UWM presents Chancellor's Innovation Award to doctor who helped develop Moderna vaccine

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- UW-Milwaukee presented a special award to a young researcher Wednesday, May 12, who is on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus. 

"Her work was instrumental in creating the Moderna vaccine. If you got that vaccine, you can thank Kizzmekia, our guest today," said UWM Chancellor Mark Mone. 

Chancellor Mone presented the Chancellor's Innovation Award to Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett in a virtual ceremony Wednesday afternoon. 

Dr. Corbett works at the National Institutes of Health, where Dr. Anthony Fauci has called her a "rising star."

Dr. Corbett thanked a list of mentors Wednesday and added one special note of gratitude. 

"Also, thank you to everyone who has gotten vaccinated, whether it be with the Moderna vaccine, Pfizer or otherwise," said Dr. Corbett. "Because you are becoming one of those green people that are becoming a roadblock for this virus."

Previous winners of the UWM Innovation Award included former baseball commissioner Bud Selig and Academy Award winning writer and director John Ridley.