READ: 2025 Faces of American Innovation Report

 

Event

2025 Bayh-Dole Coalition American Innovator Award Ceremony & “Faces of American Innovation” Capitol Hill Briefing

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 – Thursday, June 5, 2025

Watch videos from the events here.

On Wednesday, June 4, and Thursday, June 5, 2025, the Bayh-Dole Coalition hosted its third-annual American Innovator Award ceremony and Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill briefing to highlight the Bayh-Dole Act’s 45-year legacy and impact on American innovation. Wednesday’s award ceremony honored the 2025 American Innovator Award recipients, whose achievements are featured in the 2025 Faces of American Innovation report:

  • Dr. Jim Dahlberg, emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and cofounder of Third Wave Technologies, who discovered an enzyme that detects genetic variations. His breakthrough is used in diagnostic tests for diseases including colorectal cancer (Cologuard), cystic fibrosis, and human papillomavirus (HPV).
  • Vinit Nijhawan, managing director of MassVentures and former head of Boston University’s Office of Technology Development, who has dedicated his career to turning academic research into successful startups, helping drive America’s entrepreneurial and technological growth.
  • Dr. Jennifer Pagán, founder and CTO of Aquisense, who invented a non-toxic, energy-efficient disinfection device using UV light to make water safe to drink. Her technology is now deployed across all seven continents and aboard the International Space Station.
  • Dr. Mark Rohrbaugh, former director of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer, who safeguarded the Bayh-Dole Act through periods of intense political pressure and helped ensure that patients continue to benefit from federally funded research breakthroughs.
  • Dr. Christina Wildfire, a researcher at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, who developed a microwave-based recycling device that converts plastics, waste, and greenhouse gases like CO₂ into usable energy.

The 2025 American Innovator Award Ceremony commenced on Wednesday, June 4, at the Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill with opening remarks from Brian O’Shaughnessy, board chair of the Bayh-Dole Coalition.

Bayh-Dole Coalition Executive Director Joseph P. Allen then announced the induction of Deborah Wince-Smith into the Bayh-Dole Coalition Hall of Fame. Joseph P. Allen provided remarks on Ms. Wince-Smith’s time as the first Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy in the U.S. Department of Commerce and her lasting impact on the Bayh-Dole system and American innovation.

The award ceremony honoring the 2025 American Innovator Award recipients followed, in which Joseph P. Allen shared highlights of each honoree’s stories and presented them with their awards. Each recipient was invited to discuss their research and the role the Bayh-Dole Act played in their journey.

Following the ceremony, Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) addressed attendees, discussing the impact fundamental research and innovation has had on her district, all of North Carolina, and the United States. Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, highlighted the necessity of strong patent and intellectual property protections in order to continue bolstering innovation and international competitiveness. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) provided virtual remarks on the value of IP rights in the innovation process, as well as Bayh-Dole’s impact on economic prosperity and national security. Joseph P. Allen then unveiled the Bayh-Dole Coalition’s 45th anniversary video, Celebrating 45 Years of the Bayh-Dole Act.

“The Washington Political Forecast & Town Hall” panel discussion followed, moderated by Joseph P. Allen and featuring Crowell Global Advisors Managing Director Kate Beale; Conservatives for Property Rights Executive Director Jim Edwards; Association of American Universities Associate Vice President and Counsel for Government Relations and Public Policy Kate Hudson; and Incubate Executive Director John Stanford.

The panel discussed current and pending policy changes, the U.S. political climate, the role of federal funding in driving innovation, and how these factors influence the application and legacy of the Bayh-Dole Act. Attendees engaged with the panelists to discuss the challenges their industries are facing, reflect on the Act’s 45 years of innovative success, and how to continue improving the work of the Bayh-Dole Coalition.

On Thursday, June 5, the Bayh-Dole Coalition hosted the 2025 Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill Briefing in the Senate Visitors Center. The briefing opened with remarks from Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA-03), who highlighted the positive impact the Bayh-Dole Act has had on his home district and the nation as a whole, as well as the importance of upholding IP rights.

Joseph P. Allen unveiled four new testimonial videos from Dr. Lori Pressman, Laura Peter, Stephen Ezell, and Paul Zielinski. He then moderated a panel briefing on the 2025 Faces of American Innovation report with this year’s five awardees. Recognizing the Bayh-Dole Act’s 45th anniversary, the awardees discussed the impact the Act has had on their journeys as inventors, venture capitalists, and civil servants, as well as how the technology transfer system continues to support U.S. innovation.

Following the briefing, the five 2025 Bayh-Dole Coalition American Innovator Award recipients and members of the Bayh-Dole Coalition met with more than a dozen congressional offices to discuss the significance of the Bayh-Dole Act, its 45-year impact on American innovation, and its positive contribution to the U.S. economy and national security.