National Academy of Inventors Selects Dalton, Li as Fellows

BATON ROUGE - LSU Executive Vice President and Chancellor James Dalton and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Guoqiang Li have been elected as Fellows by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). They are among 185 newly elected fellows.

"The honors for Drs. Dalton and Li exemplify LSU's commitment to research that offers solutions that solve problems for people and industry. Our researchers' work elevates Louisiana on the global stage," said Robert Twilley, vice president of research and economic development.

Dalton's election reflects his sustained contributions to pharmaceutical sciences, combining breakthroughs in drug discovery with the development of next-generation therapeutics that have advanced clinical treatment options and shaped modern medicinal chemistry.

His work has yielded multiple patented therapeutic drugs, licensed technologies and commercial products that have improved patient outcomes, underscoring LSU's momentum in commercialization and patent development as the university expands efforts to translate research into real-world impact.

"It's an honor to be named an NAI Fellow and to join such a distinguished community of inventors," Dalton said. "Innovation flourishes when universities commit to discovery, back their researchers, and build strong partnerships across industry, government and academia."

As executive vice president, Dalton will oversee LSU's research enterprise with a goal of placing the university among the top 50 research universities. As provost and executive vice president at the University of Alabama, Dalton's efforts led to a 60% increase in sponsored research awards.

Li is a prolific inventor and holds 19 U.S. patents. His research focus centers around shape memory polymers, special plastics that can be bent, stretched or twisted temporarily and then later return to their original configuration. He has applied the technology to self-healing sealants and composites, artificial muscles, 3D and 4D printing, flame retardant materials, and proppants, particles used to wedge, or prop open, fractures so oil and gas can flow through wells.

"I am deeply honored to be elected as an NAI Fellow. This recognition also belongs to my students, postdocs, and collaborators, whose contributions have enabled me to pioneer innovative technologies with the potential to benefit society," Li said. "I am sincerely grateful to the LSU Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization (ITC) for its unwavering support of my patent applications and licensing activities."

ITC works with faculty and students to protect and commercialize their intellectual property through patents, trademarks and licensing agreements.

Election as an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors. Together, the 2025 class hold more than 5,300 U.S. patents whose innovations have generated an estimated $3.8 trillion in revenue and 1.4 million jobs.

This year's NAI Fellows will be inducted at the NAI 15th Annual Conference on June 4th in Los Angeles.

Dalton and Li join 14 LSU faculty who were elected NAI fellows. They include Manas Gartia (2024), Kevin Kelly and Robin McCarley (2023), Tammy Dugas and Michael Khonsari (2022), Madan Bhasin, Konstantin Kousoulas, and Ralph Portier (2021), Robert Hammer (2019), Roger Laine (2018), Mandi Lopez and Isiah Warner (2016), Kalliat T. Valsaraj (2015) and Wen Jin Meng (2014).

Five LSU faculty members hold the rank of NAI senior member. They are Kermit Murray (2024), George Voyiadjis (2021), Mark Batzer (2020), Dandina Rao (2018), and Shafiqul Chowdhury (2016).