National Academy of Inventors announces 2014 NAI Fellows

Academic inventors and innovators elected to high honor

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Dec 16, 2014, 09:00 ET

TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has named 170 distinguished innovators to NAI Fellow status.

Those named today bring the total number of NAI Fellows to 414, representing more than 150 prestigious research universities and governmental and non-profit research institutions.

Included among all of the NAI Fellows are 61 presidents and senior leadership of research universities and non-profit research institutes, 208 members of the other National Academies (NAS, NAE, IOM), 21 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, 16 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation, 10 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Science, 21 Nobel Laureates, 11 Lemelson-MIT prize recipients, 112 AAAS Fellows, and 62 IEEE Fellows, among other awards and distinctions.

Collectively, the 414 NAI Fellows hold nearly 14,000 U.S. patents.

Election to NAI Fellow status is a high professional distinction accorded to academic inventors who have demonstrated a highly prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.

The NAI Fellows will be inducted on Mar. 20, 2015, as part of the 4th Annual Conference of the National Academy of Inventors at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Deputy Commissioner for Patent Operations Andrew Faile will be providing the keynote address for the induction ceremony. Fellows will be presented with a special trophy, newly designed medal, and rosette pin in honor of their outstanding accomplishments.

"It is our distinct pleasure to host the 2014 NAI Fellows induction ceremony at Caltech," said Mory Gharib, Caltech's vice provost for research and Charter Fellow of the NAI. "I am honored to be a Fellow of this organization and continue to be inspired by my innovative colleagues. I look forward to welcoming these renowned inventors to campus next March."

"We appreciate what NAI does to encourage inventors who stimulate and support our innovation economy," says USPTO Commissioner for Patents Margaret (Peggy) Focarino. "It's a privilege to serve on the NAI Fellows Selection Committee as the Fellows program provides a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on our nation's top inventors. We congratulate the Fellows on their outstanding achievements!"

The 2014 NAI Fellows will be recognized with a full page announcement in The Chronicle of Higher Education 16 Jan. 2015 issue, and in upcoming issues of Inventors Digest and Technology and Innovation.

The academic inventors and innovators elected to the rank of NAI Fellow are named inventors on U.S. patents and were nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions to innovation in areas such as patents and licensing, innovative discovery and technology, significant impact on society, and support and enhancement of innovation.

The 2014 NAI Fellows Selection Committee comprises 17 members, including NAI Fellows, recipients of U.S. National Medals, National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees, members of the National Academies and senior officials from the USPTO, Association of American Universities, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of University Technology Managers, and National Inventors Hall of Fame.

"We are delighted to recognize the 2014 NAI Fellows and their unparalleled commitment to excellence in academic invention," said NAI President Dr. Paul R. Sanberg. "Their many discoveries have made a truly significant impact on society and we are proud to honor them for these contributions."

Complete list of NAI Fellows: http://academyofinventors.com/search-fellows.asp.

The National Academy of Inventors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutions, with over 3,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 200 institutions, and growing rapidly. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. The NAI offices are located in the University of South Florida Research Park. The NAI edits the multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation, published by Cognizant Communication Corporation (NY). www.academyofinventors.org

Media Contact: Keara Leach, +1-813-974-5862, [email protected]

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SOURCE National Academy of Inventors