ARMONK, N.Y., Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Two IBM (NYSE: IBM) researchers – Drs. Abdigani Diriye and Fabian Menges – have been recognized as honorees on the Innovators Under 35 list released today by MIT Technology Review. For over a decade, the global media company has recognized a list of exceptionally talented technologists whose work has great potential to transform the world.

The two scientists, from IBM’s Research labs in Kenya and Switzerland, are focused on improving financial access for all Africans and enhancing our understanding of the thermal phenomena that occur in nanoscale structures and devices.

• Dr. Abdigani Diriye is a scientist and a manager at IBM Research – Africa in Nairobi and he has been recognized as a visionary for his work. Diriye leads the financial services research group, which is focused on technologies to enable people in Africa to access financial services easily. The team has recently developed and deployed a credit scoring system, which is now giving millions of people access to micro-loans through cellphone apps, including funds to meet medical emergencies or to operate a small business. Diriye has also launched an accelerator for startups in his native Somalia, which has ignited a community of innovators, engineers, NGOs and private-sector companies who now support and invest in the local startup tech scene.
                                
• Dr. Fabian Menges is a post-doctoral researcher in the materials integration & nanoscale devices group at IBM Research in Zurich and he has been recognized as a pioneer for his work. Menges’ research focuses on the experimental characterization of thermal energy transfer and conversion processes in electronic devices. Recently, Menges and his colleagues invented and patented a thermometer for the nanoscale. The research was motivated by the challenge to understand the thermophysical processes which occur at the scale of individual transistors to support the development of novel materials for energy harvesting and cognitive computing. Menges has recently accepted the prestigious Branco Weiss Fellowship with which he will continue his research at the University of Colorado in collaboration with IBM.

This year’s honorees are featured online at www.technologyreview.com/lists/innovators-under-35 starting today, and in the September/October print magazine, which hits newsstands worldwide on August 29. They will appear in person at the upcoming EmTech MIT conference November 6–9 in Cambridge, Massachusetts (www.EmTechMIT.com).

About the List

The selection process begins with hundreds of nominations from the public, MIT Technology Review editors, and international partners who publish Innovators Under 35 lists in their regions. The editors then trim the list to about 80 people, who submit descriptions of their work and letters of reference. External judges are brought in to rate the finalists on the originality and impact of their work. Based on these ratings, the editors put together a final list of honorees.  

Find out more about the MIT Technology Review: www.technologyreview.com

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About IBM Research

IBM Research is a community of scientist and technical experts dedicated to addressing some of the world’s most complex problems and challenging opportunities for the benefit of all. With more than 3,000 researchers in 12 labs located across six continents, our labs nurture some of the most innovative and creative thinkers in the world. Our scientists are charting the future of artificial intelligence, breakthroughs like quantum computing, how blockchain will reshape the enterprise and much more. We are dedicated to applying AI and science to industry challenges, and making scientific breakthroughs that transform industries and society

About MIT Technology Review

Founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1899, MIT Technology Review is a digitally oriented independent media company whose analysis, features, reviews, interviews, and live events explain the commercial, social, and political impact of new technologies. MIT Technology Review readers are curious technology enthusiasts—a global audience of business and thought leaders, innovators and early adopters, entrepreneurs and investors. Every day, we provide an authoritative filter for the flood of information about technology. We are the first to report on a broad range of new technologies, informing our audiences about how important breakthroughs will impact their careers and their lives. Subscribe. Follow us: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram.

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SOURCE IBM