Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Dr. Ngwenya has received numerous accolades for her work at the University of Cincinnati, being named the Research Rising Star just last month. Dr. Ngwenya co-founded the Collaborative for Research and Acute Neurological Injuries (CRANI). She has published dozens of articles in prominent neurosurgery and neurotrama journals, she has received a K08 grant from National Institutes of Health and the UCGNI Neurobiology Research Center pilot grant and has been invited to speak at respected conferences around the world. 

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center gives this award to one person every year who has demonstrated leadership and improvement in a specific area of the hospital. The recipient must also have introduced new skills or procedures, developed new programs, introduced new levels of professionalism or enhanced the delivery of patient care through the provision of cutting-edge research.

 Dr. John Kitzmiller, UC Professor of Surgery and Plastic Surgery Division Chief, presented the award to Dr. Ngwenya at a March faculty meeting.