Lumber made from recycled plastic bottles, coffee cups, and other plastics, that is strong enough to support 120-ton trains. New varieties of oysters that have become an important part of the worldwide aquaculture industry. Both innovations were developed at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and both will be recipients of 2026 Edison Patent Awards.
This marks the fifth-straight year that two Rutgers research teams will receive Research & Development Council of New Jersey (RDNJ) Edison Patent Awards, New Jersey’s highest recognition for inventors and innovation. These Rutgers-New Brunswick researchers will be recognized alongside the other winners during a ceremony and banquet in November.
A team of School of Engineering researchers led by assistant research professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering Thomas Nosker and featuring assistant teaching professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Jennifer Lynch-Branzoi, professor of Materials Science and Engineering Richard Lehman, the late James Idol, former professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering at Rutgers, the late Richard Renfree, former graduate student and professor at Rutgers, and Maryann Renfree, received the Industrial Processes award for “Methods for increasing toughness of immiscible polymer blends” patent (U.S. 8,497,324). Known as structural plastic lumber, the invention is a material made from milk containers, coffee cups, and other recycled plastics, used to produce approximately 1.5 million railway ties in the United States alone, translating to nearly 300 million pounds of plastic that would otherwise end up in landfills or oceans.
“Thomas Edison is arguably the most successful innovator that ever lived in America, and it is a great honor to receive the prestigious award named for him,” said Nosker. “Early materials we developed had the stiffness and strength required in use, but the installation of those products (railway ties, in particular) exceeded the actual use requirements, leading to a small percentage of the products breaking upon installation. We changed the processing slightly, which increased the toughness by three to four times, which solved the problem. This was an important innovation, and we are proud that it has received an Edison Patent Award.”
“I am honored to receive the Edison Patent Award, named after a prolific inventor whose innovations and technologies changed our world,” said Lynch-Branzoi. “Our innovation is revolutionary in that it uses material science processing techniques to produce unique morphologies that provide superior mechanical properties for polymer composites. The impact of the innovation is long-lasting, as any outdoor structure built with these materials will still be in use in another 250 years.”
“This amazing high-level recognition from the Research & Development Council of New Jersey is a career-affirming event,” said Lehman. “Our invention is a critical advance in the development of cost-effective polymer composite technologies, by enabling low-cost polymer/polymer composites to be synthesized with advanced properties, particularly stiffness and toughness, in a scalable material and process duality that has enabled engineering applications that were not previously possible.”
Ximing Guo, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, received the Aquaculture award for his “Molluscan shellfish produced by controlled crossbreeding” patent (U.S. 11,266,131). His innovation is new oyster varieties designed for aquaculture in mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US waters, with improved disease resistance, growth, and diversity, that produce uniform, faster-growing, healthier, and tastier oysters. The Office for Research has executed license agreements with several US hatcheries, as well as a license agreement with Atlantic Aqua Farms (AAF), granting the company the exclusive right to distribute oyster breeding materials to Canadian hatcheries that have signed a separate commercial license with Rutgers.
“It is deeply rewarding to see the breeding technologies developed at Rutgers contributing to oyster farming across the US and around the world,” said Guo. “Oysters are remarkable organisms, valued not only as a premium seafood but also for the essential ecological services they provide. They face many diseases, and disease resistance is the single most important trait for oyster aquaculture and is critical for the restoration of natural populations devastated by disease. I remain grateful to the many students and colleagues whose dedication and expertise have shaped our breeding program over the years.”
The Office for Research has supported both research teams through its Technology Transfer unit, including nominations for the 2026 Edison Patent Awards. The Technology Transfer team also worked with the researchers to patent their technologies, ensure intellectual property protection, and execute licenses with the respective external companies.
“We are immensely proud of Drs. Guo, Nosker, Lehman, and Lynch for this well-deserved recognition,” said Michael E. Zwick, senior vice president for Research at Rutgers. “Through our Technology Transfer team, the Rutgers Office for Research has been privileged to help advance these discoveries by protecting the intellectual property, supporting commercialization efforts, and connecting these innovations with industry partners so they can deliver meaningful benefits beyond the laboratory.”
“The Technology Transfer team is honored to collaborate with these research teams and could not be happier to see them receive well-deserved recognition for their technologies,” said Deborah Perez Fernandez, PhD, MBA, executive director of Technology Transfer within the Office for Research. “Our team diligently works with Rutgers researchers like these every day, and we are excited to see what innovations they develop next.”
The Edison Patent Awards, named for Thomas Edison and now in their 47th year, include 12 categories and are presented annually by the RDNJ to recognize and highlight the “broad array of research conducted in the state.”
A team of R&D Council board members selected the winners after evaluating nominated patents “for the significance of the problem, utility/socio-economic value, novelty, and commercial impact.” At least part of the technical/scientific work for the winning patents must have been completed in New Jersey. The 47th annual Edison Patent Awards Ceremony and Reception will take place on Thursday, November 19, at Bell Works in Holmdel, N.J. Click here to read the RDNJ release and see the complete list of the 2026 Edison Patent Award winners.
To learn more about the Rutgers technology transfer process, visit innovate.rutgers.edu.