GW Chapter of NAI

The George Washington University (GW) Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) was launched on the 26th of April 2023 to honor and support the university's outstanding community of researchers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is a non-profitable organization, established in 2010, dedicated to recognizing and encouraging inventors and innovators from various disciplines. By acknowledging and supporting creative minds, the NAI helps to strengthen the culture of invention and innovation in the United States and beyond.

The GW Chapter of NAI recognizes and celebrates the outstanding contributions of GW faculty, students, staff, and business partners in areas such as patenting, licensing, innovative discovery, and technology. The GW NAI Chapter serves as a platform that nurtures and supports its members in their pursuit of making a significant impact on society. In collaboration with the GW Technology Commercialization Office, the chapter provides valuable resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities, enabling its members to excel in their respective fields and achieve their fullest potential.

The leadership and guidance of the current GW NAI Fellows, including Charles Garris, Michael Keidar, Robert H. Miller, Holden Thorp, Akos Vertes, and Mona Zaghloul, play a crucial role in shaping the direction and objectives of the chapter. Their dedication and expertise contribute significantly to the cultivation of a thriving inventor community at GW, inspiring the next generation of innovators and change-makers. 

The GW chapter launch is a testament to the university's commitment to fostering a culture of discovery, creativity, and entrepreneurship. By celebrating the accomplishments of its members and providing a forum for idea exchange, the event plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of innovation at George Washington University and beyond.

The GW chapter induction ceremony for members elected in 2025 will be on April 2nd, 2025.

Fellows

Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors. 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. 

9 NAI Fellows have been elected while working at GW:

Igor Efimov, Charles Garris, Michael Keidar, Steven Kubisen, Robert H. Miller, Ferid Murad, Douglas Nixon, Akos Vertes, and Mona Zaghloul.

In addition, Holden Thorp joined as a GW Professor of Chemistry in 2023 having previously been elected NAI Fellow.

Senior Members

NAI Senior Member are nationally recognized 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. 

2 NAI Senior Members have been elected while working at GW: Narine Sarvazyan and Lijie Grace Zhang.

Members

Our GW Chapter Members are exceptional faculty inventors dedicated to innovating the world. These distinguished individuals have made groundbreaking contributions in various fields, from securing patents and licensing to pioneering technological discoveries that have greatly impacted society.

2023 Members

Patricia Berg, Michael Bukrinsky, Cynthia Dowd, Tarek El-Ghazawi, Charles Garris, Stephen Hsu, Valerie Hu, Vivek Jain, Richard Katz, Matthew Kay, Norman Lee, Rong Li, Zhenyu Li, Stuart Licht, Murray Loew, Ahmed Louri, I. Tong Mak, Thomas Mazzuchi, Timothy McCaffrey, David Mendelowitz, Marco Mercader, Richard Millar, John Miller, Mario Miscuglio, David Nagel, Shuyun Rao, Mark Reeves, Narine Sarvazyan, Ekundayo Shittu, Danmeng Shuai, Neal Sikka, Volker Sorger, Ian Toma, Michael Wagner, William Weglicki, Eric Yvon, Jason Zara , Lijie Grace Zhang

2024 Members

Gina Adam, Andrei Afanasev, Elias Balaras, Anne Chiaramello, Andrew Cutler, Payman Dehghanian, David Diemert, Emilia Entcheva, Rohan Fernandes, John Hawdon, Hao (Howie) Huang, Can Korman, Ajit Kumar, Tian Lan, Pamela Norris, Chung Hyuk Park, Sabyasachi Sen, Stephen Smith, Elizabeth Sweeney, Jack Vanderhoek, Guru Venkataramani, Timothy Wood, Wenge Zhu

Honorary Members

The GW Chapter Honorary Members are exceptional students, staff, and business partners driving innovation. Their dedication to fostering groundbreaking ideas and technologies sets them apart. These inspiring individuals support and enhance the innovative spirit of our community.

2023 Honorary Members

Darean Bague, Yi Cao, Nathan Castro, Jim Chung, Keir Daniels, Jonathan George, Sung Hann, Jeffery Hausfeld, Clifford Thomas Holeski Hayashi, Benjamin Holmes, Wilma Jogunoori, Li Lin, Matthew Lumb, Jacob Medina, Connor Roberts, Palak Sekhri, Robert Smith, Carissa Stover, Matthew Tovar, Tien Wong

 

2024 Honorary Members

Lorien Abroms, Weizhen Li, Kevin McKenzie, Vikas Soni, Anmol Taploo, Baijun Xie, Denis Zolotukhin