University of Arizona employees disclosed 284 inventions in fiscal year 2019 -- more than any other year in the university's history. The record-setting number is included in the annual numbers just released by Tech Launch Arizona, the UA office that commercializes inventions stemming from research.

"I am proud that Tech Launch Arizona is a vital part of our vision for the University of Arizona, and for our potential as a world leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution," said UA President Robert C. Robbins. "As a public, land-grant university, the UA is uniquely well-positioned to address grand challenges faced by people all over the world, and TLA's success this year demonstrates that our solution-oriented culture and strategic investments are producing results."

Along with disclosed inventions, Tech Launch Arizona, or TLA, filed 341 patents, executed 96 licenses and options for UA technologies, launched 11 startups and received a record 56 issued patents. Two of the startups were created by College of Engineering researchers. Clean Earth Tech brings to market a new biocompatible material for dust control, invented by Minkyu Kim of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Kwangmin Kim of the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering. Extreme Cer-Nano is developing a high-temperature, graphene-based ceramic material for extreme environments, invented by Erica Corral of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and a group of former postdoctoral researchers and students.