Justin Patton, executive director of Auburn’s renowned RFID Lab, has won the 2024 Ted Williams award from AIM, a global industry trade group for stakeholders of RFID, barcoding, smart devices and other data capture and efficiency technologies.

Patton is recognized for his contributions to the adoption of RFID in the retail industry.

“Justin’s leadership and vision have enabled retailers around the globe and thousands of suppliers to implement RFID tagging, which improves visibility in the supply chain and enhances customer satisfaction,” said Patti Blessing, RFID engagement manager executive at Zebra Technologies, who nominated Patton for the honor.

RFID stands for radio frequency identification—a wireless technology that uses radio waves to identify, track and monitor objects or people. Among its many applications, RFID is widely used by retailers to manage inventory, by airlines to track luggage, by race organizers to time runners and by a variety of industries to control access to locations or specific spaces.

The Auburn RFID Lab, which Patton has led for 10 years, focuses on advancing RFID and other emerging sensor technologies in retail, aviation, supply chain, and manufacturing.

Under his leadership, the lab has developed or strengthened ties with several major partners—Delta, UPS, McDonald’s, Walmart and Los Alamos National Laboratory. More than 100 Auburn students are working on research projects with these and other partners, helping them create RFID systems specific to their needs.

“This award speaks to how much the lab and its students produce great research and work for the RFID Industry,” said Patton, who recently helped recruit Switzerland-based semiconductor manufacturer EM Microelectronic to join the lab’s advisory board.

Patton is one of the primary developers of the lab’s ARC program, which is a first-of-its-kind international performance validation system for RFID. ARC ensures RFID tags (or tagged items) meet the retailer’s performance requirements. Twelve RFID inlay providers currently use the ARC program to quality certify tags.

Earlier in his career, he received Forty Under 40 recognition from the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal for his influence in the RFID industry.

Following in his mentor’s footsteps

Patton is the second Auburn faculty member to win this award. Former Auburn Provost and Harbert College of Business Dean Bill Hardgrave won the 2009 Williams award while he was a professor at the University of Arkansas and where he established an RFID Research Center in the Sam Walton College of Business in 2005.

In fact, Patton worked for Hardgrave at Arkansas—first as a computer engineering graduate student and then as managing director of the center. Patton came to Auburn in 2014 to lead Auburn’s RFID Lab, which Hardgrave had established that year.

"Being recognized for my innovative contributions to the RFID field on the same level as my mentor, Bill Hardgrave, is an honor,” said Patton, who is a professor of practice in the Harbert College of Business. “There are few people I look to for mentorship in the way I have with Bill, and I am glad to accept this award for my work at the Auburn RFID Lab and throughout the RFID field. Thank you to AIM Global for viewing me in the same light as Hardgrave, and thank you for the opportunity to represent the RFID community in this way." 

###

About the AIM Global Ted Williams award

Named in honor of Ted Williams, an industry innovator, collaborator, and long-time member of the AIM Global Technical Symbology Committee, this award is presented annually to a professor, student or entrepreneur in recognition of innovative and exceptional contributions to the development of the Automatic Identification and Mobility industry.