Spotlight on: The Thomas A. Edison Patent Award

Have you considered nominating a deserving colleague for ASME's prestigious Thomas A. Edison Patent Award, which is given annually to a distinguished inventor?

The Thomas A. Edison Patent Award recognizes eminent creative achievement in the form of a patented invention, which is broadly recognized as significantly enhancing some aspect of the practice of mechanical engineering or having a significant impact on at least one industrial or commercial sector. These impacts may include creating a new business or industry; substantially improving the efficiency or productivity of an existing machine or process; dramatically reducing the size, weight or resource (e.g., energy, water) requirements in an existing machine or device; improving the quality of life; or financially impacting an existing business or industry. The nomination should focus on a single patent rather than the inventor's entire body of work.

The 2012 Edison Patent Award was given to Vipin Kumar, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Washington, for his work with polymeric foams. Kumar's invention has enabled a breakthrough for the manufacturing of solid-state polymeric foams, which led to the creation of a new business with a wide range of applications, from sustainable, recyclable food packaging materials to novel, high energy-efficient construction materials.

Previous recipients include Jyotirmoy Mazumber for the development of the first closed loop Direct Metal Deposition technology, where functional engineering components can be made in near net shape directly from computer-aided design; Kyriacos A. Athanasiou, for addressing significant health problems of articular cartilage repair through the invention of a patented technology, which at that time was the only implant used worldwide to treat focal cartilage lesions in the knee; and Norman R. McCombs, for developing pressure swing adsorption technology that led to the invention of the first portable oxygen concentrator.

The award, which is presented at the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, consists of a certificate, a bronze plaque, a $1,000 honorarium and a travel supplement to attend the Congress.

The deadline submitting nomination materials for the Thomas A. Edison Patent Award has been extended to Feb. 15, 2013. For more information, please visit the Thomas A. Edison Patent Award page. Questions may be addressed to Norma Johnston, ASME Center for Research and Technology, at johnstonn@asme.org, or to the Edison Patent Award Committee chair, Richard Jacobsen, at jacorich@isu.edu.