{"688580":{"#nid":"688580","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Two College of Sciences Faculty Named Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E Professor\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/chandra-raman\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Chandra S. Raman\u003C\/a\u003E and\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Associate Professor\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/jason-azoulay\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Jason Azoulay\u003C\/a\u003E have been recognized as senior members of the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academyofinventors.org\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;National Academy of Inventors\u003C\/a\u003E (NAI) Class of 2026. Launched in 2018, the program recognizes faculty, scientists, and administrators at NAI Member Institutions who have successfully produced, patented, and commercialized technologies that have brought, or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society and economic progress.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis year\u2019s class is a truly impressive cohort,\u201d said Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI, president of NAI. \u201cI commend them on their incredible pursuits, and I\u2019m honored to welcome them to the Academy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERecognizing NAI Senior Member Chandra S. Raman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ERaman is a physicist, inventor, and technology entrepreneur whose work is helping shape the future of quantum sensing. As the Dunn Family Professor of Physics, he studies how atoms behave at extremely low temperatures and uses that knowledge to build new kinds of ultra-precise measurement devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBest known for the co-invention of chip\u2011scale atomic beam technology \u2014\u0026nbsp;a breakthrough that makes it possible to build tiny quantum sensors for navigation and timing \u2014 Raman and his team\u2019s patented\u0026nbsp;devices can operate where GPS fails. These inventions form the foundation for a new generation of manufactured quantum hardware, offering new capabilities for autonomous vehicles, aerospace systems, and national security.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo bring these technologies from the lab to real-world use, he founded 8Seven8, Inc.:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBy launching 8Seven8 as the first quantum hardware company in Georgia, we are creating high-tech jobs, building a skilled workforce pipeline, and seeding a quantum ecosystem in the Southeast that will see lasting economic benefits,\u201d explains Raman. \u201cWe seek to establish the region as a player in the rapidly expanding quantum technology economy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHe is the principal investigator for the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ramanlab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Raman Lab\u003C\/a\u003E, a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a frequent invited speaker at international conferences, and an advisor to national and space-based quantum initiatives. Raman holds six patents, including three issued U.S. patents and two licensed patents. Through his research, mentorship, and entrepreneurial leadership, he is working to advance scientific discovery and the development of practical technologies with lasting impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis award is the culmination of years of effort in developing innovative approaches to bringing quantum sensing out of the lab,\u201d says Raman. \u201cThe NAI is chock-full of wonderful inventors, and I am privileged to be among them. Through this award, I hope to bring useful inventions out of the lab and promote Georgia as a great place to be an entrepreneur.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERecognizing NAI Senior Member Jason Azoulay\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAzoulay is the Georgia Research Alliance Vasser-Woolley Distinguished Investigator in Optoelectronics and the principal investigator for the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/azoulaygroup.org\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Azoulay Group\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;His research has pioneered the development of new classes of functional materials and made field-leading advancements in core areas spanning:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u00b7 Homogeneous catalysis applied to polymer synthesis\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u00b7 Electronic, photonic, spin, magnetic, and quantum materials\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u00b7 Device fabrication and engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u00b7 Chemical sensing for environmental monitoring\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u00b7 Synthesis, application, and engineering of high-performance polymers across multiple technology platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAzoulay has demonstrated new classes of organic semiconductors with infrared functionality by exploiting new light-matter interactions, analyzing emergent transport phenomena, and understanding device physics, functionality, and engineering considerations. His work has resulted in nine issued patents and many additional applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAdditionally, he is the principal investigator for two multi-million-dollar National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. The first grant harnesses an underused part of the electromagnetic spectrum for energy sensing, manufacturing, and more. His team creates organic polymers that can efficiently convert infrared radiation into electrical signals and develop the materials into functional devices. The initiative is the NSF\u2019s principal vehicle to continue the momentum of the decade-long Materials Genome Initiative and takes advantage of the power of machine learning and chemical synthesis to develop new functional materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe second NSF-funded program develops CP-based optical and electrical sensing platforms that operate in complex aqueous environments and enable the detection and discrimination of challenging analytes known to negatively impact human, biota, and ecosystem health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAzoulay holds a joint appointment in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and leads Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics (COPE). COPE-affiliated faculty create flexible organic photonic and electronic materials and devices that serve the information technology, telecommunications, energy, and defense sectors.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERaman is being honored for advancing chip\u2011scale quantum sensing technologies, while Azoulay is recognized for pioneering functional materials that enable new capabilities across science and technology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Raman is being honored for advancing chip\u2011scale quantum sensing technologies, while Azoulay is recognized for pioneering functional materials that enable new capabilities across science and technology."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2026-02-27 15:08:22","changed_gmt":"2026-02-27 18:38:45","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679470":{"id":"679470","type":"image","title":"Chandra Raman","body":"\u003Cp\u003EChandra Raman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1772204931","gmt_created":"2026-02-27 15:08:51","changed":"1772204931","gmt_changed":"2026-02-27 15:08:51","alt":"Headshot of a man","file":{"fid":"263637","name":"Raman-Headshot-cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/27\/Raman-Headshot-cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/27\/Raman-Headshot-cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3692630,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/27\/Raman-Headshot-cropped.jpg?itok=xdMKZTWF"}},"679471":{"id":"679471","type":"image","title":"Jason Azoulay","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Azoulay\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1772205492","gmt_created":"2026-02-27 15:18:12","changed":"1772205492","gmt_changed":"2026-02-27 15:18:12","alt":"Professional headshot of a man","file":{"fid":"263638","name":"azoulay.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/27\/azoulay.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/27\/azoulay.png","mime":"image\/png","size":102970,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/27\/azoulay.png?itok=xvt3dwh9"}}},"media_ids":["679470","679471"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/26\/five-georgia-tech-faculty-named-nai-senior-members-class-2026?utm_source=newsletter\u0026utm_medium=email\u0026utm_content=5%20Georgia%20Tech%20Professors%20Named%20NAI%20Senior%20Members\u0026utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20Feb.%2026%2C%202026%20","title":"Five Georgia Tech Faculty Named to NAI Senior Members Class of 2026"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"192251","name":"cos-quantum"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura S. Smith\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}