Image Credit: Michael Kappel / Flickr
At Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, a significant event took place on February 29, 2024, honoring the ingenious contributions of individuals committed to scientific advancement.
The esteemed Innovator Recognition Ceremony applauded the issuance of 12 patents in 2023.
The admirable drive and ingenuity of 16 scientists from Fermilab were spotlighted, having transformed their novel ideas into tangible patents that push the envelope of technological progress.
Commended Innovations and Patent Recipients
The accolades celebrated a diverse range of inventive progress:
- Sadeep Miryala and Gregory Deptuch, in collaboration with James Hoff, for their inventive semiconductor system design aimed at curtailing soft errors.
- Timothy Ring for pioneering a novel vertical machine designed to rinse objects at high pressure.
- Alexander Shemyakin alongside Ding Sun, for their development of a fast Faraday cup enabling precise charge density measurements.
- Michael Geelhoed for his technique using electron beams to manage invasive species.
- Thomas Kroc and Robert Kephart for devising an introspective system employing X-rays to analyze wellbores and adjacent geological formations.
- Thomas Kroc also gained recognition for his X-ray horn innovation designed to steer electron beams.
- Jin-Yuan Wu for creating a gated ring oscillator with consistent dynamic power consumption.
- Sujit Bidhar for enhancing electrospinning processes using a low power voltage converter.
- Juan Estrada, Guillermo Fernandez Moroni, Andrew Lathrop, and Javier Tiffenberg for their groundbreaking connector interface assembly suited for enclosed vessels.
- Tom Zimmerman and Farah Fahim for their compact, power-efficient, high-resolution analog-to-digital converter, advancing pixel detector technology.
In addition to recognizing patent achievers, Fermilab’s Office of Partnerships and Technology Transfer acknowledged the creativity of 50 laboratory employees for disclosing inventions and software ideas that may bear the potential for future patents.
This celebration extends to DOE Early Career Awardees, such as Silvia Zorzetti and Guillermo Fernandez Moroni, and those who have demonstrated exceptional advancement in their respective scientific domains.
Inspirational Messages from Distinguished Speakers
During the ceremony, distinguished speakers addressed the attendees.
Vanessa Chan, as the DOE’s authority on commercialization, emphasized the significance of these innovators on the world stage.
She noted the transformative impact of their discoveries on aspects of daily life, including national security and environmental sustainability, underscoring the importance of nurturing the upcoming generation of scientists and researchers through programs such as the Commercialization Internship Program linking national laboratories to DOE initiatives.
The Chicago Quantum Exchange’s Open Quantum Initiative also received mention for granting undergraduates hands-on opportunities in cutting-edge quantum science facilities.
Samir Mayekar from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center shared insights on the momentum science is gaining, boosted by extensive intellectual property and world-class engineering.
Likewise, Rich Goffi of Fermilab highlighted the critical role of technology transfer in fulfilling the laboratory’s core mission and future trajectory.
