Honoring the Inductees We Lost in 2023

Since 1973, the National Inventors Hall of Fame^® has recognized extraordinary creators and innovators. In our first 50 years, we have honored 624 Inductees, and we illuminate their legacies by sharing their lessons and stories through unique National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum exhibits, innovative competitions and nationwide invention education programs.

As we reach the end of 2023, we invite you to join us in remembering four Hall of Fame Inductees we lost this year. We honor the lives and legacies of these visionaries, whose stories will continue to inspire generations of innovators.

Rodney Bagley

Inductee Rodney Bagley co-invented the ceramic substrate used inside catalytic converters. He developed the extrusion die and process for creating a thin-walled, honeycombed cellular ceramic substrate, the inside surface of which was coated with a catalyst that reacted with pollutants, resulting in harmless emissions. Due to the ceramic substrate’s sensitivity, only lead-free gasoline could be used. Bagley’s work was instrumental in helping the automotive industry to meet the standards set by the 1970 U.S. Clean Air Act.

C. Donald Bateman

Inductee Don Bateman dramatically improved aircraft safety with inventions including the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS). In the 1960s, as airline owners sought ways to improve pilots’ awareness of flying too low or too close to a mountain, Bateman created a device that automatically warned pilots if they were approaching the ground or water. The Federal Aviation Administration began requiring GPWS in aircraft in 1973, and Bateman and his team of developers continued making advances for even more effective and reliable warning systems.

Gordon Moore

Inductee Gordon Moore co-founded Intel Corp. in 1968 and authored Moore’s Law, which stated that the number of transistors that can be mass-manufactured on an integrated circuit will double every two years. Moore set the pace and standards for Silicon Valley's chip manufacturing methods. His work transformed painstaking scientific experimentation into cost-effective products, established the model of the computer industry researcher-entrepreneur and helped make Intel a world-leading chip maker.

William P. Murphy Jr.

Inductee William P. Murphy Jr. was a pioneer in applying engineering to medicine. He invented many successful medical devices, including disposable medical procedure trays, blood bags, physiologic cardiac pacemakers, angiographic injectors and hollow fiber artificial kidneys. In 1957, he founded Medical Development Corp. in his garage. It soon became Cordis Corp., which today focuses on developing medical instruments. Murphy also founded Small Parts Inc., later acquired by Amazon, which provided specialized materials and tools to engineers.

Learn More About Our Inductees

To discover more National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees whose work has shaped our world and enhanced our lives, and whose accomplishments will continue to influence the future, visit our website.