USTAAR Team
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Suhrud Rajguru, Ph.D. USTAAR Director |
Suhrud Rajguru, Ph.D., is a Professor and Assistant Vice Provost at the University of Miami, and founder and Chief Scientific Officer of RestorEar Devices LLC. He is the Director of USTAAR. An educator, scientist and entrepreneur, he is an author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and is a named inventor international patents. His research, clinical studies, and commercialization activities are supported by the National Institutes of Health, the VA, Department of Defense, and industry partners, and he is actively involved in the education and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. |
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Angel Alvarez The AA in USTAAR |
Angel Alvarez is the Chairman of ABB
OPTICAL GROUP, the nation’s largest distributor of contact lenses. He is a graduate of the University of Miami
with a degree in business administration, focusing on finance. Angel is responsible for the strategic direction and vision of the company and his focus is on leveraging more than 30,000 independent eye care practitioner businesses in order to compete in the ever changing eye care retail environment. Angel is not only an industry leader but a community leader as well. He serves as a board member for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship and is a supporter of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, Optometry Giving Sight and Junior Achievement of South Florida. Over the past two decades Angel has built ABB OPTICAL GROUP into the number one contact lens distributor in the country and strives to be a technology leader within the industry. |
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Ilmar Tamames is a seasoned entrepreneur, educator, and researcher with a background in biomedical engineering and software development. As the Founder of Vidama Software LLC, Ilmar has spearheaded innovative projects in collaboration with prestigious institutions like the University of Miami and the Miami Ear Institute. His expertise lies in the development of cutting-edge solutions for cardiovascular simulation, audiology research, and hypothermia devices, resulting in multiple peer-reviewed publications and commercial applications. In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Ilmar has made significant contributions to academia as an Adjunct Faculty member at Florida International University and the University of Miami. He has taught a wide range of courses in biomedical engineering, MATLAB, and programming, nurturing the next generation of engineers and innovators. Ilmar actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. He holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami, where he conducted groundbreaking research on therapeutic hypothermia and cochlear implantation trauma. His multidisciplinary approach, combining engineering principles with medical applications, earned him recognition from industry partners and funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health. Ilmar's passion for pushing the boundaries of science and technology drives his work as he seeks to make meaningful contributions to academia and industry. |
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Darien K. Smith, Esq. Associate Director |
Darien K. Smith, Esq. is a first generation attorney from the South Side of Chicago. He started his collegiate career playing college football for Eastern Illinois University, and finished his undergrad degree in finance and mathematics at the University of Miami (FL). Subsequently, Darien received his J.D. from New York University School of Law. While in law school Darien moved to China and bootstrapped a fashion startup after working in finance for Goldman Sachs his 1L summer. Upon graduation, he became a licensed corporate attorney at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP in their private funds group headquartered in New York City. After practicing law at Stroock, Darien transitioned to Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a Management Consultant in their Corporate Finance and Strategy Practice Area where he advised multi-billion dollar conglomerates and private equity firms, building and executing organic and inorganic growth strategies. Darien left BCG in 2019 to launch D.K. Smith & Co. where he focuses on acquiring, operating, and advising lower middle market businesses. Darien lives in South Florida with his wife and two young children. He is passionate about improving financial literacy in underserved communities, providing jobs and opportunities for women and minorities, and mentoring aspiring investment professionals. |
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Leandro Finol Consultant |
Leandro Finol is an EdTech leader and impact entrepreneur, dedicated to helping scale the impact of disruptive ideas in education. He is currently the founder of Wonderly, an EdTech startup with the mission of teaching digital skills to 100 million low-income students ages 8 to 21. XEdu recognized the company as one of the most promising startups in the world and he is working with academic experts in Finland to create affordable digital skills education for all. Previously, Leandro was the Founder and Executive Director of The Idea Center at Miami Dade College, a non-profit academic institution, from 2014 until 2017. This world-class center was funded with a $5 million grant from Knight Foundation and launched ten innovative certifications for low-income students -including the largest coding program in Florida, in partnership with Harvard University and Babson College. Originally from Venezuela, Leandro earned a Fulbright Scholarship and got his MBA in International Management from the Thunderbird Global School of Business. He went on to start several entrepreneurial ventures. One of those companies was DIREC4U, which he led to become the second-largest distributor of satellite television services in the country, reaching revenues of $76 million per year, prior to an acquisition by an NYSE public company. Married with four children, he is a creative, passionate builder committed to living life to the fullest, making time for spirituality and physical activity. |
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Tioluwani (Tiolu) E. Ladipo Student Assistant |
Tioluwani (Tiolu) E. Ladipo (‘27) is an undergraduate student from Lagos, Nigeria currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at the University of Miami, FL. She graduated from Wayland Academy, WI in 2023. She is the Fundraising Chair for the University’s African Student Union (ASU) and the treasurer for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Tiolu joined the USTAAR team as a student assistant in May 2024. |
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Yang, Ethan Shu Student Assistant |
Ethan Yang is an upcoming senior at the University of Miami pursuing a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Being passionate in electronic circuit design and VLSI, he hopes to pursue a career in the semiconductor field. He also serves as the Vice President of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) at UM and is involved in many other organizations on campus. Ethan joined the USTAAR team as a student assistant in May 2024. |
