Longtime UCF Ally Headed to Florida Inventor Hall of Fame

A longtime affiliate of UCF and skilled materials engineer and scientist, Les Kramer, Ph.D, will be inducted into the 2020 class of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame for his lifetime of patents and creations.

Since his move to Orlando in 1983, Kramer has been in partnership with UCF. He sits on the UCF advisory boards of the Department of Engineering and Materials Science, Nanoscience Center and the College of Sciences, and has partnered with UCF faculty numerous times over the years on various projects ranging from imaging sensors and structure failure analysis to prosthesis design.

“This has been a wonderful and fruitful partnership that has transpired over the years,” said Kramer. “The UCF faculty, students and staff have always been forthcoming and extremely helpful.”

Throughout his career as a materials engineer and scientist, Kramer has produced 17 domestic and two international patents for his inventions. One of his most significant inventions is a prosthetic foot used to help amputees simulate a functioning limb.

“This prosthetic foot is what gives me the most fulfillment when I look at my inventions,” said Kramer. “There are over 2,000 people wearing this foot, and many of these people are physically active doing things like golfing, racquetball and rock climbing. There’s even a professional skateboarder using it.”

One of the most humbling and gratifying uses was when the prosthetic foot was fitted to five victims of the spring 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. One of amputees was featured in the movie “Stronger” about his recovery journey.

“The best recognition that I get from the creation of this invention are the hugs from the people who are true heroes,” Kramer said.

Kramer was nominated for the Hall of Fame in 2017 by Sudipta Seal, Ph.D, chair of the UCF Material Science and Engineering Department, as well as director of both the Advanced Materials and Processing Analysis Center and the NanoScale Technology Center.

“This award is really a validation of my lifetime of creative technical work,” Kramer said.

Eight Florida inventors will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this upcoming September, pending quarantine.

“I have had some nice successes over my career, but the real achievement that I have as an inventor is the advantage that my creations give to others,” said Kramer.