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2017 National
Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Guest blog by Commissioner for Patents Drew Hirshfeld
Recently, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in
partnership with the USPTO, announced the 2017 National Inventors Hall of Fame
inductees. These visionary inventors each patented inventions that
revolutionized their industries and changed people’s lives. Of the fifteen new
inductees, eight will be honored posthumously.
The criteria for induction into the National Inventors
Hall of Fame requires candidates to hold a U.S. patent that has contributed
significantly to the nation's welfare and the advancement of science and the
useful arts.
This year’s class of inductees includes Earl Dickson,
inventor of the Band-Aid® Adhesive Bandage, Augustine Sackatt, inventor of
drywall, Marshall G. Jones, responsible for laser welding aluminum to copper,
and Carolyn Bertozzi, a pioneer in DNA-cell conjugates. Read more about the inspiring
work of all the inductees.
Both the new and previous inductees will be honored in a two-day
event series. It will kick off with an illumination ceremony at the USPTO
campus in Alexandria, Virginia on May 3, 2017 followed by the 45th
Annual National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 4 at the National
Building Museum in Washington, DC.
 Illuminated Wall of Icons at the National Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame, located in the Madison Building on the USPTO campus in Alexandria, Virginia, was established in 1973 and honors monumental individuals who have contributed great technological and scientific achievements and helped stimulate growth for our nation and beyond. The museum reopened last year to the public after renovations, with some new interactive installations. These include the chance to take a seat in a one-of-a-kind ride, a 1965 Ford Mustang merged with a 2015 Ford Mustang, plug into the story of Qualcomm’s smartphone technology, powered by the patent system, see the progression and development of the camera, courtesy of the George Eastman Museum, and discover the inspirational stories of past inductees on the illuminated gallery of icons.
Read more from the Director's Forum Blog
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