The document summarizes the inaugural event of the Florida Polytechnic Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors held on March 23, 2016. It provides details on the program, which included welcome remarks, a keynote speech by Dr. D. Yogi Goswami on innovation and entrepreneurship in academics, a student presentation, and the induction of 8 founding chapter members and honorary members. The goal of the chapter is to encourage innovation and applied research at Florida Polytechnic University and foster partnerships to promote entrepreneurship.

1. InauguralChapterEvent
InductionofFoundingChapterMembers
Wednesday,March23,2016
10:00AM
TheCommons
Innovation,ScienceandTechnologyBuilding
FloridaPolytechnicUniversity
Lakeland,Florida

3. Welcome
We welcome you to the inaugural event of the Florida Polytechnic Chapter of National Academy of Inventors. It is an
honor to induct you as the founding members of the Florida Polytechnic Chapter. We congratulate you for your
accomplishments in developing innovative technologies within your areas of expertise. We are starting with eight
memberswhocollectivelyholdmorethan25USpatents.Thisisanastonishingachievementkeepinginmindoursmall
and young community. We have established an Honorary Associate Member category for Florida Polytechnic
inventorswhoeitherhaveapublishedpatentpendingorholdatleastoneforeignpatent.Theideahereistoencourage
innovationandallowfutureandforeignpatentholderstoparticipateinchapteractivities.
ThevisionoftheChapteristobringtogetherFloridaPolytechnicinventorsandcreateanenvironmentthatencourages
problem-driven applied research at the Florida Polytechnic University. In this aspect, the chapter carry forward Dr.
RandyAvent’svisiontomakeFloridaPolytechnicthe“UniversityofInnovation”.TheChapter’sgoalistobuildalliance
withindustrialpartnersthatwillfosterinnovationandentrepreneurshipatFloridaPolytechnic.TheChapterstrivesto
promotecreativethinkingandthespiritofinnovationamongFloridaPolytechnicfacultyandstudents.TheChapterwill
activelysupporttechnologycommercializationactivitiesthataredevelopedattheFloridaPolytechnic.
WeappreciateyoursupportforthisinauguraleventandcommendallofourpresentandfutureinventorsintheFlorida
PolytechnicChapteroftheNationalAcademyofInventors.
JaspreetDhau,ChapterLiaison

4. Program
Welcome andOpening Remarks
Dr.JaspreetDhau,AssistantProfessorofChemistry
PresidentRandyK.Avent,FloridaPolytechnicUniversity
HonoredGuest Speaker
D.YogiGoswami,PhD,PE
NationalAcademyofInventorsNationalFellowandFloridaInventorsHallofFame
DistinguishedUniversityProfessorofEngineering
Director,CleanEnergyResearchCenter
USFInstituteforAdvancedDiscovery&Innovation
Editor-in-Chief,SolarEnergyJournal
“A Culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Academics”
Universityeducationemphasizingpracticalthinkingandencouraginginnovationandentrepreneurshipcan
motivatestudentstoachievetheirhighestpotential.Thisisalsothekeytostudentsuccessinlife.Inacultureof
innovation,studentsandfacultybecomepartnersinsolvingproblemsanddevelopingpracticalsolutionsthat
improvethequalityoflifeforpeoplearoundthem.Studentswhoareeducatedinsuchacultureofinnovationand
entrepreneurship,createstart-upsandemployotherpeopleratherthanlookingforjobsthemselves.Therearemany
successfulexamplesofsuchthinking,mostnotablyintheSiliconValley,California.Thetalkwillillustratethis
educationalphilosophythroughmanyexamplesandsuccessstories.
StudentPresentation
MarkHamilton
GraduateStudent,CollegeofEngineering
“ChallengesAssociatedwithPatentingintheFieldofNanotechnology”
Inductionof Founding Chapter MembersandHonorary Members
(inalphabeticalorder)
RobertAustin
ChristopherCoughlin
JaspreetDhau
WeiDing*
NicoletaHickman
RichardMatyi
NahidMohajeri
SeshaSrinivasan
Closing RemarksandOpen Q&A withStudents andGuestSpeaker
*HonoraryMember

