[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E850-E851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE 2023 FLORIDA INVESTORS HALL OF FAME

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2023

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the ten 
inventors who have been selected as the 2023 Inductees to the Florida 
Inventors Hall of Fame. To be named as an Inductee, these inventors 
were nominated by their peers nationwide and have undergone a thorough 
review by the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Selection Committee. As a 
result, their innovations have been identified as significantly 
impacting the quality of life, economic development, and welfare of 
their communities, the residents of Florida, and the United States.
  The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was founded in 2013 at the 
University of South Florida. It was recognized by the Florida Senate 
with Senate Resolution 1756, adopted on April 30, 2014. Its mission is 
to encourage individuals of all backgrounds to strive toward the 
betterment of Florida and society through continuous, groundbreaking 
innovation by celebrating the incredible scientific work that has been, 
or is being, accomplished in Florida and by its citizens.
  Nomination to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is open to all 
Florida inventors (living or deceased) who are or have been residents 
of Florida. The nominee must be a named inventor on a patent issued by 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The impact of the 
inventor and his or her invention should be significant to society, and 
the invention should have been commercialized, utilized, or led to 
important innovations.
  The 2023 Inductees constitute the ninth class to be inducted into the 
Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. Their groundbreaking discoveries have 
transformed medicine and health care, computer technology and 
semiconductors, optics and photonics, communications, nuclear energy, 
and modern color technology. They collectively hold more than 1,100 
U.S. patents and come from across industry, academia, and government. 
Since its founding, the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame has inducted 68 
inventors, who collectively hold over 5,100 U.S. patents.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my neighbors in Tampa Bay and the residents 
of Florida, I am proud to honor the 2023 Inductees to the Florida 
Inventors Hall of Fame on this outstanding achievement. We are 
incredibly grateful to these innovators for their contributions to 
society and its constant revolutionization through their inventions. As 
the following ten inventors are inducted into the Florida Inventors 
Hall of Fame's growing community, I hope this may encourage future 
generations to strive toward this achievement and to continue the 
spirit of discovery and innovation.
  The 2023 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame are:
  James L. Cairns: Founder and Executive Director of the Cairns 
Foundation, and CEO of Abyssal Systems, Inc., who is recognized for 
pioneering underwater electrical, fiber-optic connector technologies 
that allowed circuits to be successfully and seamlessly mated and de-
mated reliably within the harsh environment of the deep ocean thereby 
revolutionizing subsea surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and ocean 
energy production.
  Jason Eichenholz: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Luminar 
Technologies, who is recognized for trailblazing innovations in laser 
and optics-enabled technologies, especially in lidar (light detection 
and ranging) applications advancing the self-driving vehicle industry; 
as well as fundamental product development and commercialization for 
early

[[Page E851]]

cancer detection, environmental studies, and military explosives 
detection, among others.
  David Flinchbaugh: CEO of Technology Applications International, and 
CTO of Advanced Medical Innovations, who is recognized for breakthrough 
technologies reducing fatalities from catheter-associated urinary tract 
infections affecting millions worldwide; developing the world's first 
Nuclear Service Robot to help maintain, decontaminate, and refuel 
nuclear reactors; and devising the first imaging laser radar system.
  Ophir Frieder: Professor at Georgetown University Medical Center's 
Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics & Biomathematics and the 
Department of Computer Science; Lead Science and Technology Advisor for 
Aurora Forge; and Chief Scientific Officer of Invaryant, Inc. He is 
recognized for sustained and extensive innovations in scalable 
information processing systems, especially for developing behavioral 
health monitoring used to prevent self-harm/suicide, and predictive 
medical and well-being treatment methods to optimize treatment 
effectiveness while reducing negative side effects.
  William Hauswirth: University of Florida Professor and the Maida and 
Morris Rybaczki Eminent Scholar Chair in Ophthalmic Sciences at the 
University of Florida's College of Medicine, who is recognized for 
groundbreaking advancements in gene therapy to prevent blindness, 
especially through pioneering the first gene therapy drug, Luxturna, to 
treat both adults and children with inherited retinal disease; as well 
as his work restoring vision to the functionally blind.
  Daniel Joseph: Principal Illusion Integrator at Walt Disney 
Imagineering, who is recognized for landmark innovations in industrial 
design, special effects, and the integration of three-dimensional 
illusions, creating immersive and interactive experiences for museums 
and theme parks, especially at Disney theme parks around the world.
  Jonathan Rothberg: Founder and Chair, 4 Catalyzer Corporation, who is 
recognized for pioneering next-generation human DNA sequencing that 
enables low-cost decoding of the human genome, which transformed life 
science research, healthcare, agriculture, and the development of 
biofuels; and for the revolutionary Swoop Portable Magnetic Resonance 
Imaging System making MRI accessible to every patient, regardless of 
income or resources.
  Deepika Singh: CEO of R&D Investment Holdings and former CEO of 
Sinmat, Inc., who is recognized for seminal discoveries in chemical/
mechanical polishing of a class of super-hard semiconductors, 
significantly enabling the advancement of 5G communications 
infrastructure and defense electronics, as well as the manufacture of 
smartwatches, smartphones, and components for electric vehicles.
  Krishna ``Kris'' Singh: Founder, President and CEO of Holtec 
International, who is recognized for extensive transformational 
innovations that provide the foundational structure for modern nuclear 
power energy, including systems and equipment, safe storage, 
transportation of spent fuel; as well as improved operations, safety 
and efficiency of nuclear power plants.
  Gary K. Starkweather (Deceased): An American engineer who is 
recognized for inventing the world's first laser printer and leading 
the frontier of the field of color management technology, including 
Apple's ColorSync technology; as well as advancements in imaging for 
Microsoft and the film industry, especially as part of the digital 
effects team for the original Star Wars.
  Innovation and invention are the building blocks of our Nation. I 
applaud these highly accomplished individuals and the organizations 
that support them in their quest to change the world in ways that truly 
benefit humanity. It is because of the perseverance of these inventors 
that future generations are encouraged to reach beyond their limits and 
push the boundaries of innovation.

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