| Meet the 2008 Hall of Fame Inductees
On February 14, the National Inventors Hall of Fame announced the 2008 Inductees at a ceremony on Capitol Hill hosted by Congresswoman Betty Sutton (OH-13) and Under Secretary of Commerce, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Jon Dudas. This year's influential class includes inventors such as Nick Holonyak, Jr., who invented the first visible LED; Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, and Daryl Chapin, who together created the first practical solar cell that converted solar energy into electrical power; and Amar Bose, whose pioneering work in acoustics technology is developed at the company that bears his name.
As always, the new inductees remind us how their innovations have improved our lives and the world in which we live. Medical devices, cell phone technology, pharmaceuticals, and textile improvements are just a few of the areas where their influence can be seen.
The 2008 class will be inducted this year on May 2nd and 3rd at the annual induction ceremonies held in Akron, Ohio.
Sponsor the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Each year, corporations, foundations, and individuals generously sponsor the National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony weekend. If you would like to become a sponsor of this year’s Induction Ceremony, please contact:
Hannah Smith, Director of Development
330.849.6874; hsmith@invent.org
Please click here for information on sponsor levels and a reply form.
Thank you for your continued interest in the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation.
Camp Invention® Program Growing Fast in 2008
The Camp Invention program is experiencing record growth and we are excited about the opportunity to reach more children with our proven curricula that allows everyone to experience inquiry-based, hands-on programming that enriches the traditional education process.
This year also brings more chances for attendees to save money. Register by March 31, 2008 to save $20 off the base rate. If you register after March 31, there are still great opportunities to save with the Bring-A-Friend promotion (save when registering two children at the same time) and the sibling promotion (discounts for 3 or more children from the same family when registering at the same time).
For details about all the discounts and promotions, and to register for Camp Invention, visit www.campinvention.org, or call 800.968.4332.
Rohm and Haas gives Baltimore Teacher the Club Invention Experience
Kathleen Lucot, a teacher at Doris M. Johnson High School in Baltimore, MD, won a free Club Invention program in her school district thanks to Rohm and Haas Company’s National Chemistry Week contest.
The Club Invention program is an exciting out-of-school time program where children learn through hands-on fun. Children in grades one through six are immersed in activity-oriented adventures that enhance their understanding of science, mathematics, history, and the arts.
Rohm and Haas is providing approximately 40 scholarships to students attending the Club Invention program hosted at George Washington Elementary School. The program also provides teachers a valuable and challenging professional development opportunity to apply new teaching methods and view the learning environment in imaginative ways.
“Our goal is to bring the excitement of creativity and innovation to the classroom,” explained Barbara Del Duke, North American communications specialist for Rohm and Haas.
To celebrate the American Chemical Society’s 20th anniversary of National Chemistry Week, two Club Invention programs were awarded as grand prizes during Rohm and Haas’s Many Faces of Chemistry campaign. Teachers across the country were eligible to enter the Rohm and Haas contest.
Since 2001 Rohm and Haas has provided more than $250,000 to the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation in support of Camp Invention and Club Invention programs in cities around the country.
For more information on the Club Invention program visit http://www.invent.org/programs/2_4_0_club.asp.
For information on National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation sponsorship opportunites, contact Hannah Smith at hsmith@invent.org.
Inductee Patsy O. Sherman,
1930-2008
The Hall of Fame was saddened in February when Patsy Sherman, who was recognized by the Hall of Fame for the invention of Scotchgard® textile protector, passed away at the age of 77.
Sherman was inducted in 2001 along with her colleague Sam Smith, who died in 2005. The pair teamed up at 3M after an accidental spill of fluorochemical rubber intended for jet fuel hoses showed resistance to both water and oil. Their research produced a long line of Scotchgard products, starting in 1956 with a stain repellent for wool.
A long time board member of the Hall of Fame, Sherman was an active participant in many of the organization’s events. She was enthusiastic about encouraging young people, especially young girls, to pursue careers in science. Each year at annual Induction events, she would conduct school visits to talk to students and answer their questions about her own career. A story she often shared was about a high school aptitude test she took that showed she would be suited to become a housewife. As was her way, Sherman asked to take the boys’ version of the test, and the results showed she would be suited for chemistry or dentistry.
Sherman’s love of science was passed to her two daughters, who survive her. Sharilyn Loushin works as a chemist at 3M, and Wendy Heil is a biologist who heads her own company.
Every Day is Inventor Day
Help us celebrate the Inductees in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Here are the April and May birthdays of Hall of Fame Inductees who have changed our lives:
| APRIL |
| 5 |
Dean Kamen |
AutoSyringe® Infusion Pump |
|
| 7 |
Robert Metcalfe |
Ethernet |
|
| 15 |
Robert Gore |
GORE-TEX® fabric |
|
| 15 |
Louis Stevens |
Magnetic Disk Drive |
|
| 27 |
John Emmett |
Tagamet® pharmaceuticals |
|
| 28 |
Dennis Moeller |
ISA Expansion BUS |
|
| 29 |
Paul Baran |
Digital Packet Switching |
|
| MAY |
| 7 |
Sam Williams |
Small Turbofan Engine |
|
| 10 |
George Smith |
Charge-Coupled Device |
|
| 23 |
Irving Millman |
Hepatitis-B Vaccine |
|
|
