Two University of California, Irvine faculty members have been named fellows by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) for 2025. Tibor Juhasz, a biomedical engineer, and Marios Papaefthymiou, a computer scientist, are among 185 new NAI fellows this year.
“We are proud to have Tibor Juhasz and Marios Papaefthymiou named National Academy of Inventors fellows,” said Hal Stern, UC Irvine provost and executive vice chancellor. “Both have translated pioneering research into real-world solutions. Professor Juhasz is recognized for developing laser technologies that improve eye health for millions, and Dean Papaefthymiou is being honored for innovations in energy-efficient computing architectures that have been integrated into high-performance commercial chips.”
Juhasz holds appointments in both the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering and the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the School of Medicine. His work began at the University of Michigan’s W.K. Kellogg Eye Center and has focused on femtosecond laser applications in ophthalmology. This research contributed to advancements such as the LASIK procedure and a newer laser treatment for glaucoma, which affects nearly 80 million people globally. Funding from the National Institutes of Health and UC Irvine’s Beall Applied Innovation supported these efforts, leading to the founding of ViaLase in Irvine.
“I am proud and humbled to have been chosen to be a fellow by the National Academy of Inventors,” Juhasz said. “Most exciting to me is having worked on an ophthalmological technology that improves lives by allowing people to preserve their ability to see. The infrastructure at UC Irvine and Beall Applied Innovation has been instrumental in sharing these innovations with the general public.”
Juhasz holds 46 U.S. and international patents and was named UC Irvine’s Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year in 2022—the same year he received the Golden Goose Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science for federally funded work with transformative societal impact.
Papaefthymiou serves as professor of computer science and dean at UC Irvine’s Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences. Before joining UC Irvine in 2017, he held positions at both Yale University and University of Michigan.
An expert in energy-efficient computer architecture design, Papaefthymiou holds 21 U.S. and international patents. His power-saving clocking technology was commercialized through Cyclos Semiconductor—a startup he co-founded—and is now used in millions of commercial computer chips.
“I thank the National Academy of Inventors for naming me a fellow,” said Papaefthymiou. “Having my work recognized by such an esteemed organization is both humbling and gratifying. I am also grateful to UC Irvine for enabling us in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences to imagine, create and perfect technologies that contribute so profoundly to society.”
Papaefthymiou is also a fellow with IEEE; his awards include young investigator honors from NSF and Army Research Office as well as faculty partnership awards from IBM.
The NAI Fellowship recognizes inventors who demonstrate significant impact through innovation across scientific fields such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, or regenerative medicine. The program started in 2012; its membership now includes over 2,250 researchers holding more than 86,000 U.S. patents collectively.
“NAI Fellows are a driving force within the innovation ecosystem, and their contributions across scientific disciplines are shaping the future of our world,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of NAI. “We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of Fellows to the Academy. They are truly an impressive cohort, and we look forward to honoring them at our 15th Annual Conference in Los Angeles next year.”
The new fellows will receive their medals from a senior United States Patent & Trademark Office official during NAI’s annual conference on June 4, 2026.
UC Irvine now counts 23 NAI fellows among its faculty along with more than 650 active U.S. patents.
Founded in 1965 and part of the Association of American Universities,UC Irvine ranks among America’s top public universities.It enrolls over 36,000 students,is Orange County’s second-largest employer,and contributes $8 billion annually statewide.
