On May 13, 2026, Northeastern University’s chapter of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) gathered at the Alumni Center for its spring annual meeting — an evening that brought together faculty, students, researchers, and industry partners to recognize exceptional innovation, share lessons from the commercialization journey, and reinforce the collaborative innovation ecosystem that makes Northeastern’s research community distinctive. The event featured innovation awards, membership and leadership recognition, and a panel discussion on research translation.
Faculty Chair Professor Randall Erb set the tone in his opening remarks, framing the evening around what becomes possible when innovators are part of a community. “When we innovate,” he said, “it is both the act of invention and knowing how to extract value from that invention — and having the network around us to be able to do that in a meaningful and impactful way.”
NAI Chapter Awards: Recognizing Northeastern Innovators
Three members of the Northeastern community received awards at this year’s meeting, each recognized for research that is scientifically rigorous and positioned for real-world impact.
The Innovation Impact Award for Faculty
The Innovation Impact Award for Faculty was presented to Josep Jornet, Associate Dean of Research and Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Jornet’s work in terahertz communications and 6G systems spans nano-scale transceivers, signal processing protocols, and applications ranging from space communications to cancer monitoring. With over 300 peer-reviewed publications and more than $30 million in federal research funding, his lab has also trained the next generation of engineers, with a third of his students coming from underrepresented groups in STEM. In his remarks, Jornet traced his career from a PhD at Georgia Tech to his current work at Northeastern, including the recent incorporation of a spinoff company, Teradio, which applies terahertz technology to high-speed data center communications.
The Innovation Impact Award for Students
The Innovation Impact Award for Students was presented to Amr Makhamreh, a PhD candidate in bioengineering and graduate research assistant in the Wanunu Lab. Makhamreh is developing nanopore-based technologies capable of reading individual proteins and RNA modifications at single-molecule resolution. This capability does not yet exist at scale and has significant implications for diagnostics and disease research, including cancer. His research has been published in Nature Biotechnology. His remarks were candid about his experience with scientific progress: “There’s a lot of dead ends — and that’s where the breakthroughs are. You don’t want to run away from those failures. That’s actually where the breakthroughs lie.” He credited the collaborative environment of the Wanunu Lab and the CRI’s role in IP protection as essential to advancing the work.
The Emerging Visionary Award
The Emerging Visionary Award was presented to Pedram Johari, Principal Research Scientist in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Johari’s career reflects more than 15 years of work across university R&D, startup leadership, and applied research, with a focus on private 5G systems and next-generation wireless networking. He is leading two active spinoff companies — one developing AI-driven seizure-prediction technology for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, and another focused on digital-twin modeling for wireless networks. Both spinoffs originated from federally funded academic research at Northeastern.
Northeastern’s Growing Innovation Ecosystem
Remarks from Akram Alshawabkeh, Interim Senior Vice Provost for Research, offered some broader context on the state of Northeastern’s innovation ecosystem. In the most recent national patent rankings, Northeastern placed 41st overall and 4th among private universities without a medical school, behind only MIT, Caltech, and Carnegie Mellon. These achievements reflect the work of the researchers, students, and inventors who make up the Northeastern innovation community.
De-Risking Technology and The Path to Impact: A Panel Discussion
The centerpiece of the evening was a panel discussion moderated by Katie Hemphill, Director of Technology Ventures and Talent Network at the CRI. The panel featured three practitioners who work at the intersection of research and commercialization: Claire Leurent, Managing Director of AbbVie Ventures, who brings a background in molecular biology and drug development to corporate venture investing; Brian Hayt, Senior Director of the Innovation Platform at NobleReach Foundation, who supports federally funded researchers and deep tech ventures in navigating early-stage commercialization; and Liz Sisson, who oversees operations and startup experience at The Engine, a nonprofit incubator in Cambridge working with more than 145 tough tech startups.
A recurring theme of the conversation was the importance of de-risking technology early. Hayt put it directly: “How much do you understand the value your technology provides to your target customer? Can you qualify that benefit? Is it minimally better than what exists today, or is it a huge difference? That’s the path to de-risking for your end user.” Leurent echoed this from an investor’s perspective, emphasizing that validation is the first thing she evaluates when a technology comes across her desk.
The panel also addressed the question of when to commercialize and when to stay in the lab, and the importance of not mistaking activity for readiness. Panelists noted that a technology can be ready before the market, the investors, or the regulatory environment is; and that timing, not just validation, is a variable worth accounting for.
Hemphill closed the discussion by pointing to the resources available through the CRI, including venture capital office hours, connections to NobleReach Foundation, and access to The Engine’s Blueprint and Whiteboard programs.
A Transition in NAI Chapter Leadership
The evening also marked a transition in Northeastern’s NAI chapter leadership. Professor Randall Erb, who has served as Faculty Chair for two years, stepped down to return his full attention to his research and to Fourier, a Northeastern spinout developing thermal ceramic materials for heat management in advanced electronics.
In his departing remarks, he reflected on what the chapter had given him: “The folks in this room have really enabled me — the ability to translate from the lab on out. Having a team of people in your corner to help you through that is truly tremendous.”
Incoming Faculty Chair Yunume Fitchorova, a researcher in magnetic and multifunctional materials who has been part of the chapter’s Innovation Board, was introduced and presented membership certificates to incoming chapter members.
Get Involved with Northeastern’s NAI Chapter
Northeastern’s NAI chapter is open to faculty and students at all stages of their innovation journey. Faculty membership offers access to a peer network of inventors, support for pursuing NAI national standing, and connections to commercialization and IP resources. Student membership is open to anyone with curiosity about innovation, entrepreneurship, and what it takes to bring ideas into the world.
Throughout the year, the chapter hosts meetings, workshops, networking events, and seminars on IP creation and protection. Visit cri.northeastern.edu/nai to learn more.
Click here to watch the full meeting.