Jean-Philippe Tessonnier, Richard C. Seagrave Professor in Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been named a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors.

NAI Senior Members have produced technologies “that have brought, or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society.” Members are regarded as “rising stars who foster a spirit of innovation within their communities and institutions while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors.”

Tessonnier together with his graduate and undergraduate students, develops technologies for a greener and more sustainable chemical industry. Their work combines innovations in biomass utilization, catalyst design, electrosynthesis, advanced manufacturing and performance materials.

His group’s discoveries have been published in numerous prestigious journals, including ACS Catalysis, ACS Sustainable Chemical Engineering, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Energy & Environmental Science, and Chemical Reviews. He is the co-inventor on 22 invention disclosures that have produced 14 patents, some of which have been licensed. His research has been cited more than 7,000 times.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by this honor and thank all of my students and colleagues for the fruitful collaborations that have led to this recognition,” Tessonnier said.

The 2024 Senior Members will be celebrated at NAI’s Annual Conference in June.

“This year’s class of Senior Members is truly a testament to the outstanding innovation happening at NAI Member Institutions and what happens when the academic space encourages and celebrates invention and commercialization,” said Paul R. Sanberg, President of NAI. “We are proud to welcome these outstanding academic inventors to the Academy and look forward to supporting and celebrating them as they continue in their innovation journeys.”