Engineering professor recognized nationally for innovation

Chad Ulven, University Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the organization’s highest professional distinction for academic inventors. He will be formally inducted during the 15th Annual NAI Conference in Los Angeles in June 2026.

The NAI Fellows Program honors inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation through outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Ulven joins an elite community of academic innovators and becomes the third NDSU faculty member to receive the honor.

“Being accepted as an NAI Fellow is very special to me because it is recognition on a national stage,” Ulven said. “Accolades I have received here at NDSU for my research, teaching, and service over the years have also been very rewarding, but I’m from here, I grew up here. This recognition is different, and I am very grateful for that.”

Ulven’s research in sustainable materials and polymer composites has earned international recognition. Over more than two decades at NDSU, he has led or collaborated on more than $45 million in funded research and worked with more than 50 industry partners to develop biobased and advanced composite materials. His work has supported innovation in sectors ranging from agriculture and energy to transportation and consumer products.

He is a two-time NDSU College of Engineering Researcher of the Year and recipient of both the Faculty Lectureship and the Gehrts Presidential Professorship, two of the university’s most prestigious faculty honors.

Ulven’s contributions extend far beyond the laboratory. He has been deeply involved in entrepreneurship, co-founding several technology companies and leading the $14 million NSF-funded Great Plains I-Corps Hub, which supports innovation and startup development across a multi-state region.

“Thinking creatively and innovating started for me as a child, whether it was building my own go-kart out of an old lawn mower or crafting something from scrap material to make a task on the farm easier,” Ulven said. “When I started conducting research as an undergraduate student, it clicked that I could spend my career advancing composite materials for a multitude of applications.”

His first patent emerged after a connection with Bill Issacson, a former 3M executive and native of Stanley, North Dakota, who enlisted his help to develop an all-composite diving board for Olympic competition. “That was when I caught the bug of creating intellectual property that could be protected,” Ulven said.

Today, Ulven’s portfolio includes numerous patents, trade secrets, and commercialization efforts, most stemming from close partnerships with industry and collaboration with students and fellow researchers.

“In today’s world, innovation and the opportunity to create new technology has to be a team effort,” Ulven said. “Every one of my patents or trade secrets has stemmed from collaboration with brilliant researchers and students. I owe my successes and accolades just as much to them as to my own grit and determination.”

Ulven has also been a strong advocate for academic excellence and leadership within the College of Engineering. As interim chair of mechanical engineering, he guided successful ABET accreditation renewal and spearheaded curricular innovations that strengthened the department’s national reputation.

NDSU College of Engineering Dean Alan Kallmeyer said Ulven’s selection as an NAI Fellow reflects both his individual achievements and the university’s growing reputation for research and innovation.

“Chad is an extraordinary inventor, researcher, and leader whose work has had a profound impact on industry, entrepreneurship and engineering education,” Kallmeyer said. “His induction as an NAI Fellow is a well-deserved recognition of his creativity, his collaborative spirit, and his commitment to solving real-world challenges. We are proud to see him represent NDSU at this national level.”

The NAI Fellows program was founded in 2012 and has grown to include 2,253 distinguished researchers and innovators, who hold over 86,000 U.S. patents and 20,000 licensed technologies. Their innovations have generated an estimated $3.8 trillion in revenue and 1.4 million jobs.

“NAI Fellows are a driving force within the innovation ecosystem, and their contributions across scientific disciplines are shaping the future of our world,” said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI, President of the National Academy of Inventors. “We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of Fellows to the Academy. They are truly an impressive cohort, and we look forward to honoring them at our 15th Annual Conference in Los Angeles next year.”

About the NAI

A member organization comprising U.S. and international universities; governmental agencies; and non-profit research institutes, the NAI was founded to recognize and encourage inventors with U.S. patents, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and to create wider public understanding of how its members’ inventions benefit society.

A complete list of 2025 NAI Class of Fellows can be found on the NAI website.