In addition, the Inventors Hall of Fame presented Inventor-of-the-Year honors to seven others for inventions such as: a fully automated immunoassay system, oxygen suction catheters, microporous materials used in environmental air conditioning systems, the triangular manhole cover, the high-speed modem, and self-healing ring networks used in fiber optic transmission systems.
Announcement of the 1997 honorees was made by Harry Roman, chairman of the Inventors Hall of Fame, and Eric Addeo, chairman of the selection committee and past recipient of an "Inventor-of-the-Year" award. Roman is a senior consultant at Public Service Electric & Gas Co. and Addeo is director of multimedia communications systems at Bellcore.
The inventors were honored during the ninth annual induction banquet Thursday, Feb. 13, 1997 at New Jersey Institute of Technology in the University Heights section of Newark.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Inventors who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of knowledge and human welfare are inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 1997 inductees, hometowns and employers are:
· Alfred Y. Cho of Summit, N.J., and Lucent Technologies of Liberty Corner, N.J., for development of Molecular Beam Epitaxy, a thin film crystal growth technology that is widely used to manufacture semiconductor components.
· James L. Flanagan of Warren, N.J., and Rutgers University of New Brunswick, N.J., for numerous fundamental and impactful contributions to the field of speech processing and coding that helped to advance the telecommunications industry.
· Milton Morse of Fort Lee, N.J., and APM Hexseal of Englewood, N.J., for the development of sealing boots for electrical systems and other sealing systems used in a variety of industrial, commercial and military applications including Trident submarines, Polaris missiles, and Patriot missile launch controls.
· Richard Ranger of Newark, N.J., and Rangertone Inc., Newark, N.J., for a significant range of impactful inventions including the transoceanic radio facsimile, magnetic tape recorders, and the portable electronic organ.
· Harry Yale of New Brunswick, N.J., and E.R. Squibb and Sons, New Brunswick, N.J., for the chemical synthesis of the anti-psychosis drug Vesperin and related chemicals that formed the basis of a new class of widely used pharmaceutical products.
Pioneer
· Ezra Gould of Newark, N.J., (1809-1901), and Gould & Eberhardt Gear Machinery of Newark and Webster, Mass., for seminal contributions to the development and commercialization of gear cutting technology (compound plane or shaping machine). This technology continues to be used in the automotive industry to mass produce gears.
Corporate Honoree
Each year, the research and development work of one corporation is recognized by induction into the corporate hall of fame. The 1997 inductee is Johnson & Johnson of New Brunswick, N.J., honored for decades of continuous innovation in the research, development and commercialization of a broad range of health care products that enhance or improve lives. Johnson & Johnson is the world's largest and most comprehensive manufacturer of health care products serving the consumer, pharmaceutical and professional markets. These products have contributed to the global competitiveness of the United States and favorably impacted the quality of life for people throughout the world.
Inventors of the Year
The Inventor of the Year designation is presented to inventors who hold current U.S. patents. Individuals receiving Inventor of the Year recognition for 1997 are:
· Arthur Babson of Chester, N.J., and DPC Cirrus, Inc., Randolph, N.J., for development of a fully automated immunoassay system used widely for medical tests such as thyroid function and detection of cancer, viruses and other infectious diseases.
· Walter Jinotti of New Brunswick, N.J., and Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School, New Brunswick, N.J., for development of the "Tycos Blood Pump" and oxygen suction catheters that combine suction with life-saving oxygenation, reducing the risk of hypoxemia.
· Stephen Kuznicki of Whitehouse Station, N.J., and Engelhard Corp., Iselin, N.J., for the synthesis, development and commercialization of microporous materials used for heavy metal filtration and for the development of desiccant environmental air conditioning systems for Engelhard Industries.
· Lee-Fang Wei of Lincroft, N.J., and Lucent Technologies, Liberty Corner, N.J., for the invention of a modem for high-speed data transmission (28.8Kbps) over telephone lines.
· Tsong-Ho Wu of Englishtown, N.J., and Richard C.L. Lau of Marlboro, N.J., and Bellcore (Bell Communications Research) Red Bank, N.J., for their invention of new approaches to designing and building "self-healing" ring networks that can automatically withstand a cut link. These inventions have emerged as the techniques of choice in today's national information infrastructure and are used by millions of end users.
Young Inventor
· Martin Pettesch of Cranford, N.J., and Universal Valve Company, Elizabeth, N.J., for the invention of the triangular observation manhole cover used by major oil companies around the world to prevent environmental catastrophes.
Invention Advancement Award
The Trustees of the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame established a new award this year to recognize a not-for-profit institution, agency, program, or a team/individual working in such a setting to foster invention, innovation and economic development in New Jersey. The first New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame Annual Award for Advancement of Invention is persuaded to New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
The public research university is recognized for its commitment to the development and advancement of technology through its instruction, research and extension programs as well as its support of the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame.
The New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame selects all awardees based on the importance of the problem solved by the invention, the novelty of the invention, and the contribution to the advancement of the state-of-the-art, commercial impact and the utilitarian or socioeconomic impact. To qualify for an award, the inventor must have completed a substantial portion of the work in New Jersey or have been a New Jersey resident while working on the project.
Established in 1987, the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame promotes and fosters creativity, innovation and invention contributing to economic growth and improving the quality of life. The Hall of Fame honors New Jersey inventors and encourages recognition of New Jersey as the "Invention State." The Hall of Fame operates from New Jersey Institute of Technology, a public research university, where a marble "wall of fame" was established in the lobby of the William S. Guttenberg Information Technologies Center. Including the 1997 honorees, the Hall of Fame has inducted 72 individuals and nine corporations.
The ninth annual induction banquet is set for Thursday, February 13, 1997 in NJIT's Hazell Center Ballroom. Dinner tickets are $85 each and can be ordered by calling 973-596-5625 or by writing to the New Jersey Inventors Congress and Hall of Game, c/o NJIT, University Heights, Newark N.J. 07102.
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2/5/97
For more information contact: New Jersey Institute of Technology Office of Public Relations (973) 596-3434
Release number: #3206A