Florida State University Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, an honor that is nationally recognized as the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors.
“This prestigious recognition is a testament to Dr. Patterson’s remarkable track record of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “Dr. Patterson’s dedication to advancing research and turning ideas into impactful solutions has inspired our entire university community. I’m proud to call her my colleague and celebrate this achievement.”
NAI Fellows are selected based on demonstrating 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.
Patterson, who has served as FSU’s Vice President for Research since 2022, has a long record of bridging the gap between academia and industry. She holds several U.S. patents that focus on novel detection platforms and engineered cell lines used to accelerate drug discovery and toxicity testing. Her work also led to 490 BioTech, a Knoxville-based startup company, where she was one of four co-founders. 490 BioTech was named one of the top ten innovations in 2013 by The Scientist Magazine.
“Being named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors is an incredible honor,” Patterson said. “I firmly believe that our responsibility as academic innovators extends beyond discovery — we must actively translate the knowledge and breakthroughs developed within our universities into real-world solutions to help improve lives. This part of our mission inspires me daily, driving my passion to ensure that our researchers and ideas create meaningful, lasting benefits for society.”
At FSU, Patterson oversees the university’s $487 million research operation. This includes spearheading a revamp of the university’s commercialization efforts and securing a $6 million National Science Foundation grant, IGNITE-FSU, to accelerate translational research with market potential.
She has also led the development of FSU’s first-ever research strategic plan, ASPIRE, and been instrumental in the development of FSU Health and InSPIRE, a dynamic manufacturing and aerospace initiative in Northwest Florida funded by a $98.4 million Triumph Gulf Coast award.
Prior to coming to FSU, Patterson served as Vice President for Research, Outreach, and Economic development of the University of Tennessee system, where she helped lead a number of large center-type initiatives including the creation of the Composites Institute, a $259 million public-private partnership involving more than 130 member institutions from industry, academia, and government collaborating on the nation’s advanced composites ecosystem. She also led the creation of the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute and helped to secure over $100 million in public and private support for its launch including a $36.4 million grant from the Department of Energy.
The NAI Fellows program was established in 2012 to recognize and honor academic, government, and non-profit research institute inventors for their contributions to society. This year’s class includes 169 U.S. distinguished academic and institutional inventors and 16 International Fellows.
“NAI Fellows are a driving force within the innovation ecosystem, and their contributions across scientific disciplines are shaping the future of our world,” said Paul R. Sanberg, President of the National Academy of Inventors. “We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of Fellows to the Academy. They are truly an impressive cohort, and we look forward to honoring them at our 15th Annual Conference in Los Angeles next year.”
A senior official of the United States Patent and Trademark Office will honor the 2025 Class of at the NAI 15th Annual Conference in June.