College of Public Health is uniquely situated in the culturally rich and diverse Southwest that includes the Sonoran desert, mountains, cool pine forests, and is only a few hours from the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. 
The UA Zuckerman College of Public Health offers tremendous opportunities to its students for education, research and community involvement thanks to a locale rich in history, research opportunities, and university academic resources.
The College’s interdisciplinary activities are enhanced by being part of the Arizona Health Sciences Center with campuses in Tucson and Phoenix. The College consistently ranks among the top five in American Indian and Hispanic graduates and students enrolled among 45 accredited schools of public health, according to recent data from the Association of Schools of Public Health.
Boris Reiss, PhD, CIH, is an assistant professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. He graduated with a PhD in Occupational Hygiene from the University of Washington in Seattle in August 2016, an MSc in (Atmospheric) Chemistry from York University, Toronto, Canada in 2000, and an undergraduate degree in Environmental and Radiation Safety Sciences from Karlsruhe, Germany in 1995.
His primary research interest is developing tools and techniques for time-resolved exposure assessment in order to advance public health disciplines (e.g., industrial hygiene, epidemiology, risk assessment, compliance). In his current research, he utilizes Laser Ablation ICP-MS to obtain estimates of manganese exposure in welders’ hair. Previously, he developed, modified, and built calibration and measurement equipment for gases such as NOx, SO2, and methane.
Dr. Reiss has worked for more than 10 years in different areas of industrial hygiene – research, academia, and industry. He has evaluated hazards in areas ranging from food sciences to oil and gas exploration. His projects ranged from one-person residential indoor air quality assessments in Canada to managing a large-scale (≥100 employees) retrospective exposure assessment study in China.
He has conducted major projects in Canada, China, Germany, and The Netherlands; and shorter stints in Austria, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. Dr. Reiss is a member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).
He is an active member of AIHA’s Biological Monitoring Committee, and corresponding member of that organization’s Exposure and Control Banding Committee, Exposure Assessment Strategies Committee, and Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Committee.
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PADT is the Southwest’s premier provider of products and services to engineers who design physical products. Their 85 employees are focused on three key areas: 
Numerical Simulation, Product Design, and 3D Printing. The company is proud to be an Elite ANSYS channel partner offering the industries leading Simulation tools and a Platinum Partner for Stratasys 3D Printers.
Founded in 1994 and based in Tempe, Arizona, PADThas office in every state between Texas and California. For over 26 years, they have been helping customers large and small across multip industries design and build better products. At PADT, “We Make Innovation Work.”
Eric Miller is a co-owner of Tempe based PADT, Inc., a provider of tools and services to companies who design and manufacture physical products. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and started his career focusing on the application Computer Aided Engineering to turbine engine components.
As a co-founder of PADT in 1994, Eric was able to also pursue his interests in IT, graphic design, 3D printing, database programming, and small business management. Eric is often called upon to write and speak on simulation, design, and 3D Printing as well as on startups and the high-tech sector, and he hosts to podcast All Things ANSYS.
He is currently Chairman of the Arizona Technology Council Board of Directors and a member of the BioAccel Board of Directors and the screening committee of Arizona Technology Investors.
Eric also serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Arizona Commerce Authority. He regularly contributes to the Phoenix Business Journal website with close to 200 posts on technology, small business, and the Arizona ecosystem. He enjoys traveling, writing, history, cooking, and learning about new things.
Connect with Eric on LinkedIn.
About the Show 
AZ TechCast is dedicated to covering innovation and technology in Arizona and beyond.
Through the art of connected conversation, AZ TechCast’s guests will share their expertise, success stories, news and analysis about the region’s leading startups, companies and emerging technologies, as well as the latest industry trends and critical issues propelling the state’s growing technology ecosystem.
About Your Hosts
Steve Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, a role he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona.
Zylstra serves on numerous councils, committees and boards, was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, and “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.
Zylstra earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University.
Karen Nowicki is a successful author, speaker and the creator of Deep Impact Leadership™ and SoulMarks Coaching™. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious national Choice Award® for her book and personal development retreat. Karen was crowned the first-ever “Mompreneur of the Year” Award in 2010 for the southwestern states. She was recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and work-life balance.
Karen has been an expert guest on regional TV and radio shows, including Fox Phoenix Morning Show, Sonoran Living, Good Morning Arizona, The Chat Room, and Mid-Day Arizona. She has been a regular contributor to many print and online magazines – publishing articles and blogs for business and education.
In addition to working with private coaching clients, Karen is also the Owner & President of Phoenix Business RadioX. The Business RadioX Network amplifies the voice of business – serving the Fortune 500,000, not just the Fortune 500. Phoenix Business RadioX helps local businesses and professional associations get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, profession, and community.
Of all the experiences Karen has had the privilege of participating in over her vast career, she shares that Phoenix Business RadioX is a pinnacle adventure!
Connect with Karen on LinkedIn and follow Phoenix Business RadioX on Facebook and Instagram.
About Our Sponsor
The Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s only statewide organization serving the technology sector, fosters a climate of innovation to enhance technology in Arizona.
A trusted resource in strengthening Arizona’s technology industry, the Council proactively eliminates impediments that companies face, accelerates the entrepreneurial mindset in the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem, and works to create a destination for companies to be, thrive and stay.
Follow Arizona Technology Council on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
