By Charlotte Brookins
Two faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are the newest members of the National Academy of Inventors.
Professor John Prineas of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Professor Ned Bowden of the Department of Chemistry were elected to join the University of Iowa chapter.
The National Academy of Inventors is an organization made up of universities from around the globe intent on providing recognition for academic technology, innovation, and intellectual property. The UI joined its ranks with its own chapter, created in 2024 by Aliasger Salem, professor and associate vice president for research.
John Prineas, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Prineas has worked at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences since 2001. In the more than two decades since, much of his research—and the patents created from it—has revolved around semi-conductor and materials physics.
“I was very happy to be invited,” says Prineas of his invitation into the NAI. “Academic research tends to be focused on publishing rather than patents and startups. I’ve put a lot of effort into the latter, so it was great to be recognized for that.”
Using mid-infrared wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, Prineas has created and patented light-emitting diodes, photo detectors, and laser-diodes with multi-spectral and enhanced properties.
“There’s a lot of interest in mid-infrared chemical sensors for use in medical and environmental monitoring,” Prineas adds. “They have great specificity and sensitivity.” Mid-infrared optoelectronic devices also have key importance for imaging, lighting, and projection in security and defense.
Prineas hopes to commercialize his patents in gaseous and molecular sensing, as well as other applications.
Ned Bowden, Department of Chemistry
Bowden was invited to join the Iowa NAI as a result of his agricultural start-up, which involves the development and commercialization of a sulfur-based fertilizer known as SUPRGrow.
“I was very honored to receive the invitation,” says Bowden, who has worked at CLAS for 22 years. “Being an entrepreneur and creating a start-up company is a lot of work, so it’s nice to get recognition.”
Bowden’s inspiration for his company comes from the research he conducted that first resulted in the specialized fertilizer back in 2017. Supplemented by a $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Bowden developed this idea alongside business partner Mike Saunders.
“After the grant ended in 2022, Mike and I created the startup company Harvest Increase Agriculture, LLC, or HI Ag,” Bowden adds. “HI Ag was launched to commercialize SUPRGrow, which has gone through four strong years of field trial results. We are working to get it in the hands of as many farmers as possible.”
Both Prineas and Bowden wish to express their gratitude for CLAS, crediting its dedication to research as a major help with their work.
“Conducting research requires a lot of specialized equipment, and the college has provided lots of resources and support in that area,” says Prineas. “I think it’s so great that the university has created an atmosphere to support entrepreneurship.”
Bowden is also excited about the future of the college’s involvement in entrepreneurship, saying, “We have a lot of potential here at Iowa for startups that impact the state. I’m looking forward to seeing how the NAI can propel us to be better entrepreneurs on campus.”