Three Ohio State scientists elected to National Academy of Inventors

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Three Ohio State scientists elected to National Academy of Inventors

Engineering, chemistry faculty join new class

Three professors at The Ohio State University have been elected to the National Academy of Inventors 2025 class of Fellows.

Anant Agarwal, a professor in electrical and computer engineering, Alan Luo,a professor in materials science and engineering and integrated systems engineering, and Dehua Pei, a professor in chemistry and biochemistry, are among the 169 fellows named this year. Their addition brings the number of Ohio State Fellows in the academy to 24.

Being elected to the NAI Fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors. The 2025 class of fellows represents 127 universities, government agencies and research institutions across 40 U.S. states.

"The research done by Ohio State's newest National Academy of Inventors fellows underscores our researchers' role as a beacon of collaboration and progress, while also driving discoveries that directly impact people's lives," said John M. Horack, vice president for research. "Their recognition highlights the tangible impact of their innovations, from life-saving medical advances to transformative solutions that shape our future, and we are proud to support their groundbreaking work."

Anant Agarwal

Agarwal joined Ohio State in 2017. Previously, he served as the technical adviser for the Wide Bandgap Initiative in the U.S. Department of Energy. Agarwal's research focuses on developing semiconductor technologies to create more efficient power electronics.

Today, wide band-gap semiconductors have the potential to improve efficiency and reduce energy losses consumption in high-power systems, but Agarwal's lifelong goal has been to commercialize these technologies to resurrect the domestic power electronics industry.

"This technology is very important for high-power applications, like electric vehicles, power supplies, windmills and grid-level connectivity," said Agarwal. "I'm excited and passionate about this technology because it will make a difference in people's lives."

One of Agarwal's key inventions is the development of SiC-based MOSFET power devices, a type of transistor that is widely used in power electronic circuits. These devices help steer energy in power converters in systems such as in an electric vehicle.

Although Agarwal has worked to advance semiconductor research since the late '80s, he said that the U.S. is only beginning to catch up to world leaders in the growing sector. Ohio State is currently one of three universities in the country actively teaching and conducting research in this area, he said.

"This technology will allow a lot of renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind, to transmit energy and electricity over long distances," said Agarwal. "It's the perfect technology to change the world."

Agarwal jointly holds more than 90 patents and has co-authored more than 400 research papers. In 2012, he was elected an IEEE Fellow for his lifetime contributions to Wide Band Gap technologies.

Alan Luo

Luo joined Ohio State in 2013 after working for 15 years with General Motors Global Research and Development Center. He now leads the Lightweight Materials and Manufacturing Research Laboratoryand is Director of the Advanced Casting Research Centerat Ohio State.

His research involves developing alternatives to steel by designing lightweight materials, like aluminum, magnesium and titanium alloys for the automotive industry. The core of his work stems from a desire to use science to make real-world impacts, as better transportation benefits all of society.

"By changing a light metal's microstructure through adding alloying elements to make it as strong as steel, you can reduce the weight of a transportation product," he said. "Significantly lighter cars consume less energy, making them more efficient and easier to build." This applies to both gas and electric cars, as more energy-efficient vehicles mean they could last longer without refueling, and reduced emissions could help lessen the burden on the environment.

Luo also contributed several new manufacturing processes and developed tools used in integrated computational materials engineering for vehicle development. He hopes his membership to the NAI inspires the next generation of scientists to continue pushing the envelope in the field.

Additional recognitions include an R&D 100 Awardfor his role in developing a lightweight truck engine with General Motors, receiving the USCAR (United States Council for Automotive Research) Special Recognition Award and being an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). To date, Luo has 28 patents and more than 400 technical publications in advanced materials, manufacturing and applications.

Dehua Pei

Pei joined Ohio State in 1995. His scientific contributions are centered around combating human diseases with novel therapeutic agents. His research aims to understand the mechanisms behind natural biological processes and then use those discoveries to develop new therapeutic strategies.

"People have been studying viruses and bacteria for quite some time, but there is still much to learn about how they enter the human cell and cause diseases," said Pei. Now, Pei's team has discovered a previously unrecognized and potentially universal cell entry mechanism, a fundamental discovery that has enabled the design of artificial systems that could help with previously untreatable diseases and conditions.

"Our work is extremely important in terms of practical applications, because if we know how large biomolecules get into the cell, we might be able to take advantage of that mechanism and design cell-permeable biomolecules that could be useful as human therapeutics," said Pei. "That's something that the pharmaceutical industry has only dreamed about in the past."

Pei's lab is currently investigating how widely applicable the newfound cell entry mechanism is, and leveraging the mechanism to develop a brand new class of drugs.

"It takes many, many years to make a very important discovery," said Pei. "One needs to have patience, be ready to work hard and endure the frustrations that come along with it, and if you keep working on it, you can make a difference."

His notable recognitions include receiving the Ohio State Innovator of the Year award in 2017, the American Chemical Society Columbus Section Award in 2018, and the Ohio State Distinguished Scholar Award in 2025. He founded or co-founded several biotech companies including Entrada Therapeutics in 2016, where Pei served as its chief scientific advisor between 2016 and 2021. Pei holds 33 U.S. patents.

The NAI Fellows Program was established to highlight academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society. This class of Fellows will be honored at the NAI 15th Annual Conferenceon June 4, 2026, in Los Angeles.

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