Tampa, FL – July 17, 2024
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is pleased to announce the recipients of four prestigious new awards presented June 16th-18th during their 13th Annual Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event, along with bringing together some of the greatest minds from across the globe to share their research and insights, serves as a premiere opportunity to recognize and celebrate the outstanding contributions and impacts made by NAI Members. By nature of its mission, the Academy has a rich history in recognizing and celebrating inventors and innovation leaders from academic institutions, government agencies, and non-profit organizations, as well as exceptional student inventors from across the nation.
Three of the four new awards were established by NAI Fellows: Yogi Goswami, Judy Genshaft, and the family of Barry Bercu. The fourth award was created in partnership with NAI Member Institution, the US Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions.
“It is exciting to work with our Members to develop these new awards. It has always been our mission to serve and uplift our individual and institutional Members. To see them, in turn, use their platforms and partner with us to celebrate and support incredible innovators is truly something special. Their enthusiasm really speaks to their commitment to the Academy, our mission, and the innovation community at large,” said Paul R. Sanberg, President of the NAI. “These awards not only celebrate amazing inventors, but I hope will also continue to foster a culture of paying it forward among NAI Members.”
The Yogi and Lovely Goswami Award in Energy and Sustainability honors distinguished individuals who have left an indelible mark in the field of energy and sustainability throughout their illustrious careers. This award was made possible by the generosity of Yogi Goswami, FNAI who has dedicated his career to creating sustainable energy solutions and currently serves as Director of the University of South Florida’s Clean Energy Research Center. This year’s inaugural recipient was Aldo Steinfeld, Chair of Renewable Energy Carriers at ETH Zürich. Steinfeld was awarded for his commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions, including the work on his Solar Refinery, a process of producing carbon neutral fuel from solar energy and direct air capture.
The Genspiration Prize awards excellence in student innovation and honors individual inventors or teams at both K-12 and University levels whose innovations demonstrate significant potential for positive societal impact. The Genspiration Prize, made possible by the Genspiration Foundation, was co-founded by Judy Genshaft, FNAI. During the presentation of awards, Genshaft cited her personal outlook as a driver in creating the Prize: “Learn, Earn, then Return”. She is a Fellow of the Academy, recipient of the NAI Founder’s Award, and former President of the University of South Florida. The inaugural Gensipration Young Inventors Prize was awarded to Sonia Patel, representing the Community School of Naples for her Corneal Applanation and Scleral Buckling model; and the inaugural Genspiration University Inventors Prize was presented to University of Houston team Jian Chen and Thomas Hannan for their Revolutionary Sensing Technology.
The Dr. Barry Bercu Biomedical University Inventor Prize was introduced this year to honor the legacy of Barry Bercu, FNAI, by recognizing outstanding student innovation within the biomedical field. The Prize was created by the Bercu family in memoriam of Dr. Bercu, a pediatric endocrinologist and visionary innovator, with an aim to recognize biomedical innovations that could serve as impactful solutions and increase quality of care for patients. This year’s awardees were students from Pennsylvania State University, Purva Gupta, Ketan Dighe, and Nivetha Gunaseelan for their invention “EndoMark”, an improved recognition and prioritization of endometriosis diagnostics.
The US Department of Energy OTT / NAI Innovator of the Year Award, was developed in partnership with NAI Member Institution the US DOE Office of Technology Transitions. This award recognizes DOE innovators with an aim to highlight the invaluable contributions of their lab researchers in advancing technology transfer and commercialization missions across the DOE National Laboratories, plants, and sites. Vanessa Peña, Director of Technology Transfer Policy in the Office of Technology Transitions, presented the award to this year’s recipient Jiguang Zhang from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for his work in the development of energy storage devices.
The conference also included the celebration of the Academy’s classic awards: the Chapter of Excellence Award, the Sentinel Award, and the Founders Award.
Stony Brook University received the NAI Chapter of Excellence Award, honoring NAI Chapters for their dedication to the Academy’s mission and achievements in key areas such as celebrating local inventors, supporting the next generation of inventors, and fostering a culture of inclusive innovation through programs and events. The Stony Brook Chapter was awarded for the phenomenal work they do on campus and beyond to encourage and facilitate impactful innovation.
The NAI Sentinel Award, acknowledging individuals whose actions and support help fulfill the NAI’s mission to continually recognize inventors and enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, was awarded to Yogi Goswami. Goswami is a Charter Fellow and was recognized for his consistent and ongoing support of the Academy and his generosity in supporting fellow innovators.
The NAI Founder’s Award, which honors incredible individuals and institutions who have dedicated their time and expertise since the inception of the Academy and have been fundamental in shaping its vision and impact, was awarded to Jackson State University. JSU was recognized for playing an instrumental part in the Academy for over a decade and was the first HBCU to join NAI.
“Our Annual Conference gives us the unique opportunity to collaborate with, learn from, and celebrate an incredible array of individuals and institutions from across the innovation ecosystem. Their contributions to society, science, and innovation are truly astounding. We are thankful to work with them to foster a culture of uplifting one another and paying it forward for current and future inventors alike,” said Sanberg. “Congratulations once again to this year’s awardees. The Academy looks forward to continuing to support you in your innovative journey.”