A metallic green egg inscribed with University of Oregon Golden Egg Innovator Patent Holder 2025.

IIT Presents the Golden Egg Innovation Awards

In a nod to our beloved University of Oregon Duck, we introduced the Golden Egg Innovator Award in 2025. Honoring the innovation of UO researchers, each Golden Egg represents a promise fulfilled, translating the dedication and innovation of our researchers into new methods and products that impact communities far beyond our campus.

Celebrating Innovation

The Golden Egg is a declaration of the UO's commitment to fostering a vibrant culture of innovation across campus. We recognize that innovation takes many forms and emerges from every corner of our university and we are dedicated to honoring the full breadth of the UO's creative spirit.

2026 Selection Criteria

The 2026 honorees represent years of exceptional achievement across three distinct categories of innovation:

Faculty and researchers whose inventions have received US patents in the last year, representing novel solutions to real-world challenges. These innovations span from breakthrough research tools to life-saving medical devices, each protected by intellectual property that enables their journey from lab to marketplace.

Researchers who have secured awards through the US Small Business Administration to advance research and support the development of UO startups and intellectual property.

A cohort of innovators whose copyright-protected works have found their way into active use in the marketplace, demonstrating the power of UO innovation beyond traditional patents.