PSU researchers honored for tangible impacts with their inventions

From high-speed communications to semiconductor technologies, the inventive work of two Portland State University researchers is being recognized on a national stage.

Suresh Singh, a professor of computer science, and Shankar Rananavare, a research associate professor of chemistry, have been named Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors. They join a cohort of 230 emerging inventors nationwide who have successfully produced, patented and commercialized technologies with tangible societal impact.

PSU now counts five Senior Members and two Fellows - the academy's highest distinction for academic inventors - among its faculty. The Fellows are David Peyton, emeritus professor of chemistry, and Rob Strongin, professor of chemistry. They are joined by Senior Members Jun Jiao, professor of mechanical and materials engineering, and chemistry professors Tami Lasseter Clare and Andrea Goforth.

Suresh Singh

Singh's research spans two areas: high-speed communications in the terahertz range and artificial intelligence-based signal optimization for wireless systems.

Terahertz frequencies - which sit between microwaves and infrared light on the electromagnetic spectrum - can carry far more data than today's 5G networks and are expected to help power next-generation 6G phones. Singh has been exploring how high-speed terahertz "highways" can be used inside data centers to make them more efficient.

Singh is also using terahertz radio signal sensing to read unique identifying information that exists on all physical objects like a built-in fingerprint. Take a car's vehicle identification number as an example.

"Imagine that each engine block of a car is slightly different in exterior shape - differences so tiny that you need a very precise laser or terahertz scanner to tell them apart," he said. "To the naked eye, one engine might look identical to another of the same model. But at the microscopic level, the surface variations have unique information that becomes a digital signature like an invisible VIN. Stolen cars can then be easily identified because it's no longer possible to remove the VIN by filing it off - the VIN is part of the shape of the engine block."

Singh says the technology could also be used to stamp high-end fashion to prevent forgeries or to distinguish military vehicles in the battlefield from those of the enemy by simply reading their unique information from the air.

Travis Woodland, director of Innovation & Intellectual Property at PSU, says Singh has consistently transformed high-level theoretical concepts into practical solutions that address the world's most pressing technological bottlenecks in high-speed wireless communication, such as 5G cellular and advanced Wi-Fi signalling.

"Dr. Singh's inventive maturity is evidenced by a sustained record of innovation that anticipates industrial shifts," he said.

Shankar Rananavare

Rananavare's patented innovations span nanomaterials, semiconductor processing, chemical formulations, sensors and biomedical devices.

"As a physical chemist interested in understanding and exploiting Mother Nature's gifts, I apply chemical science to solve fundamental problems in nanotechnology," he said. "I view each research project as a flowering plant in a garden of science. I love them all!"

His work on magnetically coated nanowires was previously advanced toward commercialization through MagWire, a nanotechnology startup aiming to improve flexible displays in smartphones and other touch interface devices. He is currently working on non-invasive glucose monitoring utilizing printable electronic devices that can measure small amounts of glucose in sweat and saliva without finger pricking.

Other patented inventions, including methodologies that enhance microchip feature patterning and manufacturing scalability, address critical industrial needs in chemical manufacturing and semiconductor processing.

"Dr. Rananavare's inventive contributions have repeatedly moved into commercial and industrial deployment through partnerships with major corporations and startup ventures," said Robert Strongin, a professor of chemistry and a NAI Fellow. "His technologies have influenced semiconductor manufacturing efficiency, chemical formulation stability, transparent conductors and low-cost sensing platforms with applications spanning electronics, healthcare, environmental monitoring and national security."

Singh and Rananavare will be inducted at the NAI annual meeting in June in Los Angeles.