As intellectual property attorneys, we understand the ingenuity, persistence, and courage it takes for inventions to see the light of day. In this monthly inventor spotlight, Carlson Caspers’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee celebrates the accomplishments of an inventor who has made an impact on our world.
Inventor Spotlight
Dr. Jayashri Kulkarni and Professor Brian Lithgow
October - World Mental Health Day (October 10)
In honor of World Mental Health Day (October 10), Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Dr. Jayashri Kulkarni and Professor Brian Lithgow.
Dr. Kulkarni and Professor Lithgow teamed up to invent and develop a transformational diagnostic technique called “electrovestibulography”—EVestG for short. EVestG, which its developers liken to an “ECG for the mind,” is a diagnostic tool that measures patterns of activity in the vestibular system (used for balance and spatial orientation) to fast-track the detection of mental and neurological conditions.
Author: Alexandra J. Olson
Sabrina Gonzales Pasterski
(1993 –)
September - Hispanic Heritage Month
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, August 9 2024, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Sabrina Gonzales Pasterski, an American theoretical physicist.
Sabrina Gonzales Pasterski is a first-generation Cuban-American scientist who studies high energy physics.
Author: Tara C. Norgard
Tara Astigarraga
(1980 – )
August – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
In honor of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, August 9 2024, an annual commemorative day to honor Indigenous peoples across the world, Carlson Caspers celebrates the contributions of Tara Astigarraga.
Tara is an IBM Master Inventor with over 80 patents covering innovations in information technology storage, networking, security, and blockchain.
Dr. James Marsters
(1924 – 2009)
July - National Disability Independence Day
In honor of the National Disability Independence Day, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Dr. James Marsters, inventor of TTY.
Dr. James Marsters, a deaf orthodontist, played a pivotal role in creating the first text telephones (TTY), revolutionizing communication for the deaf community.
Author: Seung Sub “Elvis” Kim
Sophie Wilson
(1957 -)
June - Pride Month
Celebrating Pride Month, Carlson Caspers recognizes and honors the accomplishments of Sophie Wilson.
Computer scientist Dr. Sophie Wilson is a named inventor on 80 patents belonging to 20 unique patent families. Among her most notable inventions, she co-developed one of the first reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processors, the Acorn RISC Machine. Her innovations are used in thousands of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and broadband routers.
Author: Jennell C. Bilek
Jōkichi Takamine
(1854 – 1922)
May - Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
In honor of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), which recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States, Carlson Caspers celebrates the contributions of Jōkichi Takamine.
Jōkichi Takamine was a biochemist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is known for his pioneering research leading to the isolation of adrenaline. Adrenaline has many applications in medicine, including the treatment of anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest.
Author: Saukshmya Trichi
Hedy Lamarr
(1914 - 2000)
April - Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha Shoah)
In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah), Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Hedy Lamarr.
Better known as an actress, Lamarr was a self-taught inventor who developed frequency-hopping spread spectrum communications during WWII, which is now one of the types of communication used in cellular telephones.
Author: Iain A. McIntyre
Dr. Esther Sans Takeuchi
(1953 -)
March - National Women's History Month
In honor of National Women’s History Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of scientist Dr. Esther Sans Takeuchi.
Dr. Esther Sans Takeuchi is a scientist who has helped keep hearts beating all over the world with her contributions to power sources for medical devices. Dr. Takeuchi invented a compact battery for implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) that allows for smaller devices with longer battery life, providing substantial patient benefits.
Author: Caroline L. Marsili
Patricia Cowings
(1948 -)
February - Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Patricia Cowings.
Patricia Cowings is an aerospace psychophysiologist and was the first woman scientist to be trained by NASA as an astronaut. Although she never made it to space herself, her work focused on the psychological and biological problems experienced in space travel and helped astronauts learn to better adapt to the space environment.
Author: Alexandra J. Olson
Jerry C. Elliot – High Eagle
(1943 -)
November / December - National Native American Heritage Month
November 2023: In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Former NASA physicist Jerry C. Elliot – High Eagle.
Elliot was one of the first Native American scientists at NASA and began his career at NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas where he worked on the Gemini program. He later worked on the Apollo program developing flight plans for the first lunar landing in Apollo 11.
Aaron Beck
(1921 – 2021)
October 10, 2023 - World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day 2023 is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right' to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right.
