Texas Tech University lab director elected to National Academy of Inventors

Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D., director of the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas, was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Inventors’ 2024 class of senior members.

The U.S. National Academy of Inventors is a global network of academic inventors who hold U.S. patents. The academy has elected 124 inventors for the class of 2024.

Ramkumar’s invention, FiberTect, is a nonwoven decontamination wipe that has been commercialized by Fredericksburg, Va.-based First Line Technology. A new concept of Hybrid Decon has also evolved out of this technology.

Recently, the United States Army tested the use of this technology in sub-zero climates. Translational research on cotton for value-added applications has resulted in sustainable oil absorption. These efforts have resulted in national and international collaborations with companies such as Waco, Texas-based Hobbs Bonded Fibers, and Jayalakshmi Textiles in Jayalakshmi, Kochi, India.

Engaged research and outreach in the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory at TTU has resulted in creating awareness of technical textiles in India and created a global platform for researchers and students via “Advances in Nonwovens and Technical Textiles,” international conferences conducted in India.

Ramkumar publishes a free technical outreach newsletter, “TexSnips,” which is distributed to about 2,000 people globally.

For a full list of the 2024 Class of Senior Members, click here.