James Dye, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of chemistry, has been named a National Academy Inventors Fellow.
Dye earned this honor for demonstrating “a highly prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.” Best known for his work with alkali metals, Dye is recognized as the discoverer of alkalides and electrides.
“It is gratifying to be named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors,” Dye said. “Alkali metals, such as sodium, have been a main object of my research since joining the MSU chemistry department in 1953. The driving force for this research, by me and many collaborators, was the fun of developing new materials and methods in an area of chemistry that had been classified as ‘closed’ for more than 100 years.”
In 2005, Dye co-founded SiGNa Chemistry, Inc. with research colleague Michael Lefenfeld. The company transforms pure alkali metals into safe, easy-to-use materials with applications in industrial chemistry.
“As an elected member of the National Academy of Science who can now add NAI Fellow to his impressive list of honors, Jim Dye epitomizes the type of faculty member who makes chemistry live up to its reputation as the ‘enabling science,’” said Rob Maleczka, chair of MSU’s Department of Chemistry in the College of Natural Science.
Dye joins five previously elected MSU NAI Fellows. He will be formally inducted this April at a ceremony held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
The National Academy of Inventors was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and to enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation.
For a complete list of NAI Fellows, visit http://academyofinventors.org/search-fellows.asp.