May 14: Explore the breakthroughs of Asian American/Pacific Islander inventors

On Friday, May 14, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, don’t miss this special online event celebrating the remarkable work of Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) innovators. Take this opportunity to hear from National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) inductees about their world-changing technological achievements and from inventors advancing the fight against COVID-19. Register early.

Agenda (subject to change)

Opening Remarks | Drew Hirshfeld
Performing the functions and duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO

Moderator | Julie Mar-Spinola
Chair, USPTO Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC)

Panel one: NIHF inductees – Inventing a better world

• Margaret Wu, Retired Senior Scientific Advisor, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co.
  Wu revolutionized the field of synthetic lubricants. Her work has changed how automobile and industrial lubricants are designed and synthesized and resulted in products with better machine protection, improved energy efficiency, and reduced waste oil.
• Ming-Jun Li and Pushkar Tandon, Corporate Fellows, Corning Incorporated
  In 2004, experiments with new types of optical fiber led Corning Incorporated researchers Ming-Jun Li, Dana Bookbinder, and Pushkar Tandon to develop what would be named ClearCurve®, a bend-insensitive optical fiber that can bend without significant signal loss. ClearCurve fiber enabled the installation of optical fiber in previously impossible locations and advanced the process of data transmission.

Panel two: Inventors fighting COVID-19

• Alice Min Soo Chun, CEO and Founder of Solight Design and SEEUS95 Inc.
  Chun invented the first self-attaching transparent N95 mask, the SEEUS95, to reduce the irritation PPE masks can cause wearers and limit their environmental impact. She also invented the SolarPuff, a portable solar light providing individualized access to solar energy.
• Yiran Yang (Isabella), Caltech Ph.D. Candidate in Medical Engineering
  Yang’s research focuses on wearable sweat sensors and microfluidics for non-invasive health monitoring.
• Kevin Tyan, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Kinnos
  Tyan is the co-inventor of Highlight, a powdered additive that colorizes disinfectants blue for improved visibility and coverage and fades to clear when decontamination is complete.

This AAPI Heritage Month event is presented by USPTO’s Office of Innovation Outreach, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Development, and Asian Pacific American Network (APANET) and Korean-American Intellectual Property Organization (KAIPO) affinity groups. For questions or assistance, please contact InnovationOutreach@​uspto.gov.

Don’t forget: The USPTO offers many informative presentations, panels, and chats year-round. Find one that interests you on the events page.