ASU Chapter | National Academy of Inventors


The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) was founded to recognize and encourage academic inventors who have a patent issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The goals are to enhance the visibility of university technology and academic innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.

The Arizona State University chapter of the NAI, under the leadership of Sally C. Morton, recognizes inventors and promotes innovation across all disciplines of the institution.

Why join?

The ASU chapter of the NAI:

  • Honors, encourages and publicly recognizes academic inventors who hold patents, including faculty, graduate students, staff, alumni and affiliates.
  • Encourages the disclosure of intellectual property and the translation of inventions to benefit society.
  • Promotes and enhances the development and commercialization of university patents and innovations.
  • Provides a vehicle by which to encourage change in the culture at the university.
  • Leverages the NAI’s connection with the USPTO, the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM).
  • Provides a mechanism for potentially enhancing innovation both locally and nationally.
  • Promotes interdisciplinary groups for fostering new ideas.
  • Provides the opportunity to publish in “Innovation and Technology, Journal of the National Academy of Inventors.”
  • Provides a mechanism for developing relevant invention-based activities, such as workshops or symposia on innovation and invention.
  • Encourages creative thinking, a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Provides advice and guidance to new and existing inventors in their work.
  • Enhances the visibility of university technology development, promotes entrepreneurship and provides a means to advocate for university innovation in the local community.
  • Creates a resource for the local community to facilitate greater industry research contracts and interactions with companies and organizations in order to increase economic impact.
  • Promotes understanding of the translational use of inventions at the university and elsewhere and provides role models in such endeavors for students, staff and faculty.
ASU National Academy of Inventors members
Inductees to the ASU chapter of the National Academy of Inventors

Become a member:

Inventors with four or more patents through Arizona State University will be considered for eligibility. Please contact Nicole Woodrick for more information.