The Chorafas Foundation was created in 1992, and prizes are awarded to students at more than 20 universities around the world for exceptional doctoral research projects and to help stimulate research among young doctoral candidates.  Dimitris N. Chorafas is an internationally recognized consultant who has advised financial institutions and industrial corporations on strategic planning, risk management, computer and communication systems, and internal controls since 1961. He has authored more than 100 books.

Jianming Li won the award for his dissertation "Novel three-dimensional biomimetic scaffold for neural tissue engineering," which was also selected for a BME Top Dissertation Proposal Award.  Li is an IGERT Fellow, a Bilsland Strategic Initiatives Fellow, a NSF GK-12 Fellow, and a Henry Ford II Scholar.  He has also received an Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2008 and the Magoon Excellence in Teaching award in 2007.  His advisor is Professor Riyi Shi.