Awards
The American Innovator Award
The Bayh-Dole Coalition’s American Innovator Award recognizes individuals whose achievements exemplify the personal commitment, sacrifice, risk, and determination required to move a federally-funded invention from the laboratory into the marketplace where it can benefit the public.
The stories of these individuals give policymakers, the media, and the general public a better appreciation for the Bayh-Dole system — including what is required to make the system work and why it must be appreciated and protected.
Recipients are profiled in the Bayh-Dole Coalition’s annual “Faces of American Innovation” report and celebrated during a congressional briefing and advocacy conference in Washington, D.C.
View the award classes:
Class of 2026 — Coming soon!
We are now accepting nominations for our 2026 American Innovator Award. Have someone in mind? Nominate them here! Submissions close on Friday, January 30, 2026.
Class of 2025
View the 2025 “Faces of American Innovation” report here.
Dr. Jim Dahlberg
Dr. Jim Dahlberg, emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and cofounder of Third Wave Technologies, 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
Vinit Nijhawan, managing director of MassVentures and former head of Boston University’s Office of Technology Development, dedicated his career to turning academic research into successful startups, helping drive America’s entrepreneurial and technological growth.
Dr. Jennifer Pagán
Dr. Jennifer Pagán, founder and CTO of Aquisense, 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
Dr. Mark Rohrbaugh, former director of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer, 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
Dr. Christina Wildfire, a researcher at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, developed a microwave-based recycling device that converts plastics, waste, and greenhouse gases like CO₂ into usable energy.
Class of 2024
View the 2024 “Faces of American Innovation” report here.
Shafiqul Chowdhury
Shafiqul Chowdhury, a professor at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, developed a vaccine for bovine respiratory disease to reinforce food supplies and prevent virus mutations that could affect humans.
Rachel Dorin
Rachel Dorin, the founder and CEO of TeraPore Technologies, developed the Intelligent Membrane platform to filter impurities out of drugs, making them safe for patients to ingest.
Ashok Gadgil
Ashok Gadgil, a professor at UC Berkeley and researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, invented UV Waterworks, which uses ultraviolet light to purify water on-site in communities lacking potable supplies.
Hong Hua
Hong Hua, a professor at the University of Arizona, developed eSight — a pair of electronic glasses that help the legally blind see.
Katharine Ku
Katharine Ku, a former executive director at Stanford University Office of Technology Licensing, pioneered a licensing program that set a national standard and facilitated the industrial application of historic inventions like recombinant DNA and the Google search algorithm.
Class of 2023
View the 2023 “Faces of American Innovation” report here.
Katalin Karikó
Katalin Karikó, a University of Pennsylvania biochemist and Nobel Prize winner, helped develop the mRNA technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, preventing nearly 20 million deaths.
Dennis Liotta
Dennis Liotta, an Emory University professor and chemist, worked on “emtricitabine’ to help transform HIV from a death sentence into a manageable illness, saving tens of millions of lives.
Carol Mimura
Carol Mimura, a UC Berkeley technology transfer official, helped commercialize the Nobel-winning research that led to the revolutionary cancer immunotherapy Yervoy.
Peter Stern
Peter Stern, an entrepreneur, leads a Columbia University spinout that aims to revolutionize LiDAR Technology.
Yan Wang
Yan Wang, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute engineering professor, developed a new lithium car battery recycling technique that could end our dependence on gas-powered cars.