The Industry, Innovation and Translation team in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation recently hosted the first Golden Egg awards to honor university innovators. The event recognized members of the UO community who hold copyrights and patents, as well as people who are members of the National Academy of Inventors. Through their creative works, the people listed below have advanced knowledge, generated real-world impact, and exemplified the entrepreneurial spirit of the university. These honorees represent seven years of exceptional achievement.
“When I arrived at UO, I was amazed by the breadth of innovation happening across campus—groundbreaking intellectual property, products transforming markets, and nationally recognized achievements,” said Elliot Reed, director of innovation partnerships. “Our team was inspired to create this event because building a culture of innovation means celebrating the discoveries that are already changing lives.”
The event was also designed to help entrepreneurial individuals build community and to highlight the UO’s unique portfolio. Many of the university’s licensing assets are thanks to innovators in the College of Education, for example. Educational products developed at the UO are used in one in four classrooms in the US and in several other countries as well.
“We hope with this event to bring together people to enable connections that might not otherwise happen,” said Christine Dixon Thiesing, associate vice president of Industry, Innovation, and Translation. “We also want to bring attention to the many people at the UO who are bringing innovations to market through commercialization.”
In fiscal year 2025, the UO had 73 innovation disclosures, $8 million in licensing revenue, and 7,646 license and option agreements. It also has 27 active startup companies based on UO intellectual property.
Golden Egg Honorees
Copyright Holders
An initial 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.
Julie Alonzo
Laura Beck
Gina Biancarosa
Ben Clarke
Matthew Dawson
Ann Fillback Watt
Ann Glang
Aaron Glasgow
Jo Hermida
Ken Kato
Patrick Kennedy
Havisha Khurana
André Le Duc
Seth May
Melissa McCart
Kent McIntosh
Raina Megert
Janet Otterstedt
Rosie Ramshaw
Dane Ramshaw
Erik Steiner
James Tice
Gerald Tindal
Danielle Triplett
Andrew Wilson
National Academy of Inventors
Senior Members and Fellows inducted into this prestigious organization, recognized for their prolific innovation, significant impact on society, and commitment to fostering future inventors. National Academy of Inventors membership represents the highest honor for academic inventors.
Danielle S.W. Benoit
Bruce P. Branchaud
Robert Guldberg
Anshuman Razdan
Susan Sokolowski
Don Tucker
Keat Ghee Ong
Karen Guillemin
Michael Haley
Ramesh Jasti
Darren Johnson
Shawn Lockery
Mike Pluth
Jim Remington
Patent Holders (2018-2025)
Faculty and researchers whose inventions have received U.S. patents representing novel solutions to real-world challenges. These innovations span from breakthrough materials to life-saving medical devices, each protected by intellectual property that enables their journey from lab to marketplace.
Benjamín Alemán
Matt Barber
Shannon Boettcher
Bruce Branchaud
Carl Brozek
Ram Durairajan
Trygve Faste
Tim Gardner
Karen Guillemin
Michael Hahn
Michael Haley
James Hutchison