Author: Alexandra J. Olson
Sylvia Acevedo
(1956 -)
September - Hispanic Heritage Month
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month Carlson Caspers celebrates the inspiration and advocacy of Sylvia Acevedo, Rocket Scientist | Board Member | Tech Executive | Entrepreneur | Speaker | Author.
Author: Katherine Chen
Bertha Parker Pallan Cody
(1907 – 1978)
August - International Day of the World's Indigenous People (August 9)
Celebrating Indigenous People Day, Carlson Caspers recognizes and honors the accomplishments of Bertha Parker Pallan Cody, also known as Bertha Parker or Bertha Cody, was an accomplished Native American archaeologist and ethnologist.
Author: Barbara Brown
Farida Nana Efua Bedwei
(1979-)
July - National Disability Independence Day
Farida Nana Efua Bedwei has Cerebral Palsy (CP) but that disability does not define her, nor limit her. Farida is a successful entrepreneur and software engineer.
In honor of National Disability Independence Day, which commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Farida Nana Efua Bedwei.
Author: Barbara Brown
Dr. Sally Ride
(1951-2012)
June - Pride Month
Celebrating Pride Month, Carlson Caspers recognizes and honors the accomplishments of Dr. Sally Ride.
Physicist, Dr. Sally Ride, was the first American woman and acknowledged LGBT astronaut to enter space.
Author: Jennell C. Bilek
Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott
(1919-2010)
May - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers recognizes and honors the trailblazing ethnobotanist, Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott.
Dr. Abbott is the first Native Hawaiian to receive a doctoral degree in science and is regarded as a world-renowned expert on Pacific algae having identified more than 200 species.
Author: Saukshmya Trichi
Dean Kamen
(1951 -)
April - Holocaust Remembrance Day
In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah), Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Dean Kamen.
A prolific inventor, Kamen is best known for his invention of the Segway and a wheelchair that can climb stairs, known as the iBOT®. Many of his inventions, such as a drug infusion pump, portable dialysis machine and water purification systems were developed to improve the human condition. He is the named inventor on more than 1,000 patents.
Author: Iain A. McIntyre
Dr. Ann Tsukamoto
(1952 -)
March - Women's History Month
In honor of Women’s History Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Dr. Ann Tsukamoto.
Dr. Ann Tsukamoto is a stem cell researcher who identified and patented a process that allowed the human stem cell to be isolated. Dr. Tsukamoto’s contributions in stem cell research have revolutionized approaches to cancer treatment and the medical field at large.
Author: Caroline L. Marsili
Dr. Marian Croak
(1955 -)
February - Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Marian Croak.
Dr. Marian Croak, now a Vice President of Engineering at Google, is best known for her contributions to the fields of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and text-to-donate technology. She is currently named as an inventor on over 200 patents, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022.
Author: Hannah Mosby O’Brien
John Bennett Herrington
November / December – National Native American Heritage Month
In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of John Bennett Herrington, US Navy Commander, US Naval Aviator, NASA Astronaut, and Motivational Speaker.
NASA considers John Bennett Herrington the first Native American astronaut to accomplish space travel and a spacewalk. On his journey to the International Space Station, he carried eagle feathers, arrowheads, wooden flutes, and flags of the Chickasaw and Crow nations.
Dr. Edith Klemperer
October - World Mental Health Month
In honor of World Mental Health Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the extraordinary achievements of Dr. Edith Klemperer.
In honor of World Mental Health Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the extraordinary achievements of Dr. Edith Klemperer, an Austrian-American woman who invented a Luminous Brain Anatomical Model and conducted pioneering research in neurology, psychiatry, and hypnotherapy.
Author: Alexandra J. Olson
Olga D. González-Sanabria
September - Hispanic Heritage Month
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Olga D. González-Sanabria.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the extraordinary achievements of Olga D. González-Sanabria, an engineer and researcher whose work at NASA on “Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries” resulted in extending fuel cell battery life and space travel capabilities. González-Sanabria continues her passion for engineering through her involvement in various organizations as a mentor for young Hispanic women engineers.
Author: Tara C. Norgard
Aaron Yazzie
August - International Day of the World's Indigenous People (August 9)
In honor of International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Carlson Caspers celebrates Aaron Yazzie, a Mechanical Engineer who was most notably a key member on the recent Mars rover missions.
