Awards

Sumbit your nomination today!

Gary K. Michelson, FNAI

The new NAI–Michelson Excellence in IP & Innovation Education Award, created in partnership with Michelson Philanthropies, will encourage NAI Fellows, Senior Members, and Member Institutions to adopt, adapt, and expand Michelson’s intellectual property education curriculum and learning resources to prepare the next generation of inventors and innovators.

The award honors educational models that demonstrate excellence in:

  • integration, adaptation, or expansion of scalable intellectual property education resources and curriculum,
  • intellectual property and innovation education,
  • invention and entrepreneurship learning,
  • interdisciplinary collaboration,
  • experiential and applied learning,
  • mentorship and ecosystem engagement,
  • workforce and innovation readiness,
  • and scalable educational impact.

Programs selected for recognition will demonstrate measurable student engagement and outcomes, innovative curriculum design, and strong potential for broader institutional or national replication.

The initiative seeks to elevate and showcase educational programs that are:

  • leveraging and expanding accessible intellectual property and innovation education resources to broaden institutional and societal impact,
  • expanding access to innovation and IP education,
  • preparing the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs,
  • strengthening America’s innovation ecosystem,
  • and contributing to national competitiveness and workforce development.

Award recipients may also have opportunities for:

  • national recognition and visibility,
  • presentation and showcase opportunities,
  • ecosystem and partner engagement,
  • participation in collaborative learning communities,
  • and contribution to the continued advancement of innovation and IP education resources.

Through this award, NAI and Michelson Philanthropies aim to help build a stronger national culture of invention, innovation, and intellectual property literacy by identifying and amplifying high-impact educational models across higher education and innovation ecosystems.

The initiative also seeks to activate the NAI network as a national platform for expanding intellectual property literacy and innovation education by encouraging institutions and educational leaders to leverage, adapt, and build upon Michelson-developed curriculum, tools, and learning resources in ways that meet the evolving needs of their students, researchers, inventors, and innovation ecosystems.

The inaugural Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property–National Academy of Inventors Excellence in Intellectual Property & Innovation Education Award will be presented during the 2027 NAI Annual Conference.

Nominations are now open. Sumbit your nomination here.

Eligibility

The NAI–Michelson Excellence in IP & Innovation Education Award is open exclusively to active National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Members and NAI Member Institutions leveraging or expanding Michelson intellectual property education curriculum or educational resources.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Individual NAI Members
  • Faculty, educators, inventors, or program leaders affiliated with an NAI Member Institution
  • Interdisciplinary teams led by an NAI Member or NAI Member Institution
  • Programs, centers, departments, or initiatives housed within an NAI Member Institution

Applications may represent:

  • existing educational programs,
  • curriculum initiatives,
  • innovation and entrepreneurship education models,
  • intellectual property education programs,
  • mentorship and experiential learning initiatives,
  • or emerging scalable educational frameworks.

Programs demonstrating interdisciplinary collaboration, measurable student impact, scalability, and alignment with innovation and invention education priorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

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

Award Timeline

The NAI–Michelson Excellence in IP & Innovation Education 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:

  • innovation and invention education,
  • intellectual property,
  • entrepreneurship,
  • academic leadership,
  • workforce development,
  • and innovation ecosystem engagement.

Applications will be evaluated based on:

  • educational innovation,
  • student impact and outcomes,
  • scalability and replicability,
  • interdisciplinary collaboration,
  • innovation and IP education integration,
  • mentorship and ecosystem engagement,
  • long-term strategic impact, 
  • and effective adaptation, expansion, or dissemination of Michelson’s intellectual property education curriculum and learning resources.

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

Award Recognition and 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 program as part of the conference programming.

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