Nominee to Legacy: What’s Next for an Inductee?

On the path to building their legacies, our National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) Inductees started as students, mentors, academics, researchers, and entrepreneurs.

As their careers progressed, they had a profound impact on society. NIHF offers a unique opportunity for each of them to be recognized for their work through Induction into the Hall of Fame.

Nomination

To be considered for Induction, inventors must first be nominated. Once a nomination has been submitted, NIHF relies on a panel of experts in science, technology, engineering and patents to screen, vet and make final selections for Induction.

The 4Ps— passion, progress, patents and perseverance— are some of the criteria on which nominations for Induction are evaluated.

Induction

Each year, NIHF honors a new class of Inductees whose curiosity and pursuit of the American dream have impacted our lives and transformed our society. Induction not only celebrates these inventors’ accomplishments, but often marks the beginning of a rewarding partnership with the Hall of Fame.

After the Inductees are formally welcomed into the Hall of Fame during a two-day Induction Ceremony each May, they continue to propel NIHF’s mission forward.

By serving as mentors and judges at the Collegiate Inventors Competition®, influencing the curricula for and actively participating in our Camp Invention® programs and inspiring new NIHF Museum exhibits, Inductees continue to play an integral role with the Hall of Fame.

Legacy

Beyond influencing our programs and providing mentorship, Inductees inspire the next generation of world-changing innovators. 

Take Steve Sasson, NIHF Inductee and inventor of the Digital Camera, for example: “I think what happens is you go through life and you make your contribution, and you realize it has meaning,” says Sasson. “And then you realize that you’re now an ambassador for the invention process.”

You can watch his legacy video to see the full cycle of an Inductee.

Get Involved

Help NIHF honor more world-class inventors. Anyone can submit a nomination to kick-start an inventor’s legacy at invent.org/inductees/nominate-inventor.