The Mario M. Casabona Future Scientists Program encourages students to recognize the importance of oral communication skills and the ability to discuss the results of scholarship effectively with various audiences and at all levels. The Program motivates, trains and rewards students for the preparation and delivery of effective communication of scientific research to the general public and non-science professionals. Such presentation and communication skills provide students with the capacity to be distinctly competitive and successful in their subsequent educational and career paths. Students/Mentors will be selected from each department to compete.
On Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 2:00 – 5:30 pm in CELS, teams of students selected by each of our departments will present five minute, five slide presentations judged by our panel of professionals for awards. Students are presenting their research in both a poster session and five-minute oral presentation.
Awards
| First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Best Mentor | Audience Favorite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2000 | $1500 | $1000 | $1500 | $500 |
Presenters
Departments will be nominating students for the competition in the coming weeks
Judges
Mr. Mario Casabona
Founder and Managing Partner
Casabona Ventures, LLC
CSAM Advisory Board Member
Mr. Mario M. Casabona is an entrepreneur and active angel investor. In 2012, he founded TechLaunch, committed to identifying and nurturing early stage tech ventures by mentoring, coaching, and providing access to resources and capital. To date, TechLaunch has supported over 200 tech companies and mentored over 350 aspiring entrepreneurs. In 2006, he founded Casabona Ventures, investing in over 50 seed and early stage companies. In 1982, he founded Electro-Radiation Inc., which was acquired by Honeywell International (Aerospace Group) in 2004. He received the Small Business Administration National Tibbett’s Award for his contributions in technology, and was listed as one of the top five most influential persons in New Jersey technology by The Star-Ledger. He was twice recognized by the New Jersey Technology Council, (now TechUnited:NJ) first as the recipient of their Financier of the Year Award and subsequently their Legend of Technology Award. He is Chairman Emeritus of Jumpstart NJ Angel Network and Chairman Emeritus of the R&D Council of New Jersey. He also enjoys serving on the Boards of various for-profit and non-for-profit organizations. Mr. Casabona is an electrical engineer and holds twelve national and international patents in the field of satellite-based navigation and communications.