Two professors at the University of Missouri are joining the ranks of the most prestigious academic inventors in the country. Curators’ Distinguished Professor Raghuraman Kannan and Professor Henry Nguyen (left) have been elected National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows.

NAI Fellows are elected for creating or facilitating inventions that have had a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development and welfare of society. Together, the members of the 2025 class hold more than 5,300 U.S. patents and represent 127 universities, government agencies and research institutions across 40 states.

Nguyen is a professor of plant genetics in CAFNR Division of Plant Science and Technology. His long-standing research interest is in abiotic stress adaptation and tolerance in plants with a current emphasis on soybeans. He has a distinguished career in plant genetics and biotechnology and is internationally recognized for his research in plant adaptation to stress environments and the application of genomic technology to crop improvement. He has a total of five patents issued, including one active in the U.S.

“Being elected as an NAI fellow is both an honor and a privilege,” he said. “As the United States continues to lead the world in scientific and technological innovation, I am humbled to contribute to that legacy. I owe this recognition to the many students, postdoctoral scientists, staff and colleagues who have walked this journey with me.”

Learn more about Kannan’s work in this Show Me Mizzou story.

Kannan and Nguyen will be formally inducted as NAI Fellows at the organization’s annual conference this summer in Los Angeles.