Researchers Inducted into FAU Chapter of National Academy of Inventors

FAU, Florida Atlantic University, University, Entrance

This year’s inductees include faculty researchers from FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science; Charles E. Schmidt College of Science; Schmidt College of Medicine; and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. (Photo by Alex Dolce)

By gisele galoustian | 11/28/2022

Four Florida Atlantic University researchers have been selected for induction into the FAU Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors® (NAI). The chapter is one of more than 50 university chapters nationwide. The FAU chapter was established to recognize inventors from each of FAU’s 10 colleges. Inductees are selected for their accomplishments in research and commercialization and for enhancing the visibility of scientific innovation at FAU.

“We are incredibly proud and excited to induct four of our outstanding faculty researchers into the Florida Atlantic University Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors,” said Daniel C. Flynn, Ph.D., FAU’s vice president for research. “Each of the inductees are accomplished researchers whose discoveries in various fields will positively impact quality of life worldwide. We recognize and celebrate their numerous achievements and contributions at the intersection of academia and invention.”

Mehrdad Nojoumian , Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Privacy, Security, and Trust in Autonomy Lab at FAU within the College of Engineering and Computer Science. His research expertise includes cybersecurity, privacy, AI-and-society, and human-autonomy interactions. Nojoumian has two issued patents on adaptive mood control and adaptive driving mode in autonomous vehicles, and two pending patents for an active, vulnerable occupant on board warning system as well as adaptive cyber manufacturing using remote human-robot interactions.

Warner A. Miller , Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Physics within FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. He is a Robert Oppenheimer Fellow and Ira C. Eaker Fellow and a retired Lt. Colonel, United States Air Force. Miller’s research expertise includes general relativity, discrete geometry, Regge calculus, Simplicial Ricci flow, black hole astrophysics, quantum information geometry and quantum gravity. In concert with Qubitekk and L3Harris, he is leading the nation’s efforts to deliver the first drone-based, mobile quantum network to seamlessly maneuver around buildings, inclement weather and terrain and quickly adapt to changing environments such as warfare. In 2018, he was appointed to serve as a member of the International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations focused on information and communication technologies.

Andrew Oleinikov , Ph.D., is a professor of biomedical science within FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine. His current research interests include surface proteins functions of human parasite Plasmodium falciparum and mechanisms of parasite-host interactions, malaria vaccine candidates, molecular mechanisms of low birth weight in placental malaria, and anti-adhesion drugs. In addition, he develops tools and technologies for single cell analysis, tissue-on-a-chip, and high throughput approaches, in collaboration with FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, as well as the functional role of a giant endocytic and signaling receptor megalin in placenta.

Paul Wills , Ph.D., is a research professor and associate director for research at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. He has significant expertise on a wide variety of methods for biological research with fish animals. Wills’ area of research is fishery science and aquaculture science specializing in finfish aquaculture methods, application of autonomous systems and sensing technology and land-based recirculating system design to aquaculture production. Within this domain, Wills’ work has focused on aquaculture for sustainable food production and production of juvenile fishes to meet fishery management objectives. His various projects include chromosome set manipulation for fisheries management and aquaculture; warmwater marine fish for land-based aquaculture; cobia for recircula ting aquaculture system-based farms; and robotics technology for sustainable pond aquaculture.

The NAI is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with more than 4,000 individual inventor members and fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide.

The NAI was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.

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