Veriheal remains dedicated to supporting the next generation of pioneers through its Innovation in Cannabis Scholarship. As we reflect on the success of the 2022 recipients, we are thrilled to introduce the exceptional winners of the 2023 scholarship.
Veriheal recognizes the financial challenges students face in pursuing higher education. To alleviate this burden, we awarded $5,000 scholarships to five outstanding individuals in 2022.
This year, we are proud to continue our investment in the next generation of cannabis industry leaders. Their one-of-a-kind innovations and solutions are invaluable to the future of cannabis.
Veriheal recognizes that higher education is as expensive as it’s ever been — as such — we’ve increased the scholarship amount to $10,000 each for three deserving winners.
This year, Veriheal received over 800 submissions for the Innovation in Cannabis Scholarship from applicants with a wide variety of educational backgrounds. The winners chosen showed a rare combination of novelty and sustainability in their ideas. Without further to do, here are the bright and brilliant recipients of the 2023 Innovation in Cannabis Scholarship.
School: University of Montana
Major/Program: Linguistics and Anthropology
Innovation: Emulsion-Based Edibles: Harnessing Anti-Diabetic Cannabinoids in Diabetes Management. Quemarr presents an emulsion-based drug delivery system tailored for cannabinoids and made to tackle America’s diabetes crisis. Scientific research supports the potential of cannabinoids in regulating blood sugar levels, weight management, and addressing diabetic neuropathy. Using emulsions as the vehicle for cannabis delivery allows for precise dosing, versatility in usage, and varied product application methods. Emulsions also allow the body to efficiently absorb cannabinoids as they traditionally struggle to integrate with water. Quemarr’s transformative approach to diabetes treatment offers patients a less intrusive alternative to conventional insulin treatments.
School: Harvard University
Major/Program: Sociology
Innovation: buddie Bluetooth bowl for tracking cannabis consumption. Maya worked alongside Sean Finamore and Alexis Queen to develop the buddie Bluetooth cannabis bowl. The buddie can be paired with a mobile app that tracks consumption, correlating it with health data from devices like WHOOP, Apple Watch, or Fitbit. buddie records various consumption methods and offers insights into the relationship between cannabis use and factors like exercise, sleep, and mood. The app features a consumption dashboard and a journal section, which will help medical cannabis patients to track their symptom relief. Emphasizing data privacy, Maya’s innovation includes options to keep records on the user’s phone and easily delete data. Ultimately, with the buddie bowl, Maya and her peers seek to provide consumers with a big-picture view of how cannabis consumption affects their health and routine through anecdotal, scientific, and experimental evidence. With all this information at their fingertips, individuals can personalize their consumption routine to match their lifestyles and conditions. Because this innovation was originally developed with her peers, Maya chose to share her scholarship winnings with her teammates.
School: Texas A&M University
Major/Program: Computer Science
Innovation: Cannabis as a Renewable Source for Computers. Jensyn envisions a future where cannabis is a renewable resource for computer components. Stressing the responsibility of computer scientists in promoting sustainable practices, Jensyn investigates the complete lifecycle of computers. Through this deep dive, she highlights environmental issues across the manufacturing, usage, and disposal stages — particularly in relation to their high carbon emissions. Could hemp-based alternatives one day replace synthetic plastics? Jensyn explores the viability of making computer batteries out of cannabis, potentially resolving graphite shortages. Addressing concerns about cannabis integration, Jensyn’s submission references safety research and underscores the importance of informed decision-making.
This year, Veriheal received more scholarship submissions than ever before. Each of the over 800 essays were carefully considered for the Innovation in Cannabis Scholarship.
As the Veriheal scholarship committee scored each essay, they noticed multiple repeating themes and phrases, leading us to believe that many of these essays were AI-generated.
Veriheal acknowledges the beneficial presence of AI in the world of cannabis innovation. However, we encourage future applicants to innovate beyond what ChatGPT and other AI programs may produce. While AI can serve as an extremely helpful starting point, a human element is crucial to innovation in the cannabis industry and beyond.
As we celebrate these outstanding scholars, we anticipate the positive impact their innovations will have on the cannabis industry and beyond. Veriheal looks forward to continued support for education and groundbreaking ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of cannabis.
To aspiring innovators: keep an eye out for next year’s scholarship contest in the spring—your idea might be the next game-changer in the cannabis industry. See you in 2024!
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