Eligibility for Selection
- At a minimum, candidates must demonstrate a high degree of innovation by holding 1 issued U.S. patent
- Candidates must be in professional practice or research in his/her current field for at least 5 years
- Candidate must be affiliated with an active NAI Member Institution and must submit a letter of nomination from that institution
- Self-nominations are accepted
- Deceased candidates are not eligible
Please Note: Because NAI Fellows are recognized in the highest degree from the National Academy of Inventors, they are not eligible for Senior Membership consideration
Nomination Timeline
The Academy will now accept Senior Member nominations from NAI Member institutions, annually from October – December. Once the nomination period closes, candidates will be reviewed by the Senior Member Advisory Committee (SMAC), and eligible Senior Members will be announced in the spring of 2025. Nominators will have the opportunity to edit any incomplete nominations during the next nomination period.
NOTE: Named Senior Members are not eligible for nomination for NAI Fellow the following spring nomination cycle but are encouraged to be nominated in future years as their career progresses.
Required Materials for Nomination
- NAI Senior Member Application (submitted online)
- Nominee’s contact information
- Summary of professional experience: to include affiliated institutions, titles held, and overall institutional impact
- Impact Statement: describe how the nominee’s commercialization efforts have affected public welfare and the overall economic development on his/her community
- Summary of evidence of mentorship: describe how the nominee has mentored the next generation of inventors
- Supplemental Documents (submitted online)
- Nominee’s full Curriculum Vitae
- Complete list of issued U.S. patent(s)
- Nomination Letter of support from your NAI institution on letterhead.
- Examples include a support letter from a NAI Fellow or Senior Member, Member Institution Representative, or University Board Member or leadership.
Senior Member Dues
Annual membership: $250 ($195 is tax deductible)
Senior Elite membership $2,500 ($1,950 is tax deductible)
