Heck, Xia Elected to National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is adding two more Georgia Tech researchers to its roster of innovators: Larry Heck and Younan Xia.

Heck is an artificial intelligence and speech recognition pacesetter who helped create virtual assistants for Microsoft, Samsung, Google, and Amazon. Xia is a nanomaterials pioneer whose inventions include silver nanowires commercialized for use in touchscreen displays, flexible electronics, and photovoltaics.

Election to NAI is the highest professional distinction specifically awarded to inventors. Founded in 2012, the NAI Fellows program has recognized 22 Georgia Tech innovators — 12 in just the last five years. Xia and Heck join a 2025 class of 170 new fellows representing university, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide.

Read the full story on the College of Engineering website.