5. D. Yogi Goswami,PhD,PE
Dr.D.YogiGoswamiisaDistinguishedUniversityProfessorandDirectoroftheClean
EnergyResearchCenterattheUniversityofSouthFlorida.Heconductsfundamental
andappliedresearchonSolarThermalPowerandCooling,IndoorAirQuality,
PhotocatalyticDetoxificationandDisinfection,Thermodynamics,ThirdGeneration
Photovoltaics,andHydrogenproductionandstorage.
ProfessorGoswamiistheEditor-in-ChiefoftheSolarEnergyjournal,andProgressin
SolarEnergy.Hehaspublishedasanauthororeditor19booksandmorethan400
refereedtechnicalpapers.Healsoholds16patents,someofwhichhavebeen
successfullycommercialized.
Arecognizedleaderinprofessionalscientificandtechnicalsocieties,Prof.GoswamihasservedasaGovernorof
ASME-International(2003-2006),PresidentoftheInternationalSolarEnergySociety(ISES,2004-2005),SeniorVice
PresidentofASME(2000-2003)andPresidentoftheInternationalAssociationforSolarEnergyEducation(IASEE,
2000-2002).
HeisarecipientoftheFarringtonDanielsAwardfromISES,FrankKreithEnergyawardandmedalfromASME,John
YellottAwardforSolarEnergyfromASMEandtheCharlesGreelyAbbottawardandHoytClarkHottelawardofthe
ASES,andmorethan50awardsandcertificatesfrommajorengineeringandscientificsocietiesforhisworkin
renewableenergy.
Dr.GoswamiisaLifeFellowofASHRAE,ASME,ASESandISESandaFellowofAmericanAssociationforAdvancement
ofScience(AAAS).HeisalsoaFellowoftheNationalAcademyofInventorsandamemberofthePanAmerican
AcademyofEngineers.

6. BiographiesofChapterMember
RobertAustin
Dr.RobertAustinhasattendedtheUniversityofChicagoandPurdue
University,wherehereceivedhisPhDinphysicsin1990.Asagraduatestudentat
Purdue,hewaspartoftheHaleakalaGammaRayObservatorycollaboration.Thetitle
ofhisthesiswas“Upperlimitsforthefluxofveryhigh-energygammaradiationfrom
CygnusX-3andfortheexplosionrateofprimordialblackholesobtainedbythe
HaleakalaGammaRayObservatory.”InhisthesisDr.Austinobtainedthefirstupper
ratelimitontherateofprimordialblackholeexplosionsusingtheairCherenkov
technique.
ProfessorAustinhasaverybroadbackgroundinpureresearch(NASA’s
MarshallSpaceFlightCenter),industry(Pixtech,ProportionalTechnologies,ConstellationTechnology,andField
Forensics,Inc.,),andeducation-intheclassroom(NorthHarrisCommunityCollege,St.PetersburgCommunity
College,andFloridaPolytechnicUniversity)andonline(12yearsteachingastronomyfortheUniversityofPhoenix).
Hehasover20yearsofexperienceinradiationdetectordevelopmentforAstronomy,medicalimaging,and
homelandsecurity.Intheearly1990’s,whileatNASA’sMarshallSpaceFlightCenter,Prof.Austindevelopedan
innovativeimagingpolarimeterforhardx-Rayastronomy.In2011,Prof.Austindevelopedaradiationdetection
system(detector,dataacquisitionsystem,andsoftware)fordetecting,identifying,andlocatingillicitnuclear
materialsthatwasflownonahelicopterUAVduringasuccessfuldemonstrationattheNevadaTestSite.Hehasalso
workedasareliabilityengineer,developingmethodstoreduceagingeffectsinfieldemissiondisplays.Professor
AustinhasmostrecentlybuiltandsuccessfullytestedanNMR-basedbottledliquidsscannerforhomelandsecurity.
Christopher Coughlin
Dr.ChristopherCoughlinisanAssociateProfessorinMechanical&
IndustrialEngineeringatFloridaPolytechnicUniversity. Hehasheldavarietyof
positionsinbothgovernmentandprivateindustrypriortocomingtoFloridaPoly
includingbasicmaterialsresearch,pharmaceuticalregulatoryaffairs,and
consumerproductdevelopment. Hismostrecentresearcheffortshavebeenin
applicationsofpolymerbasedmaterialsfornavalaircraft,especiallystructural
composites,transparenciesandradomesincludingself-healingionomers,the
electrospinningoforganic/inorganiccomposites,andthedevelopmentof
conductivenanowirenetworksforuseinopticaltransparencies. Hehasalso
supportedavarietyofaircraftacquisitionprogramsincludingtheanalysisofpolymerbasedcompositematerialsfor
aircraftapplicationswithrespecttocureconditions,mechanicalpropertydevelopment,andenvironmental
suitability.HeholdsaB.S.E.inPolymerSciencefromCaseWesternReserveUniversityandaPh.D.inPolymerScience
fromtheUniversityofSouthernMississippi.

