AAAS and the Lemelson Foundation have joined together to celebrate inventions and inventors in order to increase global understanding of the role of invention in improving our quality of life, creating products and building businesses, and fostering innovation. To do this, the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors program has been created and our inaugural class of seven ambassadors have been chosen!
Inaugural Class Ambassadors
- Karen Burg - Director, Institute for Biological Interfaces of Engineering; Vice President for Research & Professor of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University
- Rory Cooper - Distinguished Professor and FISA/PVA Endowed Chair, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh
- Sorin Grama - Co-Founder and CEO of Promethean Power Systems (USA and India)
- Paul R. Sanberg - Founder and President of the National Academy of Inventors; Sr Vice President for Research and Innovation, University of South Florida
- Steven Sasson - Inventor of Digital Camera
- Paul Stamets - Founder of Fungi Perfecti and Host Defense Organic Mushrooms
- Vinod Veedu - Director of Strategic Initiatives at Oceanit
This esteemed group of Ambassadors are from academia, industry, private companies; have approximately 150 patents amongst them; and have demonstrated: (1) a high regard for the role of invention; (2) an invention track record; (3) an accomplished professional career; (4) a commitment to invention’s role in impacting environmental sustainability; and (5) experience or interest in speaking to audiences. Ambassadorships are 12 months long and each Ambassador will be evangelists for invention in strategically selected public engagement venues.
AAAS and the Lemelson Foundation will celebrate its inaugural class on July 1st, where the Invention Ambassadors will join together at AAAS to tell their stories—what they have invented; how they became inventors; what inspires them; and what their inventions have done for the world. (To RSVP, go to: www.aaas.org/celebrateinvention)
Class 2 nominations will open in the Fall of 2014.
To learn more, please visit www.aaas.org/invention.