Awards

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Robert S. Langer, FNAI and Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI

The NAI Langer-Sanberg Mentorship & Innovation Leadership Award recognizes exceptional mentorship models, leaders, and institutional initiatives that are advancing the next generation of inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and translational leaders through high-impact mentorship, guidance, and ecosystem engagement.

Presented through a collaboration between the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and NAI Fellows Robert Langer and Paul R. Sanberg, this award celebrates individuals and programs that demonstrate excellence in mentorship across innovation, invention, entrepreneurship, intellectual property, translational research, and workforce development.

The award honors mentorship approaches that:

  • foster innovation and invention pathways,
  • accelerate student and researcher development,
  • support entrepreneurial and translational outcomes,
  • create collaborative learning environments,
  • build scalable mentorship ecosystems,
  • and strengthen institutional and national innovation capacity.

This initiative seeks to elevate mentorship as a foundational driver of innovation success and recognizes programs and leaders who are helping develop future inventors, entrepreneurs, faculty leaders, and changemakers.

Award recipients may receive:

  • national recognition,
  • conference presentation opportunities,
  • ecosystem visibility,
  • mentorship showcase opportunities,
  • and participation in collaborative innovation and mentorship initiatives.

The inaugural Robert S. Langer & Paul R. Sanberg Mentorship & Innovation Leadership Award will be presented during the 2027 NAI Annual Conference. Nominations are now open. Please submit your nominations here.

Eligibility

The NAI Langer-Sanberg Mentorship & Innovation Leadership Award is open exclusively to active National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Members and NAI Member Institutions.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Individual NAI Members
  • Faculty mentors and innovation leaders affiliated with an NAI Member Institution
  • Interdisciplinary mentorship teams led by an NAI Member or NAI Member Institution
  • Innovation, entrepreneurship, translational research, or mentorship programs housed within an NAI Member Institution

Applications may represent:

  • formal mentorship programs,
  • innovation mentorship initiatives,
  • entrepreneurial mentorship ecosystems,
  • student inventor development programs,
  • translational research mentoring,
  • faculty mentorship models,
  • peer mentoring initiatives,
  • or emerging scalable mentorship frameworks.

Applicants must be in good standing with NAI at the time of application and award consideration.

Award Timeline

The NAI Langer-Sanberg Mentorship & Innovation Leadership Award application cycle will open annually in August and close in March.

Tentative Timeline

  • Application Opens: August 2026
  • Application Deadline: March 2027
  • Review & Selection Process: March–April 2027
  • Award Notification: Spring 2027
  • Public Recognition & Award Presentation: NAI Annual Conference, June 2027

Late or incomplete applications may not be considered.

Review and Selection Process

Applications will undergo a competitive review process conducted by a multidisciplinary selection committee comprised of leaders in:

  • mentorship,
  • innovation and entrepreneurship,
  • academic leadership,
  • translational research,
  • workforce development,
  • and innovation ecosystem engagement.

Applications will be evaluated based on:

  • mentorship excellence,
  • participant impact and outcomes,
  • innovation and ecosystem engagement,
  • scalability and replicability,
  • interdisciplinary collaboration,
  • leadership development,
  • and long-term strategic impact.

Finalists may be contacted for additional information, clarification, interviews, or supplemental materials as part of the review process.

Award Recognition & Attendance Requirement

Award recipients will be formally recognized during the National Academy of Inventors Annual Conference.

At least one representative from the selected program/institution must be available to attend the NAI Annual Conference in person to:

  • accept the award,
  • participate in recognition activities,
  • and potentially present or showcase the mentorship initiative as part of the conference programming.

Additional opportunities for visibility, speaking engagement, and ecosystem collaboration may also be extended to selected recipients.