Akron, OH (May 1, 2008) — On May 2 & 3, 2008, the National Inventors Hall of Fame welcomes its 36th class of inductees. Receiving the honor for 2008 are the inventors such as Amar Bose who is known for his audio innovations, Nick Holonyak who created the LED, and chemist Ruth Benerito who discovered wrinkle-free cotton.
A posthumous recognition ceremony will be held on Friday, May 2nd to honor this year’s deceased inductees, from John Charnley, a British surgeon who gave the world a successful technique for hip replacement surgery to Kelly Johnson, a Lockheed Martin engineer who headed the well known Skunk Works and was instrumental in creating technologically advanced aircraft.
On Saturday, May 3rd, eight living inventors will be honored. All eight inventors will be present to receive the honor and meet many inductees from previous years.
The eight inductees and their inventions include:
- Ruth Benerito, Wrinkle-free cotton
- Amar Bose, Audio technologies
- Nick Holonyak, Jr., LED
- Erna Hoover, Computerized telephone switching
- Amos Joel, Jr., Switching concept for cellular phones
- William Murphy, Jr., Medical devices
- Ken Richardson, Fluconzaole (anti-fungal drug)
- Louis Stevens, Magnetic disk drive
The inventors who will be recognized on May 2nd include:
- Robert Adler (1913-2007), Television remote control
- John Charnley (1911-1982), Hip replacement surgery
- Willem Einthoven (1860-1927), Electrocardiograph
- Calvin Fuller (1902-1994), Gerald Pearson (1905-1987), Daryl Chapin (1906-1995), Silicon solar cell
- Clarence “Kelly” Johnson (1910-1990), Fighter aircraft
- Ray McIntire (1918-1996), Styrofoam® brand foam
- Malcom McLean (1913-2001), Containerized shipping
- Harold McMaster (1916-2003), Tempered glass
- David Pall (1914-2004), Filtration technologies
Additional information about the 2008 inductees who will be recognized over the Induction weekend can be found at the Hall of Fame’s web site, www.invent.org/2008induction.
In addition to honoring the new inductees, the National Inventors Hall of Fame also awards an annual Lifetime Achievement Award to an individual who has fostered innovation throughout his or her lifetime. The 2008 recipient is Riccardo Giacconi, who pioneered the field of X-ray astronomy and fostered advancements in astronomy through his teaching and leadership. His work has led to greater understanding of the formation, evolution, and development of structures in the early universe. Giacconi has served as the first Director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, which oversees the operations of the Hubble Telescope, and as Director General of the European Southern Observatory. Currently on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, Giacconi was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Inventors may be nominated by anyone for induction into the Hall of Fame, but they must hold a U.S. patent to be considered. The nominee’s invention must have contributed to the welfare of society and have promoted the progress of science and the useful arts. The Selection Committee, comprised of representatives from national science and technology organizations, reviews all nominations.
The not-for-profit National Inventors Hall of Fame is the premier organization in America dedicated to honoring and fostering creativity and invention. Each year a new class of inventors is inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their patented inventions that make human, social, and economic progress possible. Founded in 1973 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Association, the Hall’s headquarters are in Akron, Ohio, from where it administers its national programs, including Camp Invention®, Club Invention®, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition®.