Inventors receive patent plaques at UAH ceremony

Rows of glass desk plaques, each signifying a UAH-originated patent, await their recipients.

Michael Mercier | UAH

Twenty-five inventors from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) received awards for 30 patents at a ceremony and reception in the lobby of the Bevill Center on campus on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

"This is the inaugural event recognizing innovators within the UAH community," says Kannan Grant, director of UAH's Office of Technology Commercialization.

"There are many innovators at UAH. But this event, in particular, is to recognize those whose innovation has resulted in a patent being awarded by the United States Patent and Trademark Office," he says. "That means their innovations are novel and have the potential to benefit society."

Before an audience of spouses, faculty, deans and center directors, each UAH inventor received a glass desk plaque with the front page of his or her patent and the UAH logo inscribed. The patents presented were issued between 1994 and 2015. Wall plaques for these patents are on display outside the UAH Office of Technology Commercialization in Von Braun Research Hall Room E39.

"As we grow and mature as a university we can expect more innovations from our faculty, staff and students," Grant says. "This is just a small token of how much we appreciate their hard work and perseverance."

Patent titles; the inventor; and the involved college, center or entity are:

• Inertia and Inductance Switches; Francis Wessling (Engineering)
• Electro-Optical Holographic Display; Jeffrey Kulick (Engineering)
• Apparatus and Method for Determining the Concentration of Species in a Substance; Darell Engelhaupt, (Engineering)
• Photonic Bandgap Apparatus and Method for Delaying Photonic Signals; Richard Fork (Engineering)
• Method for Electro-optically Rendering a Holographic Image; Jeffrey Kulick (Engineering)
• Apparatus and Method for Fluid Analysis; Darell Engelhaupt (Engineering) and Wayne Thompson (Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center)
• Microresonator and Associated Method for Producing and Controlling Photonic Signals with a Photonic Bandgap Delay Apparatus; Richard Fork (Engineering)
• Optical System and Method for Performing a Defined Function on an Optical Beam Having at Least One of a Minimized Volume or Reduced Operating Temperature; Richard Fork (Engineering)
• Nickel Cobalt Phosphorous Low Stress Electroplating; Darell Engelhaupt (Engineering)
• Valve Having Ceramic Components and Associated Fabrication Method; James Smith (Engineering)
• Passive Thermal Control Enclosure for Payloads; James Blackwood (Engineering), Susan O'Brien (Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center), Francis Wessling (Engineering)
• Method, System and Computer Program Product for Collecting and Storing Radiation and Position Data; Charles Bosco (Systems Management and Production)
• Crystallization Cassette for the Growth and Analysis of Macromolecular Crystals and an Associated Method; Joseph Ng (Science)
• Planar Lightwave Circuit Waveguide Bends and Beamsplitters; Jennifer English (Engineering)
• Nucleic Acid Detector and Method of Detecting Targets within a Sample; Krishnan Chittur (Engineering), Jeffrey Dowell (Science), Marc Pusey (Science), Joseph Ng (Science)
• Waveguides for Ultra-long Range Surface Plasmon-Polariton Propagation; Junpeng Guo (Engineering)
• Phase-Change Material for Temperature Control and Material Storage; James Blackwood (Engineering), Francis Wessling (Engineering)
• Systems and Methods for Drug Compliance Monitoring; Emil Jovanov; Engineering;
• Systems and Methods for Generating Technical documents; Susan O'Brien; Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center;
• Rocket Based Combined Cycle Propulsion Unit Having External Rocket Thrusters; James Blackmon (Engineering),Brian Landrum(Engineering)
• Compact Neutron Imaging System Using Axisymmetric Mirrors; Darell Engelhaupt (Engineering)
• Systems and Methods for Determining Container Contents, Locations, and Surroundings; Emil Jovanov (Engineering)
• Fiber Optic Directional Sensor and Method; Joseph Geary (Center for Applied Optics)
• Weather Forecasting Systems and Methods; John Walker (Earth Systems Science Center)
• Systems and Methods for Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensing; Robert Lindquist (Engineering), Yongbin Lin (Center for Applied Optics)
• High Quality-Factor Resonator; John Williams (Engineering)
• Scope Correction Apparatuses and Methods; Patrick Reardon (Center for Applied Optics)
• Passive Cooling System and Methods for Electronics; James Smith (Engineering), William Bishop (Engineering)
• Nanostructure Diffraction Gratings for Integrated Spectroscopy and Sensing; Junpeng Guo (Engineering)
• Systems and Methods for Providing Energy to Support Missions in Near Earth Space; Richard Fork (Engineering).