Kyoung Hee Kim named to 2026 Class of National Academy of Inventors Senior Members

Professor of Architecture Kyoung Hee Kim has been named to the 2026 Class of Senior Members of the National Academy of Inventors, a recognition honoring academic inventors whose work has made a measurable impact through patents, commercialization and mentorship.

“The induction of Kyoung Hee Kim is an extraordinary achievement and a powerful recognition of the University’s growing influence in innovation and technology commercialization,” said Laura Peter, executive director of intellectual property and technology transfer.

Reimagining sustainable building technologies

Kim, director of the Integrated Design Research Lab, develops building systems that reduce energy use and improve environmental quality. She holds a U.S. patent for a sustainable curtain wall and leads research on microalgae‑driven, nature‑based technologies that position buildings as active environmental contributors. Her biochromic window technology is being scaled through EcoClosure, a UNC Charlotte spinout.

Kim has secured more than $2 million in funding from agencies including the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency. Most recently, she received a 2026-27 NSF I-Corps Teams Award of $50,000 to explore the commercial potential of algae systems for biofuel use and energy savings in data centers and airports.

National recognition, lasting impact

The 2026 class of NAI Senior Members includes 230 inventors from 82 institutions worldwide, the largest cohort in program history. Senior Members will be inducted at NAI’s 15th Annual Conference, June 1-4, in Los Angeles.

Four other Charlotte faculty members were also named to the class, including Sukumar Kamalasadan, Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Electric Power Engineering; Babak Parkhideh, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; Pinku Mukherjee, Irwin Belk Distinguished Professor of Cancer Research; and Matthew Parrow, professor of biological sciences and associate dean in the Klein College of Science. Read about their work here.