National Academy of Inventors’ 2025 Inductees Include 4 Faculty Members from the UGA New Materials Institute

Four of eight University of Georgia researchers selected for induction into the National Academy of Inventors’ Senior Members are faculty members affiliated with the UGA New Materials Institute, including its director. NAI Senior Members are distinguished faculty, scientists and administrators who have demonstrated success in patents, licensing and commercialization. They develop technologies that have made, or have the potential to make, meaningful impacts on society.

Jason Locklin, Sergiy Minko, Suraj Sharma and Keenan Song, all faculty affiliated with the UGA NMI, will be inducted as NAI Senior Members in June, bringing UGA’s total number of Senior Members to 24.

• Locklin’s innovative work in polymer science and materials engineering has led to the development of novel materials with practical applications in green engineering. He holds 17 issued U.S. patents and multiple international patents in the field of biomaterials and bioplastics. In 2017, he founded the New Materials Institute at UGA, which has fostered collaboration with more than 35 industry partners. Locklin serves as the Institute’s director. He is also a professor of chemistry and department head in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
• Minko’s research in nanostructured soft materials, sustainable biomaterials and functional polymers has resulted in seven issued U.S. patents and multiple international patents. His interdisciplinary collaborations have secured over $3.5 million in research funding and produced nearly 250 peer-reviewed publications. He co-founded two companies, including one, CytoNest Inc., that recently launched its first product, CytoSurge 3D fiber scaffold. Minko is the Georgia Power Professor of Fiber and Polymer Science, in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, and a professor in the Department of Chemistry, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
• Sharma has contributed groundbreaking research in textiles, sustainable materials and nanotechnology, leading to advancements in yarn nanogenerators, polymer drug conjugates, photocatalytic degradation of dyes, sustainable packaging solutions and digital printing of natural dyes. He has three issued patents, one of which has been licensed by Genesis AdvanceTech Engineering LLC, which launched a product using the technology. He is a professor of materials science and textile engineering in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors.
• Kenan Song’s research focuses on processing, structure and properties of polymer-based nanoparticle-filled composites, emphasizing manufacturing, characterization, simulation and practical applications to enhance structural and functional performance. He holds seven issued U.S. patents and has received awards from the National Science Foundation, the American Chemical Society and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, among others. He is an associate professor in the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering (ECAM) in the College of Engineering.

NAI Senior Members will be formally inducted on June 23-26 at the NAI annual meeting in Atlanta.

Click below to read about the other 2025 inductees from the University of Georgia.