Cynthia Furse – a University of Utah professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate¬ vice president for research – has been named one of six recipients of Utah’s second annual Women Tech Awards, presented by the Women Tech Council and Mountain West Capital Network.

The awards are designed to recognize technology-focused women who are driving innovation, leading technology companies and are key contributors to the community, according to the organizers.

The awards were announced Sept. 18, 2009. A committee from industry, venture capital firms, government and academia selected the finalists and award recipients. Furse was cited both for her university affiliation and for her company, LiveWire Test Labs, Inc.

“The program is unique in the state, and recognizes the great leadership that is found in this particular demographic of women, technology and business,” says Lex Watterson, president of Mountain West Capital Network.

Furse received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Utah in 1985, 1988 and 1994, respectively.

She is recognized internationally for development of an onboard system for locating intermittent electrical problems in aging aircraft wiring during flight to prevent in-flight fires and loss of signal. This research is now being commercialized through LiveWire Test Labs, a University of Utah spinoff company founded by Furse, who serves as chief scientist.

Furse teaches electromagnetics, wireless communication, computational electromagnetics, microwave engineering and antenna design.

She works to interest young students – particularly women and minorities – in engineering, and routinely volunteers in Utah's elementary and high schools as an engineering mentor, science educator and engineering career guidance counselor.