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Jones is the CEO and co-founder of Activated Research Company (ARC), an innovation firm that develops analytical technology and equipment for scientists. He and his company have received several awards, including: Best New Product Awards from The Analytical Scientist; a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research Phase II award; and the 35 and Under Young Entrepreneur Award, among others. Jones also co-founded Carba, which aims to remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide by 2035 to prevent the worst potential effects of climate change.
A 2008 Astronaut Scholar, Jones graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2009 with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with honors. He earned his doctorate in chemical engineering with a focus on heterogeneous catalysis and renewable fuels production at the University of California-Berkeley: Jones currently holds four patents. “I’m deeply honored to be selected for this prestigious award and amongst such distinguished recipients,” Jones said. “Neil Armstrong is a true American hero and trailblazer. I’ve benefitted throughout my education and career from seeing him and his peers achieve what others thought was out of reach. His passion, bravery and determination will forever be extraordinary. I wish to inspire hope and propel science through my work. With humble and deeply felt gratitude, I thank the Armstrong family, the sponsors of the Innovators Week & Gala and the board of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation for bestowing this honor upon me.”
The Neil Armstrong™ Award of Excellence was established in 2016 through a partnership with the Purdue Research Foundation, the Armstrong family and Jim Hays, a friend of Neil Armstrong. Intended to pay tribute to the legacy of Armstrong and his fellow space explorers, this honor is bestowed upon a former Astronaut Scholar who mirrors the core values of character and professional achievement of its namesake. Jones will be presented with his award during the 2023 Innovators Gala on August 19, in Orlando, Florida.