Kishor Mehta, Horn Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University, has been selected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).
“It is unique,” Mehta said. “I had really not looked at myself as an inventor. But, what I really feel is that it is a recognition of not only myself, but it is also a recognition of our wind program at the National Wind Institute. I have been lucky to always be involved with the faculty at Texas Tech who are pursuing different things and be recognized for it.”
Mehta becomes the third Texas Tech faculty member to be named an NAI Fellow, joining Robert V. Duncan in the Department of Physics and Astronomy (2014) and Mindy Brashears in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences (2016).
Mehta, who is also the first member of the National Academy of Engineering at Texas Tech, has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), focusing on the impact of wind during tornadoes. Mehta provided technical expertise of loads for above-ground tornado shelter design in residences (FEMA P-320) and for community shelters in schools and public buildings (FEMA P-361).
The patents that allowed Mehta to be inducted into the NAI are:
- U.S. Patent 6,386,526 B1, “Cable-Stay Aerodynamic Damper Band and Method of Use,” granted May 14, 2002
- U.S. Patent 6,435,323 B2, “Distributed Aerodynamic and Mechanical Damping of Cables With Active Smart Control,” granted Aug. 20, 2002
- U.S. Patent 6,705,440 B2, “Cable-Stay Damper Band and Method of Use for Reduction of Fluid Induced Cable Vibrations,” granted March 16, 2004
“It’s an honor to have Kishor inducted as an NAI Fellow,” said Joseph Heppert, vice president of research at Texas Tech. “The work he has done in regard to the impact of tornadoes and severe winds on buildings is unparalleled. Nominating him for this recognition was truly a pleasure, and I’m happy to learn the NAI committee agrees on the importance of his contributions.”
Mehta will be inducted as an NAI Fellow on April 5 in Washington, D.C. He will be presented with a signature trophy, medal and custom rosette pin during the induction ceremony.
About the NAI
The National Academy of Inventors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit member organization comprising U.S. and international universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutes, with more than 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide.
The NAI publishes the multidisciplinary journal Technology and Innovation, Journal of the National Academy of Inventors.
The NAI was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.
For more information, visit the NAI website.
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