UC engineer recognized by Ohio Faculty Council
Ohio Eminent Scholar Jay Lee is the runner-up in this year's Technology Commercialization Award for his work with industrial artificial intelligence
University of Cincinnati professor Jay Lee was recognized by the Ohio Faculty Council this month for his contribution to the field of industrial artificial intelligence.
Lee, a professor in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, is the runner-up of this year’s Technology Commercialization Award. The award went to University of Toledo professor Vijay Goel for his development of a medical screw used in spinal surgeries.
The award is a reflection of the emphasis UC places on research in its strategic plan called Next Lives Here.
Lee is director of the Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems (IMS), a coalition of public institutions that provide resources to more than 100 international corporations. Lee also is co-founder of the Cincinnati-based company Predictronics Corp., which helps manufacturers leverage predictive analytics to maintain equipment.
Lee said he was honored to be this year's runner-up for the Ohio Faculty Council Technology Commercialization Award.
"I believe with the continued support of the University of Cincinnati and the state of Ohio, our IMS center will continue to be a leader in the field of predictive analytics and the development of frontier industrial AI technologies for years to come," Lee said.
Jay Lee and Vijay Goel
Last year’s winner was UC College of Engineering and Applied Science professor Jason Heikenfeld, who is developing a suite of new sensor technology in his Novel Devices Lab. Heikenfeld also serves as vice president of commercialization in UC’s Office of Innovation.
Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor John Carey presented the awards. Lee was recognized for developing Watchdog Agent, a collection of software tools that use machine learning and artificial intelligence. The tools can be customized to identify when parts or machines will break down or require maintenance, saving companies money by avoiding unscheduled catastrophes.
Lee said he is always looking for new opportunities in technology and entrepreneurship and encourages his students to do likewise.
The Ohio Faculty Council launched its annual technology commercialization award in 2016 to recognize a faculty member in the state university system for exceptional research discoveries and for the role they have played in supporting the translation of those discoveries into marketable products and/or services.
“The public university system of Ohio is a critical incubator for innovation and the OFC embraces the opportunity to recognize the role that our world-class faculty play in economic development,” said Dan Krane, chair of the Ohio Faculty Council. “Dr. Goel’s and Dr. Lee’s work are outstanding examples of the ingenuity and entrepreneurship taking place on campuses across the state that are greatly facilitated by our institution’s investment in higher education and commitment to academic freedom.”
About the Ohio Faculty Council
The Ohio Faculty Council represents the faculty at all of the four-year public universities in the state of Ohio. It addresses concerns common to faculty members across Ohio and presents a faculty perspective on major issues affecting higher education. It is committed to supporting and bringing attention to the critical role that Ohio’s institutions of higher education play in revitalizing the economy of the state and the nation by attracting and training an educated workforce. Learn more at www.ohiofacultycouncil.org.
Featured image at top: UC profeessor Jay Lee, center, poses outside UC's Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems with UC graduate Edzel Lapira, left, and Patrick Brown, the center's program manager. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Creative Services
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.
Combination immunotherapy helps overcome melanoma treatment resistance
November 10, 2025
MSN highlighted research led by the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center's Trisha Wise-Draper showing a combination of immunotherapy medications can activate a robust immune response and help overcome treatment resistance in patients with refractory melanoma.