Two Eagle Researchers Named National Academy of Inventors Senior Members

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University faculty members Drs. Seetha Raghavan and Eduardo A. Rojas, each from the College of Engineering, were honored as 2024 National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Senior Members at a conference held last month in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“Both Seetha and Eduardo exemplify the pioneering and innovative spirit of Embry-Riddle,” said Dr. Jim Gregory, dean of the Daytona Beach Campus College of Engineering.

Raghavan and Rojas were among 124 emerging academic inventors inducted by NAI’s Member Institutions as rising leaders in their fields, as defined by past successes in patents, licensing and commercialization of innovation-producing technologies impacting society.

This year’s class of NAI Senior Members hails from 60 NAI Member Institutions nationwide. Collectively, they are named inventors on more than 1,000 U.S. patents, with 344 of those accounting for licensed technologies and commercialized products.

“Innovation and invention have been a key part of my inspiration as a researcher,” said Raghavan, a professor of Aerospace Engineering and associate dean for Research & Graduate Studies. “I am excited to have the opportunity to be part of a community that shares this passion.”

Raghavan’s research has focused on investigating the mechanics of high-temperature coatings for extreme environments in propulsion, hypersonic flight, space exploration and energy applications. Her interest in structural integrity and damage detection also led to patents that focus on multifunctional sensing materials that resist and detect wear and impact in aerospace materials, as well as ones that support measurements on high-temperature coatings for the engine industry and beyond.

“Throughout my career, I have continuously developed strong relationships with industry, government laboratories and nonprofits,” said Raghavan. “This engagement, as well as my years of experience as an engineer in the aerospace industry, have allowed me to understand needs and has driven my efforts in applied research, innovation and technology transition.”

Rojas is an associate professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, a Research Fellow in the College of Engineering at the Daytona Beach Campus and the director of Embry-Riddle’s Wireless Devices and Electromagnetics (WiDE) Laboratory.

“I am deeply honored to accept this award, which reflects not just my efforts but the collaborative spirit of our dedicated students and colleagues who have generated ideas that blossomed into impactful inventions,” said Rojas. “Our inventions were also made possible by the institution's investment and support.”

Rojas’ research interests include microwave/millimeter-wave circuits and antenna applications using additive manufacturing, wireless sensing for harsh environments, radio-frequency hardware security and packaging for free-space optical communications devices. Rojas is co-inventor on eight U.S. patents and has several pending patents.

This year's NAI Senior Members also showcased the diversity of the awardees, with half of the class being outstanding female and/or underrepresented academic inventors.

“This year’s class of Senior Members is truly a testament to the outstanding innovation happening at NAI Member Institutions and what happens when the academic space encourages and celebrates invention and commercialization,” said Paul R. Sanberg, NAI president.

Posted In: Engineering | Institutional News