UNC Charlotte Highlights the Power of Invention at 2026 Invention of the Year Awards

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte brought together leaders from government, academia, industry, and the defense community for its 2026 Invention of the Year Awards, an evening that showcased the university’s growing role as a national engine of innovation, commercialization, and technological impact.

Held at the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City, the event celebrated not just research—but the critical moment when discovery becomes invention, and invention begins its journey into the world.

The program featured remarks from John Squires, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt; and keynote speaker Brigadier General, retired, John Teichert, reflecting the intersection of innovation, economic growth, and national security.

Celebrating the Moment When Ideas Become Impact

The Invention of the Year Awards were created to highlight a pivotal—but often unseen—stage in the innovation process: when research evolves into a protected invention with real-world potential.

UNC Charlotte has rapidly increased patent activity and startup formation in recent years, ranking among national leaders in innovation productivity per research dollar. Its discoveries are advancing fields ranging from healthcare and energy resilience to defense technologies, dual-use systems, and advanced manufacturing capabilities essential to supply chain security.

The event itself reflects a broader strategic vision led in part by Laura Peter, Executive Director, IP and Technology Transfer, whose career across government, industry, and academia—including service at the USPTO—has emphasized the importance of intellectual property and partnerships in translating invention into economic and societal value.

Recognition That Opens Doors

Beyond celebration, the awards play a strategic role in accelerating innovation.

Recognition provides visibility not only for the technologies themselves, but also for the researchers and students behind them—helping connect them with industry leaders, investors, and potential collaborators. That visibility can serve as a catalyst for commercialization, enabling licensing opportunities, startup formation, and new research funding.

Equally important, the awards reinforce a culture of innovation within the university—signaling to faculty and students that their efforts to move ideas toward impact are both valued and supported.

As one industry judge remarked after a previous gala, the experience was eye-opening: the level of innovation emerging from UNC Charlotte exceeded expectations, highlighting the importance of creating platforms that connect university research with the broader innovation ecosystem.

Innovation Across Disciplines—and Sectors

A defining feature of the awards is their cross-disciplinary scope.

This year’s program considered 41 patented technologies—up from 27 in the inaugural year—spanning life sciences, engineering, computing, energy, and materials science. That diversity reflects a broader truth: many of today’s most important breakthroughs occur at the intersection of fields.

By bringing together innovations across domains, the event fosters new connections—linking ideas, technologies, and applications in unexpected ways. These interactions can spark collaborations that accelerate development and expand the reach of emerging technologies.

For Charlotte and North Carolina, this breadth is a strategic advantage. The region’s innovation ecosystem—anchored by universities, research institutions, startups, and global companies—is strengthened when diverse capabilities are connected and aligned.

Honoring Breakthrough Inventions

The evening recognized standout inventions with strong potential for real-world impact:

• Clean Energy and Power Systems: Redox self-healing polymers that repair themselves at room temperature, enabling more resilient electronics and energy systems. Invention: Self-healing Polymers – Christopher Bejger, Sushil Bhatta, Fuead Hasan, and Jonathan Gillen
• Information and Data Science: An AI-powered drone platform that supports real-time disaster response and operational decision-making, with applications in emergency management and defense. Invention: AI-powered disaster response system – Elizabeth Johnson and Kaleb Wainright
• Life Sciences and Health: A bi-specific antibody therapy that enhances the immune system’s ability to target cancer cells, advancing precision medicine. Invention: Bi-specific Antibody Therapy – Pinku Mukherjee and Timothy Erick
• Physical and Material Sciences: A portable optical inspection system for detecting microscopic defects, supporting high-reliability manufacturing in sectors such as aerospace and semiconductors. Invention: Portable Optical Inspection Device Capable Of Detecting Microscopic Surface Defects – Kosta Falaggis and Sevda Mamaghani

The Grand Award was presented to Soumitra Roy Joy for a breakthrough in signal transmission using engineered metallic island structures—technology with applications in wearable electronics, resilient communications, and next-generation defense systems operating in extreme environments.

Leadership, Partnership, and Purpose

The event also highlighted the importance of leadership and collaboration in advancing innovation.

Keynote speaker Brigadier General, retired, John Teichert emphasized the role of culture in driving breakthrough ideas—particularly in environments where risk-taking, creativity, and mission focus intersect. His perspective reinforced the growing importance of dual-use technologies that serve both commercial markets and national defense needs.

The gala further marked the launch of UNC Charlotte’s chapter of the National Academy of Inventors, signaling the university’s rising national profile and commitment to supporting its inventor community.

From Invention to the Future

At its core, the Invention of the Year Awards tell a larger story about how innovation happens—and why it matters.

Every major advance begins with a question, a new approach, or a willingness to challenge existing assumptions. Universities play a unique role in fostering that kind of thinking, bringing together talent, curiosity, and the freedom to explore bold ideas.

But discovery alone is not enough. As Laura Peter has emphasized, when inventions are protected through strong intellectual property and supported by partnerships across industry, investment, and government, they can become the technologies that drive economic growth, strengthen national security, and improve lives.

That is the moment this event was designed to celebrate: when an idea becomes an invention—and when that invention begins its path toward real-world impact.

By recognizing faculty inventors, connecting them with the broader innovation community, and inspiring the next generation of researchers and students, UNC Charlotte is helping shape a future defined not just by ideas, but by the ability to turn those ideas into meaningful change.

At UNC Charlotte, that future is already taking shape—one invention at a time.