The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has elected Ravi Droopad, Ph.D., professor of engineering in the Ingram School of Engineering at Texas State University, to the 2025 Class of NAI Fellows, the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.
Droopad is among 185 exceptional inventors worldwide selected for the 2025 cohort of individuals whose inventions have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the betterment of society. The NAI Fellows program honors prolific academic inventors committed to translating research into real-world technologies.
“Texas State’s growing reputation as a national research university is built by the extraordinary talent and dedication of faculty like Dr. Ravi Droopad,” said Kelly Damphousse, Ph.D., president of TXST.
“His election as an NAI Fellow reflects the strength of our investment in world-class research, in the people who conduct it and in the students who will carry that innovation forward.”
Droopad is a nationally and internationally recognized researcher in semiconductor materials and device technologies. He researches growing and integrating advanced materials (semiconductors, oxides, dielectrics) for high-speed and high-power electronics. He holds 45 issued U.S. patents, as well as numerous international patents, many of which have been licensed or commercialized.
Before coming to TXST, Droopad held senior roles at Motorola Labs and Freescale Semiconductors, developing materials and processes for modern semiconductor devices. His contributions include crystalline oxide integration and high-k gate dielectric technologies, enabling the world's first enhancement-mode III-V MOSFET, a major transistor milestone.
“Dr. Droopad’s career reflects the very best of translational research,” said Shreek Mandayam, Ph.D., vice president for research at TXST. “His discoveries move from the lab to real-world applications. They shape semiconductor technologies and offer mentorship opportunities for the next generation of engineers.”
In addition to his inventions, Droopad has significantly contributed to education and workforce development. He has mentored students and postdoctoral researchers who now hold innovation careers at leading technology companies (e.g., Intel, Samsung, ASM). He also founded US Ferroics, a startup commercializing functional oxide devices.
Droopad is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and has received numerous professional honors, including election to Motorola’s Scientific Advisory Board and recognition as IEEE Phoenix Section Engineer of the Year. He has published more than 230 peer-reviewed journal articles, authored book chapters and served as an editor for conference proceedings.
The 2025 Class of NAI Fellows collectively holds more than 5,300 U.S. patents and represents institutions across the United States and around the world. Fellows will be formally honored and presented with their medals by a senior official of the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the NAI 15th Annual Conference, to be held June 4, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.
“NAI Fellows are a driving force within the innovation ecosystem, and their contributions across scientific disciplines are shaping the future of our world,” said Paul R. Sanberg, Ph.D., D.Sc., FNAI, president of the National Academy of Inventors.