UC Riverside engineering professors Mihri and Cengiz Ozkan have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, or NAI, becoming the first married couple in the United States to receive the honor.

Both longtime faculty members in UCR’s Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, Mihri Ozkan is a professor of electrical and computer engineering, while Cengiz Ozkan is a professor of mechanical engineering.

Their election recognizes their careers marked by breakthroughs in sustainable energy storage, and nanomaterials technologies, among other innovations.

The Ozkans were inducted at the 2025 NAI Annual Meeting held in Atlanta, where they were honored alongside leading academic inventors from across the country. Also in attendance was Will Covey, acting deputy undersecretary of commerce for intellectual property and acting deputy director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

During the induction gala, NAI President Paul R. Sanberg recognized the Ozkans as the first married couple in the country to both earn election as NAI fellows—a milestone for the academy.

Mihri Ozkan was additionally commended for her service as an official invention ambassador for the NAI, a role that promotes the societal benefits of academic innovation.

To commemorate the achievement, the couple’s names have been engraved on a permanent plaque at the patent headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Their election was also formally entered into the Congressional Record.

“We are grateful to be part of such an inspiring community of innovators and leaders,” the Ozkans said in a joint statement.

The NAI Fellowship is the NAI’s highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors. It honors those whose patented inventions have had a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.