Aaron Yazzie, Diné, earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. As a Mechanical Engineer with a focus on Planetary Sample Acquisition and Handling at NASA, Yazzie designs mechanisms for acquiring geological samples from other planets. He most notably was a key member on the recent Mars rover missions. His Navajo heritage provides a significant background furthering indigenous equity and inclusion in STEM with his contributions to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Unlike some of our previous inventors, however, he is quite young and “up-and-coming.”
Christian Boer
(1981 -)
July - National Disability Independence Day
In honor of National Disability Independence Day, commemorating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Carlson Caspers celebrates Dutch Designer Christian Boer’s contributions to helping increase accessibility for individuals with dyslexia.
While studying for his graduate thesis at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht, he developed Dyslexie, a typeface (font) that improves reading accessibility for individuals with dyslexia.
Author: Harpreet S. Mahal
Alan Mathison Turing
(1912 - 1954)
June - LGBT Pride Month
In honor of LGBT Pride month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Alan Mathison Turing.
Turing was one of the most important scientists of the twentieth century and made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics, computer science, and artificial intelligence.
Author: Jennell C. Bilek
Dr. Margaret M. Wu
(1950 -)
May - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the extraordinary achievements of industrial chemist Dr. Margaret M. Wu.
Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Dr. Margaret M. Wu, Senior Scientific Advisor (Retired), ExxonMobil, and revolutionary industrial chemist for her breakthrough research in designing and synthesizing lubricants for industrial and automobile use. A prolific inventor, Dr. Wu is the first woman from ExxonMobil to be inducted into the National Academy of Engineering and she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame® this year. Dr. Wu holds more than 100 patents for her pioneering inventions. She epitomizes the inventive spirit – “[I]f my work taught me anything, it’s that there’s always something new to discover.”
Author: Saukshmya Trichi
Leo Szilard
(1898 - 1964)
April - Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah)
In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah), Carlson Caspers celebrates the extraordinary achievements of inventor Leo Szilard.
Szilard is best known for his contributions to the Manhattan Project. His contributions and interests ranged from particle accelerators to biochemical reactors and electron microscopes. His best-known patent, on which he was co-inventor with Albert Einstein, covered a refrigerator with no moving parts. Many consider Leo Szilard one of history’s brightest physicists, yet he never won the Nobel Prize.
Author: Iain A. McIntyre
Dr. Mary-Claire King
(1946 - )
March - National Women's History Month
In honor of National Women’s History Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of geneticist and humanitarian Dr. Mary-Claire King.
This Women’s History Month, we celebrate Mary-Claire King, the first person to show that breast cancer can be inherited by genetic mutations. Dr. King’s decades of dedication to breast cancer research, humanitarian work, and education are nothing less than heroic.
Author: Caroline L. Marsili
Garrett Augustus Morgan
(1877 - 1963)
February - Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Garrett A. Morgan.
Morgan, born to two freed slaves, was a prolific inventor best known for creating the automated, three-signal traffic light. A self-made businessman in the apparel and grooming industries, his inventions focused on enhancing the safety of the average worker and citizen. Over the course of his life, his inventions earned him 26 patents.
Author: Hannah Mosby O’Brien
Dr. Fred Begay
(1923 - 2013)
November / December - National Native American Heritage Month
How Dr. Fred Begay, as a nuclear physicist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, worked on research focused on thermonuclear fusion, including the use of lasers, electrons, and high-energy ion beams to heat plasmas to use as alternative energy sources.
During his long career, Dr. Begay received the American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s Ely Parker Award in 1992, the National Science Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science in 1999.
Dr. K.P. “Suba” Subbalakshmi
October - World Mental Health Day
How Dr. K.P. “Suba” Subbalakshmi, devised an inexpensive, unobtrusive AI-based tool to monitor speech for identifying markers for dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and aphasia for early detection and treatments.
In honor of World Mental Health Day, an international day to raise awareness of mental health issues worldwide and mobilize efforts in support of mental health, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Dr. K.P. “Suba” Subbalakshmi. Her research in artificial intelligence and machine learning focuses on mental health. She devised an inexpensive, unobtrusive AI-based tool to monitor speech in a natural real-world setting to identify dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and aphasia markers.
Author: Seung Sub “Elvis” Kim, Tara C. Norgard
Dr. Ellen Ochoa
(1958 -)
September - Celebrating the Achievements of Hispanic American Inventors and Scientists
How the achievements of Hispanic American inventors and scientists introduced several “career firsts” and led to advancements in science, engineering, healthcare, and more.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Dr. Ellen Ochoa, best known as a trailblazing astronaut, engineer, inventor, and advisor to Congress and the President.
