National Inventors Hall of Fame welcomes 2008 inductees

Additional information about the 2008 inductees who will be recognized over the Induction weekend can be found at the Hall of Fame’s web site, www.invent.org/2008induction.

In addition to honoring the new inductees, the National Inventors Hall of Fame also awards an annual Lifetime Achievement Award to an individual who has fostered innovation throughout his or her lifetime. The 2008 recipient is Riccardo Giacconi, who pioneered the field of X-ray astronomy and fostered advancements in astronomy through his teaching and leadership. His work has led to greater understanding of the formation, evolution, and development of structures in the early universe. Giacconi has served as the first Director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, which oversees the operations of the Hubble Telescope, and as Director General of the European Southern Observatory. Currently on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, Giacconi was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Inventors may be nominated by anyone for induction into the Hall of Fame, but they must hold a U.S. patent to be considered. The nominee’s invention must have contributed to the welfare of society and have promoted the progress of science and the useful arts. The Selection Committee, comprised of representatives from national science and technology organizations, reviews all nominations.

The not-for-profit National Inventors Hall of Fame is the premier organization in America dedicated to honoring and fostering creativity and invention. Each year a new class of inventors is inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their patented inventions that make human, social, and economic progress possible. Founded in 1973 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Association, the Hall’s headquarters are in Akron, Ohio, from where it administers its national programs, including Camp Invention®, Club Invention®, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition®.