Two engineering faculty have been honored as Senior Members by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Drs. Nick Duffield and Arum Han join 162 emerging academic inventors recognized by NAI’s Member Institutions and inducted into the 2025 class. This year's class is the largest ever, representing 64 NAI Member Institutions nationwide and collectively holding over 1,200 U.S. patents.
NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists, and administrators who have excelled in patents, licensing, and commercialization. They have developed technologies that have made, or aim to make, a significant impact on society's welfare. These rising stars foster innovation within their communities and institutions while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors.
"We are incredibly proud of Drs. Duffield and Han for this notable recognition. Their achievements in innovation exemplify the pioneering spirit and dedication to excellence we strive for in the College of Engineering," said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering. "Their work will inspire future generations of engineers and make a positive impact on our world."
Dr. Nick Duffield
Duffield holds the Royce E. Wisenbaker Professorship I in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and directs the Texas A&M Institute of Data Science. His research integrates the foundations and applications of data science and computer networking, focusing on graph stream sampling, network measurement and resilience, and applications to transportation, agriculture, infrastructure, and operations
“It is immensely gratifying for researchers to see their ideas translated into practice within commercial products and services,” said Duffield. “I greatly appreciate this recognition from the National Academy of Inventors.”
Dr. Arum Han
Han is the Texas Instruments Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, associate dean for research for the Texas A&M College of Engineering, and associate agency director for the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station. He also directs the NanoBio Systems Laboratory and the AggieFab Nanofabrication Facility at Texas A&M. His research focuses on solving grand challenge problems in the broad area of health and energy through the use of micro/nano systems technology.
“Our lab has always been interested in developing groundbreaking technologies that can make broad impact in solving real-world problems,” said Han. “Seeing this actually happening has been a great pleasure that I feel very proud of.”
Senior membership is exclusively available to inventors affiliated with an active NAI Member Institution. Currently, there are 553 Senior Members, holding over 5,700 U.S. patents and representing more than 100 NAI Member Institutions worldwide.
The 2025 class of Senior Members will be honored at the Senior Member Induction Ceremony during NAI’s 14th Annual Conference, held from June 23-26, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. This conference is the premier event for innovators to gather, exchange ideas, foster collaborations, and celebrate advancements in invention.