- In 1993, Dr. Ochoa became the first Hispanic female astronaut and, in 2013, the first Hispanic Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
- We also honor the contributions of Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff, the third Mexican American woman to receive a doctorate in the sciences in the United States in 1975.
- We honor the contributions of Olga D. González-Sanabria, an inventor and director at NASA’s Glenn Research Center’s Plans and Programs Office.
- We honor the contributions of Elena T. Medo, a serial entrepreneur and prolific inventor, with 25 U.S. Patents to her name.
Author: R. Willets Ely, Tara C. Norgard
Thomas David Petite
(1956 - )
August - Celebrating the Achievements of Native American Inventors and Scientists
How the achievements of Native American inventors and scientists have contributed to our lives.
This month, Caspers celebrates the contemporary achievements of inventors and scientists who are Native American. We also recognize that many inventions were created by Native Americans before settlers came (and the establishment of the USPTO), such as the hammock, aspirin, and chocolate.
Mary G. Ross
(1908 - 2008)
August - Celebrating the Achievements of Native American Inventors and Scientists
How the achievements of Native American inventors and scientists have contributed to our lives.
This month, Caspers celebrates the contemporary achievements of inventors and scientists who are Native American. We also recognize that many inventions were created by Native Americans before settlers came (and the establishment of the USPTO), such as the hammock, aspirin, and chocolate.
Ralph Braun
(1940 – 2013)
July - National Disability Independence Day
How Ralph Braun’s disability led him to develop the World’s first motorized scooter
In honor of National Disability Independence Day, which commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Ralph Braun. Mr. Braun was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at a young age. His designs for motorized scooters, wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and wheelchair lifts facilitate the mobility and independence of people with disabilities. He developed his technologies into a business that became a worldwide leader of wheelchair-accessible vehicles and lifts.
Lynn Conway, M.S.E.E.
(1938 - )
June - Pride Month
How Lynn Ann Conway’s inventions and publications brought advancements in computer science and microelectronics.
In honor of Pride Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of Lynn Ann Conway, an American computer scientist, electrical engineer, inventor, and transgender activist. Conway’s invention of generalized dynamic instruction handling using out-of-order execution improves the performance of superscalar computer processors. Her revolutionary work on silicon chip design triggered a flurry of university research and high-tech startups in the 80s and 90s. She is a named inventor on five U.S. patents. As a woman who has experienced a transgender transition, she is an activist for transgender rights.
Author: Katherine Chen
Sumita Mitra, Ph.D.
(1927 - )
May - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
How Dr. Sumita Mitra’s inventions brought several breakthroughs in dental technologies creating new smiles for millions.
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Dr. Sumita Mitra. She is best known for inventing the non-composite dental filling Filtek™ Supreme Restorative, which is a material that has been used in over 600 million dental implant procedures. Her discoveries have led to several innovative dental technologies, including nanocomposites, resin-modified glass ionomers, and dental adhesives.
Author: Saukshmya Trichi
Heinz Joseph Gerber
(1924 - 1996)
How Joseph Gerber, Holocaust Survivor, became an Automation Pioneer
In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah), Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Joseph Gerber. Gerber is best known for developments in engineering design and manufacturing for several different industries. Many consider him the “Thomas Edison of manufacturing” as a pioneer in automation development in skill-intensive industries. He was the named inventor on more than 600 U.S. patents.
Author: Iain A. McIntyre
Stephanie Kwolek
(1923 - 2014)
March - Women's History Month
How Ms. Kwolek discovered Kevlar®
In honor of Women’s History month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor and chemist Stephanie Kwolek. Kwolek is best known for inventing Kevlar®, a synthetic fiber of exceptional strength and stiffness. She is a named inventor on over 15 United States patents relating to her work as a chemist at DuPont.
Dr. Patricia Bath
(1942 - 2019)
February - Black History Month
How Dr. Patricia Bath Changed the World of Sight
In honor of Black History month, Carlson Caspers celebrates the achievements of inventor Dr. Patricia Bath in the field of ophthalmology. Dr. Bath held five United States patents directed toward methods and a device using ultrasound and laser energy to remove cataracts. The United States Patent Office has recognized her technology as “help[ing] restore or improve vision to millions of patients worldwide, making it one of the most important developments in the field of ophthalmology.”