7. JaspreetDhau
Dr.JaspreetDhauisanAssistantProfessorofChemistryatFlorida
PolytechnicUniversity. Hehasover13yearsofteachingandresearch
experiencebothinacademiaandindustry.HeholdssevenUSPatents,hasfiled
eightpatentapplications,includingonePCTapplication,publishedover30
journalarticles,andcommercializedtwotechnologies.Oneofthese
commercializedtechnologiesinvolvesfabricationofadhesivelessflexiblecircuits
byemployingafullyadditiveprocess.Thefabricationtechnologyiseco-friendly
asitreducesthewastegenerationbymorethan90%whencomparedtothe
currentstate-of-the-arttechnologies.Theprocessdevelopedbyhimresultsina
roll-to-rollmanufacturingprocessbywhichflexcircuitmaterialswithcustommetalthicknesscanbeproducedat
volumeproductionprice.ThetechnologyiscurrentlybeingusedbyAveratekCorporation,SantaClara,CA,USA.Dr.
Dhauisthetechnicalco-founderofAveratekCorporation,spun-offbySRIInternationaltobringthisinnovative
producttomarket.Hehasalsodevelopedatechnologythatgenerateschemicallybondedmolecularlayersona
varietyofmetalsurfacesforcorrosionprotection.Fabricatedmetalpartshavesurvivedmorethan1000hoursofsalt
sprayandsulfurfogtest.ThisisproductisbeingmanufacturedbyCSLinSantaClara,CA.AUSpatenthasbeen
grantedonthistechnology.
Currently,Dr.Dhauisworkingondevelopingthermalenergystoragesystemsforstoringenergyfrom
renewableandnon-renewableenergyresources.Hehasdevelopedatechnologythatstoressolarenergyintheform
ofheatinsaltfilledpolymer,metallicandceramicballs.Thenewcoatingmaterialsdevelopedbyhimcanwithstand
highlycorrosiveenvironmentofmolteninorganicsaltsevenataveryhightemperature.Theenergystoragesystem
containingsaltballstakesuplittlespace,reducecostsandlastlongerthanothertechnologiessofar.Thepresent
technologycostsaslowas$15perkWhth,whichislessthan¼ofthepresentcommercialsystemcosts.The
technologyisnowbeingconsideredforapilotscaledemonstrationbyaleadingutilitycompanyintheregion.His
contributioninthisfieldhasledtothefilingoftwopatentapplications,includingonePCTapplication.
Wei Ding
Dr.WeiDing’srecentresearchhascoveredwirelessnetworksandcyber
securityingeneral,andcyber-physicalsystems,futureInternetarchitecture,soft
definednetworks,theInternetofthings,andsecurityandenergyissuesinsensor
networks,inparticular.Dr.Dingtakesanindependentapproachinresearch,
whichhasresultedintwobooks,fivebookchapters,andmanypeer-reviewed
journalandconferencepapers.Dr.Dinghasatotalofnineyearsoffull-time
teachingexperienceatfour-yearU.S.universities.Hecanteachmost
undergraduatecoursesintheareasofcomputerscience,informationsystems,
andinformationtechnology,aswellasmanygraduatecoursesinandbeyondhis
specialtyareas.Hismostexperiencedareasinteachingincludeprogramming,
computernetworks,cybersecurity,databases,operatingsystems,computation
theory,artificialintelligence,andinformationretrieval.Hehasservedastechnicalprogramcommitteememberfor
manyIEEE/ACMconferences.
Inadditiontoresearchandteachingexperience,Dr.Dinghas10yearsofindustrialexperienceinIT-related
businessesinChinathatinvolvedseveralsuccessfulapplicationsofITtheoriesintherealworld.Heisproficientin10+
programminglanguagesaswellasmultipleweblanguages,parallel/high-performancecomputinglanguagesand
variousoperatingsystemsandnetworktechnologies.HeisaregisteredengineerinChina,wherehepatentedhis
designforanelectronicear.

