Three Wireless Institute Faculty Named to the National Academy of Inventors Senior Member Class of 2026

The Wireless Institute is proud to announce that three of its faculty members, Jonathan Chisum, Patrick Fay, and Thomas O’Sullivan, have been elected to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Senior Member Class of 2026.

This recognition places them among an accomplished cohort of innovators whose work is shaping the future of technology and society. The 2026 class, the largest to date, includes 230 faculty, scientists, and research leaders from 82 member institutions worldwide. Collectively, these honorees hold more than 2,000 U.S. patents, a reflection of their commitment to translating research into real-world impact.

The NAI Senior Member designation honors rising leaders in innovation: individuals whose patented and commercialized technologies are making, or have strong potential to make, a meaningful difference in society and economic development. The work of Professors Chisum, Fay, and O’Sullivan spans wireless systems, semiconductor technologies, and advanced electronics. These fields are foundational to next-generation communication and national competitiveness. Through both discovery and application, they exemplify what the Wireless Institute strives to be: a place where rigorous scholarship and practical innovation go hand in hand.

The honorees will be formally recognized at the NAI 15th Annual Conference, taking place June 1–4 in Los Angeles, where leaders from academia, industry, and government will gather to celebrate innovation and collaboration.

To learn more about the honorees: https://academyofinventors.org/nai-welcomes-newest-class-of-senior-members/

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Story by Julia Hahn. The Wireless Institute at Notre Dame. For more information on this story or the Institute contact us at wireless@nd.edu