Five Lehigh University professors have been named Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). The 2026 cohort comprises 230 emerging inventors representing 82 NAI Member Institutions across the globe. This year’s class is the largest to date, with members collectively holding over 2,000 U.S. patents.
“This year’s Senior Member Class is a truly impressive cohort,” said NAI President Paul R. Sanberg. “These innovators come from a variety of fields and disciplines, translating their technologies into tangible impact.”
The following faculty members of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science have been named NAI Senior Members:
Hannah Dailey , associate professor and associate chair of mechanical engineering and mechanics: A co-founder of the orthopaedic device company OrthoXel, Dailey holds patents for bone fracture repair implants that use micromotion to provide stimulus for enhanced bone healing.
Martin Harmer , Alcoa Foundation Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering and director of Lehigh’s Nano | Human Interface Presidential Research Initiative: Globally recognized for the discovery of "grain boundary complexions," Harmer’s research with the Army Research Laboratory has led to advanced nanocrystalline alloy design, including a recently discovered nanostructured copper superalloy that maintains exceptional stability at extreme temperatures for aerospace and defense applications.
Mayuresh Kothare , R.L. McCann Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Rossin College associate dean for research: Kothare’s patented work includes "controller-on-chip" architectures, microfluidic chemical reactors, and compact medical oxygen concentrators, bridging the gap between optimal control theory and real-world biomedical commercialization. He is co-founder of Omnilife, a startup based in India that is focused on development of low-cost oxygen concentrators.
Carlos Romero , research full professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; director of Lehigh’s Energy Research Center; and associate director of the Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy (I-CPIE): A co-founder of Energy Storage Technologies, Romero holds patents in power plant technologies and for a novel "thermal battery" system designed to store electricity and heat for utilization in decarbonization, power plant flexibilization, and data center applications.
Also named an NAI Senior Member is faculty member Kai Landskron , professor of chemistry in Lehigh's College of Arts and Sciences.
The 2026 class of Senior Members will be celebrated during a ceremony at the NAI's 15th Annual Conference, June 1-4, in Los Angeles.
Read more about the faculty members, their research and patents, and their other accomplishments on their faculty profiles linked below. Learn more about the National Academy of Inventors and the Senior Member program on the NAI website .
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