8. Nicoleta Hickman
Dr.NicoletaHickmanisanAssociateProfessorofPhysicsintheCollegeof
Innovation&Technology,whereshehasbeenafacultymembersince2015.Priorto
joiningFloridaPoly,shewasanAssociateProfessorintheThermoelectricand
PhotovoltaicHybridLaboratoryattheFloridaSolarEnergyCenteratUCF,Orlando.
Dr.HickmancompletedherPh.D.andhermaster’sdegreeinPhysicsatClemson
University.Sheholdsamaster’sdegreeandbachelor’sdegreeinPhysicsfromat“Al.I.
Cuza”UniversityinRomania.Shehasonepatentandfourprovisionalpatents.
Hermajorresearchinterestisinphotovoltaicandthermoelectricmaterials
anddevices.Theinterdisciplinaryphilosophyofresearchwithinherlabcombinesthe
disciplinesofphysics,nanotechnology,materialsscience,chemistryandelectrical
engineeringleadingtowardattractiveresearchopportunities.Thebackgroundofstudentsandresearcherswithinthe
labreflectthisbreadth,andasaresult,thelaboratoryisverticallyintegratedinitsactivities,straddlingfrombasicto
appliedresearch.Sheisheavilyengagedinteachingphysicsandmaterialsforrenewableandsustainableenergy.
AspartofhereffortatFloridaPoly,sheisworkingonstrategicplanning,implementingandmeasuring
sustainabilityprogramsthroughoutcampus.Thisincludesworkwithincurriculum,studentlife,campusoperations
andcampusgovernance. Shehasservedonmanyconferenceandworkshopprogramcommittees.Shecurrently
servesasChairoftheShortClassesandTutorialsatthe43thIEEEPhotovoltaicSpecialistsConference. Dr.Hickmanis
theCEOandDirectorofResearchatHybridaSol,apowergenerationandthermalmanagementbasedon
thermoelectricmaterialscompanysheco-foundedin2013.
Richard Matyi
Dr.RichardMatyihashadasuccessfulandproductivecareerinacademia,
governmentandindustry.Hehasover30years’directexperienceinthegrowth,
characterizationandutilizationofthemajormaterialsclasses–metals,ceramics,
semiconductorsandpolymers–withhands-onexperienceintheapplicationofa
varietyofcharacterizationtools.Hisrecordofscholarlyworkincludesover180
scientificpublications,over120technicalpresentations,sixbooksorbookchapters,
threeU.S.patentsissued,twoStandardReferenceMaterialscreatedandoneISO
standardpublished.HeisaninternationallyrecognizedexpertinX-raymethodsused
inmaterialsanalysis,withdocumentedleadershipinhighresolutionX-raydiffraction
andX-rayreflectometryapproachestothestructuralcharacterizationofmaterials.Earlierinhiscareer,Dr.Matyiwas
atechnicalstaffmemberatTexasInstrumentsinDallas.AtTIhewasinvolvedinthegrowthofmaterialsforultra-
smallelectronics,includingthefirstthreeterminaldevicebasedonresonanttunnelingandthefirstcontrollablethree
dimensionalquantizedstructure(“quantumdot”)inanepitaxiallygrownheterostructure.Healsodemonstratedthe
integrationofGaAsandsiliconmaterialsanddevicetechnologiesforthefirsttimeinasingleintegratedcircuit,and
executedaparallelprogramtodeveloptheGaAs/Simaterialstechnologyrequiredfortheco-integrationprocess.
HeholdsaPh.D.inmaterialsscienceandengineeringfromNorthwesternUniversity.Hismaster’sdegreeisin
materialsscienceandengineeringfromMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,andhisbachelor’sdegreeinmaterials
scienceandengineeringisfromNorthwestern.HisprofessionalaffiliationsincludetheAmericanCrystallographic
Association,theAmericanSocietyofEngineeringEducationandtheMaterialsResearchSociety.

