Frank S. Greene Jr.

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Gebisa Ejeta and Frank S. Greene Jr. (posthumous) are among 15 pioneers who will be honored in the 2026 class of National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees.

In partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the ceremony will be held May 7 at one of the innovation industry’s most highly anticipated events, “The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation.”

Ejeta, a plant geneticist, developed higher quality sorghum hybrids that are resistant to drought and disease. By increasing the production and availability of sorghum, a versatile and important cereal grain, Ejeta’s efforts have helped feed millions of people across Africa and around the world.

Greene Jr. was a pioneering electrical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. He developed high-speed semiconductor memory systems, including the fastest microchip then available for the ILLIAC IV supercomputer. Recognizing the need for greater participation in STEM fields, Greene also was dedicated to mentoring the next generation.

Gebisa Ejeta

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