The University of Georgia’s Innovation Gateway recognized UGA employees named as inventors on U.S. patents, as well as UGA entrepreneurs who formed new companies in calendar year 2015, at the seventh annual Innovator’s Luncheon on April 1.

A total of 42 patents naming UGA inventors were awarded to the UGA Research Foundation, Inc., last year: 10 plant patents, 31 utility patents and one plant variety protection certificate. Furthermore, 5 start-up companies were formed by University of Georgia faculty in 2015.

Additional innovators were also recognized for their contributions to the UGA Research Enterprise in 2015. David Chu, Distinguished Research Professor in the College of Pharmacy, and Wayne Hanna, professor of crop and soil sciences, were named to the 2015 class of National Academy of Inventors Fellows. Steven Stice, D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, and Director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center, was recognized as the 2015 Academic Entrepreneur of the Year. Jerry Johnson, professor of crop and soil sciences, was recognized as the 2015 Inventor of the Year.

Innovation Gateway staff gathered with UGA deans and faculty to recognize each inventor and entrepreneur individually and to present them with two tokens of appreciation: a leather monogrammed padfolio and a commemorative license plate for each new patent holder that reads “UGA INVNTR.”