The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame announced that three distinguished University of South Florida faculty innovators are among the 2026 class of inductees. Dr. Mark Frankle, Dr. Patrick Hwu and Donald Keck are receiving the prestigious honor for their groundbreaking research and contributions to science and society.
“The University of South Florida is proud to serve as the home of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame,” said USF President Moez Limayem. “The 2026 inductees represent the very best in Florida-connected innovation. Their achievements re-mind us that research, entrepreneurship and invention have the power to improve lives, strengthen industries and shape the future.”
Dr. Frankle, the chief of shoulder and elbow surgery at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute and a clinical professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon, inventor and medical device innovator.
“It is incredibly meaningful to see re-verse shoulder arthroplasty recognized by the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame as an invention that has changed lives,” Dr. Frankle said. “The goal was always to restore function and relieve pain for patients who had limited options. I am proud that this work developed here in Florida.”
Dr. Hwu is the president and chief executive officer of Moffitt Cancer Center and a professor of oncologic sciences in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. He is an internationally recognized physician-scientist and pioneering innovator in cancer immunotherapy. Dr. Hwu is best known for foundational work in developing chimeric receptor genes that led to modern CART-cell therapies.
Dr. Hwu holds more than 10 U.S. patents, and he has authored more than 300 scientific publications.
Keck, a professor in USF’s Institute for Advanced Discovery & Innovation, is a pioneering physicist whose work revolutionized global communications and laid the foundation for the modern internet. As a member of Corning’s Optical Waveguide Project team, Keck co-invented low-loss optical fiber in 1970, transforming fiber optics from a scientific concept into a practical, scalable technology for long-distance communication.
The 2026 class of inventors will be formally inducted on Friday, November 6, at the annual Induction Ceremony and Fundraising Gala in Tampa.
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