Two Portland State University researchers, Suresh Singh and Shankar Rananavare, have been named Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors, according to a March 12 announcement. They are among 230 inventors nationwide honored for producing, patenting, and commercializing technologies with significant societal impact.
The recognition highlights the growing influence of PSU’s faculty in innovation and technology development. The university now has five Senior Members and two Fellows in the academy, reflecting its contributions to research fields such as chemistry, engineering, and computer science.
Singh, a professor of computer science, focuses on high-speed communications in the terahertz range and artificial intelligence-based signal optimization for wireless systems. He explained that terahertz frequencies can carry much more data than current 5G networks and could be used inside data centers for greater efficiency. Singh also described how terahertz radio signal sensing can read unique identifying information on physical objects: “Imagine that each engine block of a car is slightly different in exterior shape — differences so tiny that you need a very precise laser or terahertz scanner to tell them apart,” he said. “To the naked eye, one engine might look identical to another of the same model. But at the microscopic level, the surface variations have unique information that becomes a digital signature like an invisible VIN. Stolen cars can then be easily identified because it’s no longer possible to remove the VIN by filing it off — the VIN is part of the shape of the engine block.” Singh added that this technology could help prevent forgeries in high-end fashion or distinguish military vehicles on battlefields.
Travis Woodland, director of Innovation & Intellectual Property at PSU, said Singh has consistently transformed theoretical concepts into practical solutions addressing technological bottlenecks: “Dr. Singh’s inventive maturity is evidenced by a sustained record of innovation that anticipates industrial shifts,” he said.
Rananavare, a research associate professor of chemistry, holds patents across nanomaterials, semiconductor processing, chemical formulations, sensors and biomedical devices. “As a physical chemist interested in understanding and exploiting Mother Nature’s gifts, I apply chemical science to solve fundamental problems in nanotechnology,” he said. Rananavare’s work includes magnetically coated nanowires developed through MagWire—a startup focused on flexible displays—and non-invasive glucose monitoring using printable electronic devices.
Robert Strongin, professor of chemistry and NAI Fellow at PSU, commented on Rananavare’s impact: “Dr. Rananavare’s inventive contributions have repeatedly moved into commercial and industrial deployment through partnerships with major corporations and startup ventures,” he said. “His technologies have influenced semiconductor manufacturing efficiency, chemical formulation stability, transparent conductors and low-cost sensing platforms with applications spanning electronics, healthcare, environmental monitoring and national security.”
Singh and Rananavare will be inducted at the National Academy of Inventors annual meeting in June in Los Angeles.