Two faculty members from the University of Arizona have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Shibin Jiang, an adjunct research professor in the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, and Abhijit Mahalanobis, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, have been recognized for their significant contributions to their respective fields.
University President Suresh Garimella expressed pride in their achievements, stating, "Being elected to the National Academy of Inventors is a distinguished honor recognizing both technical innovation and its impact in the world." He added that their work aligns with the university's mission as a land-grant institution.
The NAI fellowship is considered one of the highest professional honors for academic inventors. Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president of research and innovation at the university, highlighted their accomplishments: "The selection of Dr. Shibin Jiang and Dr. Abhijit Mahalanobis as fellows... reflects their remarkable achievements in turning ideas into impactful solutions that serve society."
Doug Hockstad, associate vice president of Tech Launch Arizona, emphasized the university's commitment to bringing inventions from lab to market: "We are honored and humbled by these faculty and excited to help move innovations to the world."
Shibin Jiang has made notable advancements in photonic glasses, fiber amplifiers, and lasers. With 52 U.S. patents under his name, he has founded several companies including NP Photonics and AdValue Technology. His development of erbium-doped phosphate glass fiber has been pivotal for applications such as ultrafast lasers and space technology.
Jiang acknowledged those who supported him: "It was the hard work of the scientists, engineers and technicians I worked with that earned me this significant award."
Abhijit Mahalanobis specializes in video and image processing for defense applications. He holds six patents and has published extensively on topics related to automatic target recognition. His career includes roles at Lockheed Martin and Raytheon before joining academia.
Mahalanobis expressed gratitude for his recognition: "I am humbled... In this capacity, I hope to foster creativity in our students."
Both professors join 18 other current or former University of Arizona faculty members who have received this honor. They will be recognized at NAI's annual conference on June 26 in Atlanta.
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