CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Hsinchun Chen, the director of the UA artificial intelligence lab, was one of two UA professors honored at the first annual Technology Innovation Awards. Chen received an award for his part in creating a searchable law enforcement database called COPLINK.

The UA and Arizona Center for Innovation honored two faculty members yesterday who have used their professional expertise to transform their ideas into viable commercial products.

The faculty members were honored for their successful commercial ventures at the inaugural luncheon of the Technology Innovation Awards.

The awards are sponsored by the Office of Vice President for Research, Graduate Studies and Economic Development, UA Office of Technology Transfer and the Arizona Center for Innovation. The center is located in the UA Science and Technology Park, near Vail, Ariz.

Molly Gilbert, director of tenant and public relations for the UA Science and Technology Park, said these agencies work closely with faculty to move intellectual property from the classroom into the private sector.

Gilbert said the awards were given to honor successful faculty members as well as to encourage future entrepreneurs.

In addition to an award statue, each recipient received a $10,000 check.

The director of the UA's Artificial Intelligence Lab, Hsinchun Chen, was honored for an analytical software program he developed called COPLINK.

COPLINK takes data from various law enforcement databases, based on existing criminal records, and allows law enforcement to coordinate their information using the software.

"It is like Google for cops," said Chen in a recent interview. "But it is much better."

The COPLINK software was used in 2002 to track the Washington, D.C.-area snipers.

In 2000, Chen formed Knowledge Computing Corporation to license the software commercially.

Chen said previous efforts by his colleagues opened the door for his commercial venture. Chen said it is vital to encourage other faculty member to pursue their dreams.

"It is critical to encourage others," said Chen. "We're the rebels."

Professor Thomas Grogan was also honored at the award ceremony. Grogan founded Ventana Medical Systems Incorporated in 1985 while he was working as a professor of pathology.

Ventana Medical Systems builds machines primarily used for cancer research.

Grogan said he felt honored to receive the award.

Grogan said when he first sought to form his medical company he was strongly discouraged by UA officials. He recalled a letter drafted by a UA attorney threatening him with legal action. Grogan explained the attorney believed Grogan was breaching his contract with the UA by starting up a business.

"The letter said I was already a class six felon for seeking a business license," Grogan said.

Eventually, Grogan said, he convinced UA officials to allow him to start his company.

Despite the setbacks, Grogan does not regret forming his company.

"In the end, we did the right thing," Grogan said.

While Ventana Medical Systems is a publicly traded, commercially successful company, Grogan said the success of his company wasn't always so certain.

"For 10 years, I did nothing but lose money," said Grogan.

Three students, dance senior Rebecca Blaney, information resources and library sciences graduate student Carrie Fang and business administration graduate student Neel Chakraborti, were awarded plaques for their work with the UA Science and Technology Park last year.