James West (inventor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James West
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| Born | February 10, 1931 |
| Alma mater | Hampton University, Temple University |
| Awards | ASA Gold Medal (2006) National Medal of Technology and Innovation (2006) John Scott Medal (2018) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics, Electrical Engineering |
| Institutions | Bell Labs Johns Hopkins University |
James Edward Maceo West (born February 10, 1931) is a brilliant American inventor and expert in acoustics, which is the science of sound. He is famous for co-inventing the electret microphone, a type of microphone used in almost all phones and many other devices today. He holds more than 250 patents in the U.S. and other countries for his work on microphones and how they are made.
Contents
The Early Life and Education of James West
James West was born on February 10, 1931, in Farmville, Virginia. He was the older of two children. At that time, hospitals had unfair rules about who they would treat, so James was born at his grandfather's house.
His father had many jobs, including owning a funeral home and working on trains. His mother was a teacher. During World War II, she worked at Langley Air Force Base. Later, she faced challenges because she worked for equal rights with the NAACP. She was also one of the "Hidden Figures" – talented Black scientists who worked for NASA but didn't always get the recognition they deserved.
His grandmother, who had experienced a difficult past, was very important to him. She helped raise him when his mother was teaching far away. James became fascinated with electricity at age twelve. He helped his cousin install electrical wiring in homes, which sparked his interest.
After school in Farmville, his parents moved him to Hampton, Virginia, for better chances. During a time when people were separated unfairly because of their race, becoming a doctor was one of the main paths for African-Americans. So, James studied to become a doctor at Hampton University. However, he then served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was honored with a Purple Heart after being injured while serving his country.
After the war, with help from the G.I. Bill, he went to Temple University. He started studying solid state physics. His parents worried about his future in electronics because of the unfair challenges Black people faced at the time. They stopped helping him financially when he decided to switch his studies. At Temple, James initially faced challenges joining study groups because of unfair treatment. But soon, his talent shone through. He could solve even the hardest problems by himself, and then he was invited to join the groups.
While studying, he interned at Bell Laboratories. There, he started working on the Electret microphone. He finished his college courses in physics by 1957. However, he didn't officially graduate then. He returned to Bell Laboratories in November 1957 to continue his important work on the microphone.
James West's Amazing Career and Contributions
In 1962, James West and Gerhard Sessler invented the amazing foil electret microphone. They were working on tools to study human hearing. This new microphone was much better than older ones. It was more sensitive and didn't need a special power source. They made sure every part of it worked perfectly. Today, about 90% of all microphones made use their invention! You can find them in your phones, camcorders, hearing aids, baby monitors, and many other recording devices.
James West also studied the sound quality, or acoustics, of famous places. He measured the acoustics of David Geffen Hall in New York City.
In 2005, James West and Ilene Busch-Vishniac published a study. They looked at how noisy hospitals are. Their research showed that hospitals are often too loud. This noise can affect both the staff and the patients.
At Johns Hopkins University, he worked on a special device. This device helps detect pneumonia in the lungs of young children. His research there also focused on making online meetings better. He worked on sending stereophonic sound (sound that feels like it comes from different directions) over the internet. He also developed new transducers, which are devices that change energy from one form to another, like sound into electrical signals.
Throughout his career, James West strongly supported more diversity in science and technology. At Bell Laboratories, he helped start the Association of Black Laboratory Employees (ABLE). This group worked to help Black employees with job opportunities and promotions. He also helped create programs like the Corporate Research Fellowship Program and the Summer Research Program. These programs gave chances to over 500 graduate students from diverse backgrounds to study science.
Since 2015, James West has been on the board of the Ingenuity Project. This Baltimore non-profit helps talented middle and high school students in science and math. He is known for being a great mentor to students. He actively helps create and join programs that encourage more people from diverse backgrounds, including women, to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM acronym).
In 2001, James West retired from Lucent Technologies after a wonderful 40-year career at Bell Laboratories. There, he received their highest honor, becoming a Bell Laboratories Fellow. After that, he joined Johns Hopkins University. He became a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate degree from NJIT.
James West lived in Plainfield, New Jersey. He is married to Marlene, who is a teacher. They have four children.
Awards and Recognitions for James West
James West has received many important awards for his work. In 2006, he was given the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. In 2010, he and Gerhard M. Sessler received The Franklin Institute's Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering. He also received a John Scott Medal in 2018. In 1998, he became a member of the National Academy of Engineering for his work on microphones. He also received an IRI Achievement Award that year. He was honored in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999 and the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2002, he became a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The Acoustical Society of America, where he was president from 1998 to 1999, gave him a fellowship in 1985, their Silver Medal in 1995, and their Gold Medal in 2006. In 2018, they even renamed their Minority Fellowship in his honor, calling it the James E. West Fellowship. This was because of his important role in creating it and his strong support for diversity.
See also
In Spanish: James Edward Maceo West para niños
