Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Announces 2021 Inductees

Florida Inventors Hall of Fame 2021 Inductees prove that the creative spark can light a fire of innovation to change the world.

TAMPA, Fla. (April 29, 2021) – Seven Florida Inventors whose discoveries are saving lives, transforming the environment, and creating new technologies will be inducted as the 2021 Class of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. Among them are Dean Kamen, often referred to as the modern Thomas Edison due to the breadth and scope of his trailblazing inventions, including the Segway^®; and Mark Dean, who holds three patents for the original IBM PC and is co-inventor of the ISA bus which revolutionized modern computing.

The 2021 class also includes Norma Alcantar, whose plant-based technologies have played a critical role in the global food-water-energy nexus and are breaking ground with new biomedical applications; Roberta Goode, whose valve designs for vascular catheters have saved countless lives; Susann Keohane, whose advances in Artificial Intelligence are transforming technology for people with disabilities and the aging population; David Kotick, whose work integrating digital communications across live and virtual training environments has advanced simulated training for the U.S. military; and Rajiv Singh, whose process for chemical mechanical polishing for mechanically hard advanced electronic materials has significantly improved manufacturing of electronic devices and electric vehicles.

“It is an honor to announce such a remarkable class of Inductees who have proven that world-changing innovation comes from tackling challenging situations—something we are all very familiar with right now,” said Paul R. Sanberg, Chair of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Advisory Board.

“These seven inventors are not only known for their groundbreaking inventions, but also for their breakthroughs in education and training for students, the military, and our aging and disabled populations,” said Sanberg, who also serves as the President of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

The 2021 Inductees constitute the eighth class to be inducted into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. They collectively hold more than 675 U.S. patents and come from across industry, academia, and government. Since its founding in 2013, the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame has inducted 58 inventors, who collectively hold more than 3,675 U.S. patents. 

Inductees are selected annually through a nomination process open to all inventors (living or deceased) with a connection to the state of Florida. The nominations are reviewed by a Selection Committee made up of distinguished experts in relevant fields of innovation.

“The 2021 Inductees highlight the importance of invention and innovation to the state of Florida. They also serve as role models for younger inventors, especially as their innovations extend beyond the lab to include education for future generations,” said Elizabeth Dougherty, Eastern Regional Outreach Director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and member of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Selection Committee. “They are changing our world through creating life-saving, life-altering inventions.”

“This group of inventors is to be commended for their contributions to the state of Florida and our nation,” said Sanberg. “Together, they show that Florida is a powerhouse of innovation.”

The 2021 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame are:

NORMA A. ALCANTAR

Professor of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at the University of South Florida who pioneered advances in chemical applications of plant-based molecules to decontaminate water in remote regions that lack access to drinking water and in areas impacted by environmental and natural disasters. She has also developed biomedical solutions based on this technology for novel therapies to fight Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer. She further applies these technologies for sustainable agriculture and aquaculture including removal of pollutants from contaminated soil, and removal of ammonia and other volatile organic compounds in aquaculture systems. She holds 22 U.S. patents and is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and NAI Senior Member.

MARK DEAN

Professor Emeritus at the University of Tennessee, former Chief Technology Officer of the Middle East and Africa for IBM and IBM Fellow, as well as a Florida Atlantic University alumnus. He holds three of the nine patents for the original IBM PC, led the development of the one-gigahertz processor chip, and is one of the original inventors of the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) “bus,” which permitted plug-in peripheral devices to be connected to computers, revolutionizing computer capability. He holds 43 U.S. patents and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an Inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and a Fellow of IEEE and NAI.

ROBERTA D. GOODE

Founder and President of Altrec, LLC (Coral Springs, FL), who also serves on the faculty of the University of Miami College of Engineering. She is a Florida native and alumna of University of Miami. Her breakthrough patents in valve designs for vascular catheters significantly advanced the field of minimally-invasive cardiac procedures and diagnostic procedures, and improved patient outcomes by preventing blood loss and reducing surgical risk. The designs were incorporated into the Cordis AVANTI Sheath Introducer which continues to be used today. She holds four U.S. patents.

DEAN KAMEN

President of DEKA Research and Development, Founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and part-time Florida resident whose STEM education efforts through FIRST have impacted over one million students nationally and 10,000 students in Florida through notable programs like AMRoC Fab Lab in Tampa, the ROBOTICON FIRST Showcase held in Tampa each fall at the University of South Florida, and the Orlando Regional, one of the nation’s oldest FIRST Robotics Competition held each spring at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Kamen is a prolific inventor whose patents include the Segway®; AutoSyringe™; HomeChoice™ for in-home dialysis; UVAR™ XTS™ System for treatment of T-Cell lymphoma; the Hydroflex™ surgical irrigation pump; the iBOT™ mobility device; and more. He holds over 440 U.S. patents and is an AIMBE Fellow, a Member of the National Academy of Engineering, an Inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and was awarded the National Medal of Technology.

SUSANN KEOHANE

IBM Global Research Leader for the Aging Initiative, Watson Health & Healthy Aging Innovation Leader, IBM Master Inventor, and University of Florida alumna. She holds a series of seminal patents in autonomous vehicles, and her groundbreaking advances in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Internet of Things are transforming technology for people with disabilities and the aging population by applying advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to model activities of daily living and generating new insights that significantly improve quality of life. She holds 137 U.S. patents.

DAVID M. KOTICK

Senior Science Technical Manager for Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) simulation and training at the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in Orlando, and University of Central Florida alumnus. His seminal work integrating digital communications across live and virtual training environments has significantly advanced simulated training for the U.S. military and benefited overall readiness, most notably the Digital Radio Management System, the LVC Tactical Bridge and the Virtual Tactical Bridge Embarked Synthetic Radio. He holds five U.S. patents and is a Naval Air Systems Command Esteemed Fellow.

RAJIV K. SINGH

Vice President at Entegris and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida. He is one of the original developers of pulsed laser deposition and the inventor of chemical mechanical polishing for mechanically hard advanced electronic materials used in manufacturing of smart phones, advanced silicon carbide electronics for electric vehicles, 5G communications, and more. He holds 26 U.S. patents and is a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, the Materials Research Society, and the American Physical Society.

The 2021 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame will be recognized at the 7^th Annual Induction Ceremony and Gala, Friday, November 5, 2021 at the Tampa Marriott Water Street. Florida Inventors Hall of Fame will continue to monitor Florida’s ongoing response to COVID-19 leading up to the scheduled event. Out of an abundance of caution, limited attendance will be offered for the event in order to comply with evolving public health guidance. Further modifications may also be considered depending on these evolving policy guidelines.

About the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FIHF) recognizes and commends Florida inventors whose achievements have advanced the quality of life for Floridians, the state and the nation. Founded in 2013 and located at the University of South Florida Research Park in Tampa, FIHF was recognized by Florida Senate Resolution 1756 in April of 2014. FIHF encourages individuals of all ages and backgrounds to strive toward the betterment of Florida and society through continuous, groundbreaking innovation, and, by commending the incredible scientific work being accomplished in the state, to further the growth of Florida’s innovation sector. FIHF is supported, in part, by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

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