The University of New Mexico (UNM) has announced that Sang M. Han, Chair and Regents’ Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been elected into the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). This prestigious accolade recognizes him as an NAI Fellow, marking the highest professional distinction awarded exclusively to inventors.
Han is one of 12 NAI Fellows at UNM. His expertise lies in materials engineering for solar photovoltaic reliability, semiconductor quantum materials engineering driven by instability, and plasma-based materials processing for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Since joining UNM in 2000, Han has earned recognition alongside other distinguished faculty members in the School of Engineering. These include Jeffrey Brinker, Steven Brueck, Ravi Jain, Gabriel Lopez, and David Whitten, according to a press release by UNM.
Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, President of the NAI said, "This year’s class of NAI Fellows showcases the caliber of researchers that are found within the innovation ecosystem. Each of these individuals are making significant contributions to both science and society through their work." He further added, "This new class, in conjunction with our existing Fellows, are creating innovations that are driving crucial advancements across a variety of disciplines and are stimulating the global and national economy in immeasurable ways as they move these technologies from lab to marketplace. We are honored to welcome these highly regarded innovators to the Academy and look forward to formally inducting them at our 2024 Annual Conference in the Research Triangle of North Carolina."
With this recognition, Han joins over 1,700 NAI Fellows worldwide who represent more than 300 universities as well as governmental and non-profit research institutes. Collectively holding more than 58,000 issued U.S. patents, these fellows have generated over 13,000 licensed technologies, established 3,200 companies, and created more than 1 million jobs. Furthermore, their discoveries have generated over $3 trillion in revenue, according to a press release by UNM.
