Hua Bai and Sheng Dai Named NAI Fellows

Two faculty members at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville—Hua "Kevin" Bai, a professor in the Center for Ultra-Wide-Area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks in the Tickle College of Engineering, and Sheng Dai, a chemistry professor who holds a joint faculty appointment between UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory—have been elected National Academy of Inventors Fellows.

NAI Fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors. The 2025 cohort includes 169 distinguished U.S. academic and institutional inventors that represent 127 universities, government agencies, and research institutions across 40 states.

Bai's research focuses on electrical vehicle-related power electronics, particularly wide-bandgap semiconductor-enabled power modules, battery chargers, DC-DC converters, motor drive inverters, battery management systems and second-life batteries. Over the past two decades, his research group has been sponsored by various automotive companies to renovate and innovate onboard electronics.

"Being elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors is by far the most exhilarating moment of my academic career," Bai said. "I would attribute this honor to our research team's hard work and critical thinking, our sponsors' insightful advice and unwavering trust, close and pleasant collaboration with my colleagues, and the UT Research Foundation's professional facilitation of patent filing and tech transfer. I look forward to many wonderful years ahead to continue working with our industry partners and contributing to the University of Tennessee and the automotive power electronics community."

Dai's research focuses on developing advanced materials for energy-related applications. He studies ionic liquids and porous materials to learn how they can be used for separating different substances, storing energy and speeding up chemical reactions. Dai is also developing ways to turn plant-based carbon into graphite, which can be used for storing energy.

"I am deeply honored to be elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors," Dai said. "This recognition reflects the unique collaborative research environment and exceptional facilities at both the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Lab, which have been essential to my work and success. I am grateful to my colleagues, postdocs, students and collaborators whose creativity and dedication continually inspire me."

Honoring innovation

The NAI Fellows program was founded in 2012 and has grown to include 2,253 distinguished researchers and innovators, who hold more than 86,000 U.S. patents and 20,000 licensed technologies. Their innovations have generated an estimated $3.8 trillion in revenue and 1.4 million jobs.

Bai and Dai and the other members of the 2025 class will be formally inducted during the NAI Annual Conference on June 4, 2026.

Provided by University of Tennessee at Knoxville