Inventors hail SRI chief

TAMPA — The National Academy of Inventors has named Curtis R. Carlson, Ph.D., a charter fellow of the academy. Carlson, president and CEO of SRI International, is one of 98 innovators who have been named charter fellows.

The fellows include 10 from Florida, with five from the University of South Florida, says Keara Leach, NAI coordinator, in a conversation with the Business Review this morning. The innovators have been chosen for making a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society, the academy says.

Though SRI International, a nonprofit, is based in Menlo Park, Calif., it has a large operation in St. Petersburg, adds Leach. “Curt Carlson was the founder of HDTV,” she says. SRI International is an independent institute that does research and development for government and businesses. Leach says SRI's technology innovations have had a major effect on the Tampa Bay region.