Innovators at seven UT institutions recognized by National Academy of Inventors

Eleven faculty members from seven UT institutions have received the highest professional distinction accorded to academic inventors: election to National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow status. This brings the number of NAI Fellows at UT institutions to 58.

The Class of 2021 Fellows from UT institutions are:

The NAI Fellows Program highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a 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. To date, NAI Fellows hold more than 48,000 issued U.S. patents, which have generated over 13,000 licensed technologies and companies and created more than 1 million jobs. More than $3 trillion in revenue has been generated based on NAI Fellow discoveries.

“The caliber of this year’s class of NAI Fellows is outstanding,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “Each of these individuals are highly regarded in their respective fields. The breadth and scope of their discovery is truly staggering. I’m excited not only to see their work continue, but also to see their knowledge influence a new era of science, technology, and innovation worldwide.”

The 10 UT innovators are among 164 Fellows from across the world who will be inducted during the 11th Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Inventors in Phoenix in June.

About the National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), 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 has a close partnership with the USPTO and is one of three honorific organizations, along with the National Medals and National Inventors Hall of Fame, working closely with the USPTO on many discovery and innovation support initiatives. The NAI publishes the multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation.

About The University of Texas System

For more than 130 years, The University of Texas System has been committed to improving the lives of Texans and people all over the world through education, research and health care. With 13 institutions, an enrollment of more than 243,000 students and an operating budget of $23.4 billion (FY 2022), the UT System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produce more than 64,000 graduates annually and award more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees and more than half of its medical degrees. Collectively, UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics accounted for more than 8.6 million outpatient visits and almost 1.8 million hospital days in 2020. UT institutions also are among the most innovative in the world, collectively ranking No. 4 for most U.S. patents granted in 2020, and the UT System is No. 1 in Texas and No. 2 in the nation in federal research expenditures. The UT System also is one of the largest employers in Texas, with more than 21,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies – and more than 85,000 health care professionals, researchers and support staff.

News Contact Information

Karen Adler: kadler@utsystem.edu • 512-499-4360 (direct) • 210-912-8055 (cell)