FastTraCS' Kant among those honored by Morehead-Cain seniors for excellence in teaching and mentoring

Sixty-three honorees representing thirty-two departments and entities at UNC–Chapel Hill were recognized at the Faculty Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the Morehead-Cain Foundation on February 6.

Graduating seniors in the Morehead-Cain Class of 2026 nominated faculty and staff members who made a significant impact on their academic experience, professional development, and personal growth at Carolina. The fourth annual luncheon provided an opportunity for scholars to formally thank the educators, advisors, and mentors who supported them throughout their undergraduate years.

Many tributes emphasized the role faculty played in helping scholars develop perspective and confidence.

Esha Agarwal, Morehead Cain Scholar and Honors Student at UNC-Chapel Hill, submitted Andy Kant of FastTraCS (UNC-Chapel Hill's MedTech incubator, specializing in medical device and technology development) as one of this year's honorees.

She says... "Andy has been such a constant through my college career. I look forward to each of our meetings excitedly, meetings we've been having religiously each month since the summer after my freshman year! He has guided me through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, always given great advice, and lifted me up at every opportunity possible—always leaving me grateful for the present and optimistic for the future!"

Agarwal is the founder of outSMARTPD, a provisionally-patented app dedicated to objectively assessing and diagnosing Parkinson's Disease. She's using the resources and expertise of FastTraCS and Carolina's research community to take her app to the next level, bringing it one step closer toward helping patients navigate life with Parkinson's.

Read more about outSMARTPD and Agarwal's work with FastTraCS.

Read more about the Morehead-Cain Foundation's Faculty Appreciation Luncheon.