Recognition Programs

UMSL appreciates, recognizes, and celebrates its innovators, including through formalized initiatives.

UMSL Innovator of the Year Award

Each year, the University of Missouri-St. Louis honors outstanding faculty in the areas of research, innovation, and commercialization. Selection of the “Innovator of the Year” award winner is based on criteria that can include, but are not limited to, the following: having disclosed to the University a discovery/invention that has contributed (or has the potential to contribute) significantly to the public good, economy, research funding to UMSL, regional entrepreneurship, and advancement of science and useful arts. Eligible candidates include faculty and staff with an active invention disclosure on file with UMSL during the previous calendar year. Current student inventors are eligible for the “Student Innovator of the Year” based on the same criteria for the faculty innovator award. Each winner receives $500 dollars and is recognized at the annual UMSL Research & Innovation reception event.

Dr. Michael Nichols is our 2024 Innovator of the year, pictured below, right, with Vice Chancellor for Research Christopher Spilling. Also, see all previous winners.

UMSL Wall of Innovation

Each issued U.S. patent with an UMSL inventor is displayed on the UMSL Wall of Innovation in the Science Learning Building (SLB) lobby. This wall helps illustrates the amazing research conducted at UMSL that can have a positive impact on the well-being of society. Each patent plaque represents cutting-edge innovation and the desire to improve people’s lives.

The National Academy of Inventors

and the UMSL NAI Chapter

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities and government and nonprofit research institutes. The NAI was founded in 2010 to: 

• Recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• Enhance visibility of university and nonprofit research institute innovations.
• Encourage disclosure of intellectual property.
• Educate and mentor innovative students.
• Translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.

The NAI publishes the multidisciplinary journal Technology & Innovation, hosts an annual meeting and recognizes individual inventors through its Fellows and Senior Member programs.

UMSL is a member institution in the NAI. The UMSL chapter was established in 2011 to promote and foster innovation on campus. Individual membership is available through local university and nonprofit research institute chapters.

Those interested in joining UMSL's chapter must have at least one patent issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact UMSLtechtransfer@umsl.edu for more membership information.

UMSL NAI Fellows

George Gokel, Professor Emeritus
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Zhi Xu, Associate Professor - retired
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

UMSL NAI Members

• James K. Bashkin, Professor
  Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Carl Bassi, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor
  College of Optometry
• Janet Braddock-Wilking, Professor Emerita
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Thomas Eyssell, Professor Emeritus
  College of Business Administration
• Philip Fraundorf, Associate Professor
  Department of Physics & Astronomy
• Bruce Hamper, Assistant Teaching Professor
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Wayne Garver, Lecturer, retired
  Department of Physics & Astronomy
• George Gokel, Professor Emeritus
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry (NAI Fellow)
• Peter Handel, Professor Emeritus
  Department of Physics & Astronomy
• George Harris, Research Assistant
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

• Wesley Harris, Professor Emeritus
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Charles Hoffman, Dean Emeritus
  College of Business Administration
• Michael Howe, Senior Research Engineering Technician
  College of Optometry
• David Larsen, Professor Emeritus
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Haitao Li, Professor and Chair
  Department of Supply Chain Management & Analytics
• Eric Majzoub, Professor
  Department of Physics & Astronomy
• Raymond Myers, Clinical Professor Emeritus
  College of Optometry
• Tareq Nabhan, Assistant Clinical Professor
  College of Optometry
• Michael Nichols, Professor
  Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

• Joseph O’Sullivan, Professor and Dean
  UMSL/WUSTL Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program
• Vivek Singh, Assistant Professor
  Department of Information Systems & Technology
• Christopher Spilling, Professor of Chemistry and Vice Chancellor
  Research and Economic & Community Development
• Marc Spingola, Associate Teaching Professor
  Department of Biology
• Xuemin Wang, E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor of Plant Science
  Department of Biology; member, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
• Christopher Wolin, Assistant Teaching Professor
  Department of Biology
• Zhi Xu, Associate Professor - retired
  Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry (NAI Fellow)