COE Professors To Be Recognized at National Academy of Inventors Annual Conference

Three College of Engineering faculty members will be recognized at the National Adademy of Inventors annual conference in Atlanta.

Two NC State University College of Engineering professors who were elected 2024 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors will be formally inducted during NAI’s 14th Annual Conference later this month in Atlanta.

Martin Thuo, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Victor Veliadis, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the executive director and CTO of PowerAmerica Institute, join nine other COE faculty members as NAI Fellows. NAI Fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.

Ge Yang, a professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, was elected a Senior Member in February and will also be recognized at the conference. Senior Members have produced technologies that have brought or aspire to make a real impact on the welfare of society.

The NAI recognized Thuo for his significant impact on frugal science/innovation and his ability to minimize cost and complexity while providing efficient solutions to better human conditions. His expertise is in functional soft matter, surface/interface thermodynamics, metastable materials for manufacturing/technology development and experiential learning. His key inventions include heat-free and low-temperature solders, biorenewable solid lubricants and self-assembled microelectronic components.

Veliadis was elected for his work in silicon carbide (SiC) power devices and electronics. Before joining PowerAmerica, he spent 21 years in the semiconductor industry and worked on the design, fabrication and testing of silicon carbide and gallium nitride devices for commercial and military applications. In 2007, he designed and fabricated the world’s largest SiC transistor.

Yang is recognized as an emerging innovator. His research focuses on developing advanced materials to improve radiation detection and imaging technologies that are used in a wide range of fields, including medical imaging, nuclear energy, nonproliferation, nuclear security, industrial process monitoring, environmental safety survey and remediation, astronomical observation instrumentation and high-energy physics research and development.

Thuo and Veliadis are part of a cohort of researchers and inventors who have contributed to major advancements in science and consumer technologies. The 2024 NAI Fellows — who come from 39 different states, 12 countries and 135 institutions worldwide — collectively hold over 5,000 issued U.S. patents. Their innovations have generated over $3.2 trillion in revenue and generated 1.2 million jobs.

Yang is part of the largest cohort to date of NAI Senior Members. Collectively, they are named inventors on over 1,200 U.S. patents.

The conference takes place June 23-26.