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National Academy of Inventors

THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS (NAI)

The National Academy of Inventors was founded to recognize and encourage inventors with U.S. patents, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and to create wider public understanding of how its members’ inventions benefit society. Virginia Tech is a National Academy of Inventors member institution.

To nominate a colleague or learn more about the process, contact Teresa McCoy at link@vt.edu.

THE FELLOWS RECOGNITION PROGRAM

The NAI Fellows Program was established to highlight academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific 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. Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

The NAI Fellow program has 1,898 Fellows worldwide representing more than 300 prestigious universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes. Collectively, the Fellows hold more than 63,000 issued U.S. patents, which have generated over 13,000 licensed technologies, 3,200 companies and created more than 1 million jobs. In addition, over $3 trillion in revenue has been generated based on NAI Fellow discoveries.

FELLOW NOMINATIONS

Deadlines:
Fellows nomination are accepted each year from March 1st-May 1st. Submission date is July 31st. Fellows are announced in early December each year..

The nominations are reviewed by the NAI Fellows Advisory Committee and Selection Committee. The number of Fellows elected each year is dependent on the quality of the nominations submitted. Committee members may not vote on a nominee from their institution. Decisions of the Selection Committee are final. If a nominee is not elected to Fellow status, he or she will remain on record for committee review for three consecutive years.

  • Nominees should have made outstanding contributions to innovation in areas of such as patents and licensing, innovative discovery and technology, significant impact on society, and support and enhancement of innovation
  • Nominees must be a named inventor on patent(s) issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. (The median patent count among current NAI Fellows is 20.)
  • Nominees should have reached professional maturity and be recognized as pioneers in their field
  • Nominees must be affiliated with an academic organization, e.g., university, college, non-profit research institute, or government agency
  • Nominees do not have to be current members of, nor affiliated with a Member Institution of the National Academy of Inventors (although recommended)
  • All U.S. and non-U.S. citizens are qualified for nomination
  • Deceased nominees are not eligible
  • Self-nomination, team submissions and nominations submitted by relatives are not eligible
  • Nominations do not have to be submitted by an individual affiliated with an NAI Member Institution (although recommended)
Nomination Process and Timeline
Nominate a fellow

NAI Fellow status is nationally recognized as the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. Those chosen for induction have demonstrated a prolific 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.  

THE SENIOR MEMBERS RECOGNITION PROGRAM

Building on the success of the Fellows program and driven by a desire to recognize the rising young stars of the Academy’s Member Institutions, the Academy established the Seniors Members program in 2018. NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists and administrators with success in patents, licensing and commercialization and have produced technologies that have brought or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society.

They are rising stars who foster a spirit of innovation within their communities and institutions while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors. Senior Membership is exclusively available to inventors affiliated with an active NAI Member Institution. There are currently 553 Senior Members, holding over 6,700 U.S. patents and representing over 100 NAI Member Institutions worldwide.

SENIOR MEMBER NOMINATIONS

Nomination Timeline: 

Senior Member nominiations are accepted each year from August 1st-October 1st.   Submission deadline is December 31st. Nominations are then announced each Spring.

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.

  • 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 Process and Timeline
Nominate a senior member

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