Kalinin, Melcher Named NAI Fellows
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Professors Sergei Kalinin and Chuck Melcher have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, the organization announced Tuesday morning.
NAI fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors and recognizes their exceptional achievements for contributions that have made a significant impact on innovation, economic development and society's welfare.
As members of the 2024 class of NAI Fellows, Kalinin and Melcher join a distinguished group of world-class innovators and leaders who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation through outstanding inventions.
Small Scales, Big Discoveries
Kalinin, the Weston Fulton Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, combines the classical physical approach of making things simpler by going to atomic and nanometer scales with the development of machine-learning-enabled tools that make the discovery faster.
Over the past 25 years, Kalinin's work has generated more than 20 patents. They include processes for making measurement guidelines for accurate electric readings, studying small-scale chemical methods and building structures one atom at a time using electron beams.
"I believe that the true measure of scientific research is the impact it has on life," Kalinin said. "This does not mean that I am pursuing only immediate applications—very often technologies of 20-30 years in the future are built on the fundamental science of today. However, ultimately science builds on what was done before, and what drives me is the desire to build the next generation of tools that can accelerate real-world materials and physics discovery from the atomic and nanometer scales up."
Patents That Benefit the Public
Melcher is a research professor in MSE and the Department of Nuclear Engineering as well as the director of the Scintillation Materials Research Center. He is a pioneer in the field of radiation detection materials for applications in medical imaging, remote downhole measurements in oil wells and nuclear security. He is a named inventor on 31 U.S. patents and 32 foreign patents.
Melcher's patents have had worldwide impact on the public welfare. His patented technology has improved the efficiency of oil production by precisely measuring the relative amounts of oil and water in rock strata. Melcher's medical imaging technology has spread to nearly every country due to its ability to help physicians diagnose cancer at an earlier stage than was previously possible, and his new radiation detection technology is critical to the ability to discover nuclear and radiological threats.
"I am grateful for the NAI's recognition and for the numerous contributions of my colleagues and students," Melcher said. "The tangible impact in areas of public welfare is particularly gratifying."
Since its founding in 2012, the NAI Fellows program has grown to include 2,068 researchers and innovators, who hold more than 68,000 U.S. patents and 20,000 licensed technologies. This year's class is composed of 170 individuals hailing from 135 research universities, government agencies and nonprofit research institutions representing 39 states and 12 countries.
Kalinin and Melcher will be formally inducted as fellows at the NAI annual meeting on June 26, 2025, in Atlanta.
—
Contact:
Jennifer Johnson (865-974-4448, jjohn522@utk.edu)
Provided by University of Tennessee at Knoxville