Sam Prien, a noted professor of reproductive physiology in Texas Tech's Department of Animal & Food Sciences, was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors' (NAI) during a special induction ceremony last week in Phoenix. His election to fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

“This is a very humbling honor,” Prien said. “It represents not only me, but all of those who have ever passed through my lab and helped with one of the crazy ideas that come out of my brain.” 

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 the quality of life, economic development and welfare of society.

Prien, who also has a joint appointment at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's School of Medicine, currently holds five U.S. patents, and 18 associated international patents and eight other pending patents. Many of these patents have been licensed and are progressing toward commercialization. His first U.S. patent was for a method of collecting and preserving semen, which was Texas Tech's first patent focused on reproductive science.

Prien's inventions have advanced the practice of animal reproduction technology to the profound improvement of ranching and farming throughout the world, said Robert Duncan, Texas Tech President's Distinguished Chair in Physics.

Program officials note that NAI Fellows hold more than 48,000 issued U.S. patents, which have generated over 13,000 licensed technologies and companies, and created more than one million jobs. In addition, over $3 trillion in revenue has been generated based on NAI Fellow discoveries.

Founded in 2010, the NAI is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide. The NAI publishes the multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation.

In 2019, Prien was named one of 66 academic inventors elected to the NAI Inaugural Class of Senior Members. NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists and administrators from NAI member institutions with success in patents, licensing and commercialization. They have produced technologies that have brought, or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society.

CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu

0627NM22