Two Ohio University professors were recently named charter fellows for the National Academy of Inventors.
John Kopchick and Geradine Botte were nominated by peers to be inducted as fellows for their contributions to innovation, according to a news release.
Botte is a professor of the Russ College of Engineering and is known for trying to develop alternative energy and addressing environmental issues. She has created technology that turns different waste products into sustainable energy.
“The path to bring innovation from the lab to the market is challenging but exciting,” Botte said in the release. “A supportive ecosystem at universities makes a significant difference.”
So far, Botte has nine patents and 27 pending. She has also started her own company that utilizes her own inventions called E3 Clean Technologies Inc.
Kopchick is a faculty member of OU’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and made contributions into the health field with help in developing a drug called Somavert that helps patients with a hormone that causes gigantism leading to premature death.
The development has more than $73 million in royalties for OU, according to the release
“It’s a great honor to be recognized…for me personally and for Ohio University,” Kopchick said. “I also must recognize the many colleagues who have contributed to the research that resulted in our discoveries and inventions. Without them, our work would not have progressed so nicely.”
Kopchick and Botte will be inducted as charter fellows into the National Academy of Inventors on Feb. 22, 2013, in Tampa, FL.
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