9. NahidMohajeri
Dr.NahidMohajeriisanAssociateProfessorofChemistryatFloridaPolytechnic
University(FlPoly)andFounder/CEOofHySenseTechnologyLLCwithmorethantwenty
yearsofexperienceinR&D,education,academicmentorshipandentrepreneurship.
PriortoFlPoly,Dr.MohajeriwasanAssociateResearchProfessorat
UniversityofCentralFlorida-FloridaSolarEnergyCenter(FSEC).Duringher12years
tenureatFSEC,shehadworkedonvarietyofprojectsrangingfromhydrogen
storageanddetectiontoprotonexchangemembranefuelcells.Dr.Mohajeri’s
mainareaofresearchinterestisinsoftmaterialsforenergyapplications,self-
healingmaterials,andheat/fireresistantpolymers.Furthermore,sheisalso
interestedincolor-changingdetectorsandsensorsforhazardousgasesandliquids
used/producedinindustrialandbiologicalapplications.Dr.Mohajeri’sresearchhas
resulted11patentsandmorethantwodozenpeerreviewedpublications.
In2013,Dr.MohajerifoundedHySenseTechnologyLLCwithanambitiousgoalofcommercializinga
chemochromichydrogenleakdetectiontechnologythatwasjointlydevelopedbyateamofFSEC’sandNASA-KSC’s
researchersinwhichshewasoneoftheteammembers.HerbusinessplanforHySenseTechnologylandeda$10K
prizeasatoptenfinalistinDepartmentofEnergy2013MegaWattcompetition,afirstplace$100Kawardwinnerin
2014SpaceFloridaCAT5competitionand2014R&D100award.
Dr.MohajeriisanactivememberofAmericanChemicalSociety(ACS)bothatnationalandlocallevel.She
wasthe2007chairofACS-Orlandosection,theACS-OrlandoChemistryOlympiadCoordinatorfrom2008-2014,and
anassociateinACS-WomenChemistCommitteesince2013.
Dr.MohajeriobtainedherBachelorofScienceinChemicalEngineeringfromAmirKabirUniversityof
Technology(TehranPolytechnic)in1989followedbyherMasterandPh.D.inChemistryfromFloridaInstituteof
Technologyin1994and1999respectively.
Sesha Srinivasan
Dr.SeshaSrinivasanisoneoftheinauguralfacultyatFloridaPolytechnic
UniversitywhoiscurrentlyteachingPhysicsandEngineeringcourses.Hehas
servedasatenuretrackAssistantProfessorofPhysicsatTuskegeeUniversityin
theStateofAlabamafromfall2009tillspring2014.Priortohisteaching
endeavor,Dr.SrinivasanworkedinvariouscapacitiessuchasResearchAssistant
Professor,SeniorResearcherandPost-DoctoralFellowattheUniversityofSouth
Florida,CleanEnergyResearchCenter(USF-CERC)Tampa,FLfrom2004to2009
andatUniversityofHawaii,DepartmentofChemistryfrom2002till2004. Dr.
Srinivasanandhisco-inventorshavereceivedtwoUSPatents(US8,153,020,US
8,440,100)andwereissuedtoUniversityofSouthFloridaintheyears2012and
2013forthe“hydrogenstoringhydridecomplexesandtheiruniquemanufacturingmethods.”Hehastwoother
provisionalpatentdisclosures;onefromTuskegeeUniversityfiledin2013onandtheotherincollaborationwithDr.
JaspreetDhauatFloridaPolytechnicUniversityfiledin2014.Dr.SeshaSrinivasan,iscurrentlyservingasafullmember
ofSigma-Xi,PhysicscongresscommitteememberofSigma-Pi-Sigma,facultyliaisonofFloridaAcademyofSciences
andfacultyadvisorofFLPolychapter,SocietyofPhysicsStudents.Dr.Srinivasanhaspublishedfivebookchapters,
morethan75peerreviewedjournalpublicationsandmanymoreconferenceproceedings.Hewasawardedseveral
researchgrantsfromfederalandprivateindustries.

