National Academy of Inventors to hold first annual conference

The National Academy of Inventors, a nonprofit (501c3) membership organization dedicated to honoring, recognizing and encouraging university-based inventors, will hold its inaugural annual conference February 16-17, 2012, in Tampa, Florida
(www.academyofinventors.org).

The conference will be hosted by the University of South Florida NAI chapter and will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel on the USF campus.

For the first time, the conference will bring together NAI members from laboratories and universities from around the globe who are responsible for inventing and patenting medical, scientific, artistic and engineering breakthroughs that save lives, create jobs and make life safer and more productive.

"When we established the Academy, our goal was to create an arena where academic invention would be encouraged, recognized and applauded," said NAI president Dr. Paul Sanberg, senior associate vice president for research and innovation at the University of South Florida. "While research and publishing have long been academic benchmarks, invention and getting inventions patented is an achievement too often overlooked. Every member of the NAI belongs to the prestigious group of U.S. Patent Office and Trademark Office patent holders."

Established in 2010 at the University of South Florida, the growing NAI now boasts over 500 members from 17 universities and non-profit research institutes. Member Institutions of the NAI are invited to form local chapters.

The organization edits an interdisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation - Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors, published by Cognizant Communication Corporation.

According to Dr. Sandra Degen, vice president for research at the University of Cincinnati and president of the UC Chapter of the NAI, the NAI has been instrumental in enhancing the visibility of university technology development, promoting entreprenuership, providing a resource for the economic development of the university and the community, and assisting in the translation of intellectual property.
"Please save the date and join us in February," said Dr. Sanberg.