Ping Fu, co-founder of Geomagic, received the William C. Friday Award on February 23 at a presentation in the Talley Student Center on the NC State University campus.

2011 William C. Friday Award recipient Ping Fu.

The honor was presented by Kat Griffin ‘11, chair of the William C. Friday Award committee. Following the presentation, Fu gave a talk entitled “Everything is Waiting for You.”

Geomagic is a leading U.S. software company pioneering technologies which fundamentally change the way products are designed, engineered, and manufactured around the world. From automobiles to medical devices, Geomagic enables manufacturers to innovate new products and services, shorten time to market, and improve quality. Geomagic, under Fu’s leadership, has been an active participant in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

“The committee chose to present this year’s award to Ms. Ping Fu on account of her resilience in the face of adversity, as well as her outstanding achievements in industry, leadership, and innovation,” says William C. Friday Award Committee chairperson Kat Griffin ‘11.

The company has been awarded seven National Science Foundation grants totaling more than $3 million; a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant for dental restoration technology; and a $2 million Advanced Technology Program grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to fund research for innovation in quality inspection standards. Having come straight to the U.S. from a Chinese prison, Fu’s journey to entrepreneurship is a remarkable story of the American dream.

The William C. Friday Award is an annual honor presented by the senior class of Park Scholars on behalf of the entire program. This award honors Friday’s dedication and excellence in leadership, scholarship, character, and service, and recognizes the awardee’s contributions to North Carolina. Past recipients include William Friday, NC State Chancellor Emeritus Larry Monteith, General Hugh Shelton, noted historian John Hope Franklin, SAS leaders Ann and Jim Goodnight, and Special Olympics of North Carolina CEO and President Keith L. Fishburne.

William C. Friday Award recipient Ping Fu with the selection committee.