Three Ohio State researchers were elected to the class of 2025 National Academy of Inventors, also known as NAI. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
Amongst the 169 total fellows elected to the class of 2025 National Academy of Inventors, also known as NAI, three of them are researchers at Ohio State.
Alan Luo, a researcher in materials science, engineering and integrated systems, was among the three who earned the NAI fellowship, the highest professional distinction awarded to inventors, according to the NAI press release. Fellow Ohio State professors, Anant Agarwal, a researcher in electrical and computer engineering, and Dehua Pei, a researcher in chemistry and biochemistry were also among the honorees.
The Lantern was able to talk to the other professors, who got their fellowships for researching how biomolecules travel across cell membranes and silicon carbide power devices. The Lantern will be publishing separate profiles on each professor.
The program is one of the NAI’s Inventor Recognition Programs which honors academic inventors who have excelled in innovation — whether it’s creating or facilitating inventions that have made an impact on quality of life, economic development or the welfare of society, according to its website.
The program has been recognizing researchers and innovators in every major field of discovery since 2012, as they are “tackling the biggest and most pressing issues of our time,” according to the press release.
The 169 fellows represent 127 universities, government agencies and research institutions. The 2025 cohort spans 40 U.S. states, the press release said.
There have been 23 fellows from Ohio State since 2013.
Luo currently leads the Lightweight Materials and Manufacturing Research Laboratory and directs the Advanced Casting Research Center at Ohio State.
Before coming to university in 2013, Luo was involved with General Motors Global Research and Development Center since 1998, where he was provided with a lot of resources to conduct advanced research.
Luo made the switch from industry to academic research because he wanted to work with students, he said.
Ohio State is ranked No. 28 in Best Engineering Schools by U.S. News, which Luo said provides access to world class facilities and talents to show for it. He said he was able to make the transition while still continuing to conduct advanced research in his area.
The research, Luo said, focuses on reducing the weight of moving vehicles and airplanes by designing lower density, lightweight materials like aluminum, magnesium and titanium as an alternative to the versatile, yet heavy, steel material that consumes a large amount of gasoline and energy due to its heavy weight.
These designs have made up most of his inventions, Luo said.
“These materials, they have lower density, they’re lighter,” Luo said. “We formulate the materials [so] they can also have similar performance like the strengths, the toughness, the crushworthiness.”
Whether it’s fueled by electricity or gasoline, the lighter the vehicle is, the more efficient it will be, Luo said.
“When you trim the mass out of those vehicles, you save energy and you improve efficiency,” Luo said.
At Ohio State, Luo leads a research laboratory and has a research group, composed of postdoctorates, graduate students and undergraduate students. The group conducts sponsored research from federal agencies and industry sponsors to help them develop new, lightweight materials and the related manufacturing processes, he said.
Additionally, Luo serves as the director at the Ohio State site of the Advanced Casting Research Center, which is a consortium linked to the University of California, Irvine that researches metal processing and manufacturing, with a focus in metal casting and digital manufacturing, according to its website.
Luo said a key component of his research emphasizes sustainability, as he uses scrap material and reformulates them into beneficial products for different types of vehicles.
“You’re not only driving efficiency, you also help sustainability because there’s limited resources, a lot of these materials are not renewable,” Luo said.
Luo currently holds 28 patents and 400 technical publications in advanced materials, manufacturing and applications, which he attributes to his industry background and love for applied research that impacts society and the real world.
Luo said it is important to engage students by explaining the purpose of his research and emphasizing the impact it has on society beyond just curiosity.
“When I can explain to the students or my collaborators, the younger folks, that what we’re doing is meaningful to society, we can change the world in a small way that excite[s] the students and also excite[s] the team so we’re motivated,” Luo said.
Luo said teaching students skills early on, like how to file a patent and how to transfer new technology to industry, is not in the curriculum, but important to instill.
Luo said his election into the National Academy Inventors class of 2025 Fellows also reflects the research coming out of Ohio State and motivates students because it shows that they can be rewarded for their hard work.
Luo said he looks at the honor as a team effort, naming himself the coach with a team of players on the field scoring points.
Luo said he hopes students look up to him just as he was inspired by his award-winning professors during college.
“When I [saw] some top professors recognized by National Academies, they immediately became my role model[s],” Luo said. “So I would hope this will serve some of that purpose to the student body, that’s my hope.” Additionally, in 2023, Luo was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, also known as NAE, a high professional distinction accorded to an engineer, according to the NAE website.
