Mihri Ozkan, a UC Riverside professor of electrical and computer engineering, was awarded a 2018 Rotary Humanitarian Star award for her work in developing environmentally friendly technology.

Ozkan was presented with the award in the environmental improvement category at a Jan. 31 reception at the University Club of Pasadena. She was recognized for her work developing advanced energy management systems and green approaches for energy storage using renewable materials such as recycled glass, beach sand, and mushrooms.

“Putting the possible natural and human causes of climate change alongside one another makes the dominant role of greenhouse gases even more plainly visible,” Ozkan said in her acceptance speech. “In order to minimize and eliminate carbon emission from cars, in UC Riverside, we have developed advanced batteries with 30 percent less cost and about two times better performance.”

The awards honor distinguished humanitarian achievements in science and technology. Frances Arnold, a Caltech professor and Nobel laureate in chemistry, received a Star award in 2017.

Ozkan was named a faculty Climate Action Champion and Change Maker at UCR for her work promoting green energy technology, recycling, and her ambassadorship for sustainability.