PNNL

Scott Whalen, chief scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), has been named a National Invention Ambassador by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The National Invention Ambassadors Network brings together accomplished inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers, scientists, engineers, university leaders, industry executives, intellectual property experts, and innovation leaders from across the United States to help prepare a new generation of innovators and build our nation’s future. As part of this honor, Whalen and others in the network will help foster the next generation of inventors through outreach efforts that encourage engagement with technology translation and increase intellectual property education and innovation literacy. 

“As an Invention ambassador, I am especially excited to share my passion for innovation and intellectual property with students of all ages, and in the process, hopefully inspire someone to follow their dreams in science and engineering,” said Whalen.   

Whalen is both a prolific inventor and an enthusiastic mentor. Since receiving his first patent in 2019, Whalen has been granted 23 patents and has another 12 pending—most of which involve the Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE™) manufacturing process. Whalen leads the Thermomechanical Processing team at PNNL, which develops solid-phase processing techniques for manufacturing novel materials, including alloys of aluminum, magnesium, copper, titanium, and bismuth-telluride. Whalen’s passion lies in inventing solutions to problems that seem impossible, such as converting scrap metals into high-performance products to secure the supply chain for critical materials and creating novel semiconductors for national security applications. That passion has resulted in many accolades, including being named PNNL Engineer and Inventor of the Year (2022, 2023); Innovator of the Year by the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and the National Academy of Inventors (2026); and Distinguished Inventor of Battelle (2026). 

When Whalen isn’t inventing, he is actively training, educating, and motivating other innovators. His leadership and mentorship have fostered innovation within world-class research teams, contributing to the DOE’s mission by facilitating the transition of laboratory discoveries into real-world solutions for the benefit of society. He also serves on the advisory board of the University of Idaho Mechanical Engineering Department—his alma mater—and regularly delivers engaging remote technical seminars for university students across the nation. 

As part of his outreach efforts, Whalen will be presenting ShAPE™ in an upcoming National Lab Discovery Series webinar hosted by DOE OTC on October 20, 2026. There, attendees will learn more about the ShAPE™ platform, including how the technology improves manufacturing efficiency while reducing processing time and manufacturing costs and how companies can license the technology and partner with PNNL. Anyone interested in attending this webinar may register online.