Chris Paladino of New Brunswick Development Corp., Tony Lowman of Rowan University, Judith Sheft of the Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology, Dr. Olivier Loudig of the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation and computer science pioneer Brian Kernighan will head the list of honorees at the 45th annual Edison Patent Awards.
The event, created and run by the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, honors the state’s top inventors and innovators. In addition to the five individual awards, 66 inventors representing 14 patents will be recognized.
The event — themed “Jersey Innovates, the World Takes” — will be held Nov. 21 at Bell Works in Holmdel.
Dr. Colleen Ruegger, chair of the R&D Council board of directors and executive director, technical research & development at Novartis, said the event aims to celebrate the global impact of New Jersey’s research community.
“From the inventions of the lightbulb to transistors to antibiotics, New Jersey has been — and continues to be — in the forefront of life-altering innovations,” she said. “We are thrilled to celebrate these 14 patents, 66 inventors and five innovation leaders as they continue to make a transformative impact on the world from right here in New Jersey.”
The R&D Council will award its highest honor, the Science & Technology Medal, to Kernighan.
Kernighan, a Princeton University professor and retired Bell Laboratories researcher, will receive this honor for his work in developing computer languages and authorship of the first book on the C programming language, leading C to being the most dominant computer language in the world.
The Science & Technology Medal is awarded annually to a New Jersey leader for extraordinary performance in bringing an impactful innovation to the marketplace.
The Visionary Award will go to Paladino, president of Devco and CEO of HELIX NJ.
Paladino is being honored for his work in developing HELIX NJ into a world-class innovation and technology hub. The Visionary Award goes to someone who showcases exceptional and transformational leadership in uniting industry, academia and the state in pursuit of creating a research-based economy in New Jersey. The Visionary Award was formerly known as the Chairman’s Award.
The 2024 Educator of the Year Award will be presented to Lowman, Rowan’s provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. Lowman has been instrumental in Rowan University becoming the fastest-growing public research institution in the country. The Educator of the Year Award is presented to an individual for their achievements in the advancement of science and technology education and workforce development across New Jersey.
In recognition of New Jersey’s evolving innovation landscape, the R&D Council is introducing two new individual awards during its 2024 ceremony: the Catalyst Award and the Emerging Tech Award.
The Catalyst Award honors an individual who significantly supports the innovation ecosystem within New Jersey, and the Emerging Tech Award is presented to a New Jersey individual, team or organization whose early stage inventions or innovations have the potential to make a significant impact on the marketplace.
The inaugural Catalyst Award will be presented to Sheft, the executive director of CSIT, where she works to strengthen the state’s innovation economy by stimulating academic-industrial collaboration, and encourages and supports entrepreneurs and inventors.
Loudig, an associated at HMH’s CDI, will receive the inaugural Emerging Tech Award for his innovative efforts in biomarker discovery in breast cancer.
For information on attending or sponsoring, click here or contact R&D Council Executive Director Kim Case at 908-875-7167 or kcase@rdnj.org.
The 2024 Edison Patent Award winners are BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions, Bristol Myers Squibb, Colgate-Palmolive Co., ExxonMobil Technology & Engineering Co., Merck & Co., Nokia Bell Labs, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Qualcomm Inc., Rowan University, Rutgers University, Siemens Technology and the Army. The recognized patents range from a surgical robot designed for femur fractures to technology that improves mobile communications.
Winners were selected by a team of R&D Council researchers who evaluated patents for the significance of the problem, utility/socioeconomic value, novelty and commercial impact. All winning patents must have at least part of the technical/scientific work completed in New Jersey.
