University Honors Faculty Inventors

Russell Cothren, University Relations

University of Arkansas System President Donald R. Bobbitt (far left), Chancellor Joe Steinmetz (center left) and Jim Coleman, provost and executive vice chancellor (far right) with patent-plaque recipient Scott Osborn, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas and Chancellor Joe Steinmetz honored 14 faculty inventors Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the fifth-annual Inventor Appreciation Banquet.

The event, held at the Innovation Center at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park and hosted by Technology Ventures — the U of A's technology licensing office — recognized the work of U of A inventors who received issued patents in the past 12 months.

Steinmetz recognized three patent plaque recipients:

• Xianghong Qian, professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, received one plaque for Catalytic Membranes for Bio-Fuels.
• Ranil Wickramasinghe, professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, received one plaque for Catalytic Membranes for Bio-Fuels.
• Scott Osborn, associate professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, received three plaques for Systems and Methods for Maximizing Dissolved Gas Concentration of a Single Species of Gas from a Mixture of Multiple Gases, Systems and Methods for Wastewater Treatment, and Systems and Methods for Delivering Dissolved Gases into Force-Main and Gravity Sewers.

Osborn, who also holds an appointment with the Division of Agriculture, has now been named on 12 issued patents. In 2004, he and Marty Matlock, professor of biological and agricultural engineering and executive director of the U of A's Office for Sustainability, founded BlueInGreen, a water-quality management company affiliated with the university. They have been awarded many patents for a system and method of dissolving gases in fluids and for delivering dissolved gases to improve the quality of drinking water and wastewater.

Faculty who received recognition for invention disclosures at Tuesday's event were:

• Suresh Kumar, professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• David McNabb, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences
• Susanne Striegler, professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry    
• Jingyi Chen, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Feng Wang, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Bob Beitle, professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
• Christa Hestekin, associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
• Jamie Hestekin, associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
• Ryan Tian, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Xianghong Qian, professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Ranil Wickramasinghe, professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
• Paul Thibado, professor, Department of Physics
• Pradeep Kumar, assistant professor, Department of Physics

"Some of our greatest ambassadors — as a university, as a state, and as a country — are scientists … who have no greater agenda than to share what they know and be of service," Steinmetz said. "There is no shortage of examples of our faculty contributing to the greater welfare of Arkansas, not just to meet the requirements of their faculty appointment or our overarching land-grant responsibilities, but out of a genuine desire to use their knowledge to improve the condition of humankind in whatever way they can."