Nomination Categories & Requirements

Hall of fame award

HALL OF FAME AWARD:
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The recipient of this award is inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame for lifetime achievements in innovation.  This is the most prestigious award given by the NJIHoF.  The recipient may be living or deceased and must have been an inventor of multiple noteworthy issued U.S. patents,      expired or unexpired, that:

1. are obtained over a long and distinguished career, and have a    significant societal impact;

• demonstrate a record of strong and widespread commercialization or licensing of these issued patents in multiple areas;
• be considered to be a "recognized luminary" in his/her field of science or technology; and
• have significant association with New Jersey *. 

On occasion, the NJIHoF may designate a recipient of this award as a “Pioneer” in a particular field of science or technology, or present this award to a Nobel Laureate with significant association with New Jersey*.

Inventor of the year

INVENTOR OF THE YEAR:

This also is a very prestigious award given by the NJIHoF.  
The recipient must:

• be living;
• be an inventor of at least one issued U.S. patent, preferably unexpired; and
• have significant association with New Jersey *.

The patented invention must have:

• been broadly licensed and preferably, commercialized to a significant extent; and,
• a meaningful societal impact.

INnovator award

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR: 

​The recipient may be living or deceased and must have:

• made a substantial contribution to the advancement of science or technology; and,
• significant association with New Jersey*.

 
This contribution could include the identification of a unique conceptual idea, theory, mathematical formula or the like. The recipient need not be an inventor of an issued U.S. patent. ​

advancement of invention award

ADVANCEMENT OF INVENTION AWARD:

​The recipient must:

• be an organization, an individual, or group of individuals; 
• demonstrate one or more of the following attributes in the advancement of science or technology: 
  • exhibits a sterling record of sustained encouragement of invention and innovation;
  • serves as a model to encourage careers related to invention and innovation; or
  • promotes the inventive process; and
• have significant association with New Jersey*.

Graduate Student Award

GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD:

 The recipient must:

• be a current graduate student or graduate student from the previous year who is attending an accredited graduate school program in New Jersey;
• have participated in the inventive process; and
• have demonstrated that his/her thesis work constitutes a significant research contribution to the advancement of science or technology. 

 Although a patent filing is not required, the research conducted by the graduate student should be amenable to filing a     U.S. patent application.

Special award

SPECIAL AWARD:

​The recipient must:

• be a living or deceased inventor of an issued, U.S. patent, unexpired or expired; and 
• have significant association with New Jersey *

The patented invention must be:

• directed to a well know commercialized product; and
• of historic, nostalgic, or cultural interest, or enduring popularity. 

Corporate Award

CORPORATE AWARD: 

Companies large or small worthy of this award have created and successfully commercialized products of great significance and enduring impact to the lives of humans worldwide.  Recipients considered for this award usually have well over 100 U.S. patents. One or two may be determined annually.

NOTICE: The NJIHoF Board of Trustees is solely responsible for establishing and modifying award criteria, accepting or rejecting nominations, and making award determinations. The Board also reserves the right to move nominations into an award category other than as nominated.  All decisions of the Board are final.