10. GraduateStudentPosterPresentations
AcceleratedPatent ExaminationProceduresAvailable atUSPTO
LangleyPayton& Michelle Powell
Patenting ComputerSoftware Programs
Christopher Didier &JohnMcCormack
Natural ProductsandLiving Things: Issues& Challenges
EvertonJackson& Maya Wilson
ChallengesinPatenting 3-D PrintingTechnologies& Processes
Aswini Indukuri & Sanat Varasada

11. AbouttheNationalAcademyofInventors
TheNationalAcademyofInventors®(NAI)isa501(c)(3)non-profitmemberorganizationcomprisingU.S.and
internationaluniversitiesandgovernmentalandnon-profitresearchinstitute,withover3,000individualinventor
membersandFellowsspanningmorethan200institutions,andgrowingrapidly.ItwasfoundedattheUniversityof
SouthFloridain2010torecognizeandencourageinventorswithpatentsissuedfromtheU.S.PatentandTrademark
Office,enhancethevisibilityofacademictechnologyandinnovation,encouragethedisclosureofintellectual
property,educateandmentorinnovativestudents,andtranslatetheinventionsofitsmemberstobenefitsociety.
NAIFellows
ElectiontoNAIFellowstatusisahighprofessionaldistinctionaccordedtoacademicinventorswhohave
demonstratedahighlyprolificspiritofinnovationincreatingorfacilitatingoutstandinginventionsthathavemadea
tangibleimpactonqualityoflife,economicdevelopment,andthewelfareofsociety.TheNAIFellowsProgramhas
582Fellowsworldwiderepresentingmorethan190prestigiousuniversitiesandgovernmentalandnon-profit
researchinstitutions.Collectively,theFellowsholdmorethan20,000issuedU.S.patents.
Withtheinductionofthe2015class,therearenowmorethan80presidentsandseniorleadersofresearch
universitiesandnon-profitresearchinstitutes,310membersoftheotherNationalAcademies(NAS,NAE,NAM),27
inducteesoftheNationalInventorsHallofFame,36recipientsoftheU.S.NationalMedalofTechnologyand
InnovationandU.S.NationalMedalofScience,27NobelLaureates,14Lemelson-MITprizerecipients,170AAAS
Fellows,and98IEEEFellows,amongotherawardsanddistinctions.
www.AcademyofInventors.org

12. Mission
ThemissionofFloridaPolytechnicUniversityistoprepare21stcenturylearnersinadvancedfieldsofscience,
technology,engineeringandmathematics(STEM)tobecomeinnovativeproblem-solversandhigh-techprofessionals
throughinterdisciplinaryteaching,leading-edgeresearchandcollaborativelocal,regionalandglobalpartnerships.
Vision
FloridaPolytechnicUniversitywillbeaworld-renowned“UniversityofInnovation”forproducingadynamicpoolof
info-techtalentwithreal-worldsolutionsandthecapacitytoleadglobalhigh-techindustriesthroughcustomized
undergraduateandgraduateSTEM-enrichedacademiccurriculum,operatingspaceandfacilities,entrepreneurial
researchandinteractivebusinessindustrypartnerships.
www.floridapolytechnic.org