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New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame facts for kids

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The New Jersey Inventor's Hall of Fame was created in 1987. It celebrates people and companies in New Jersey who have made amazing inventions. Each year, award winners are honored at a special dinner.

The Hall of Fame was first located at the New Jersey Institute of Technology from 1987 to 2002. Then, from 2003 to 2007, it received help from the Research and Development Council of New Jersey. Since 2008, the Stevens Institute of Technology has overseen the Hall of Fame. In 2010, Greenberg Traurig also became a supporter.

James West
James West (born 1931)
Nobel Prize 2009-Press Conference KVA-27
George Elwood Smith (born 1930)
Eugene I. Gordon
Eugene Irving Gordon (1930–2014)
Selman Waksman NYWTS
Selman Abraham Waksman (1888–1973)
Willis Carrier 1915
Thomas Edison2
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)
Samuel Leeds Allen
Samuel Leeds Allen (1841–1918)
Seth Boyden photograph
Seth Boyden (1788–1870)

Who Are the Hall of Fame Inductees?

The New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame honors many brilliant minds. These people created things that changed our world. Here are some of the inductees and their amazing inventions:

Name Year Invention NJ Connection
Boyden, SethSeth Boyden 1989 malleable iron (a type of strong metal) Worked in Newark, New Jersey
Stevens (inventor), JohnJohn Stevens (inventor) 1989 Many different inventions Lived in Hoboken, New Jersey
Rajchman, Jan A.Jan A. Rajchman 1989 read-only memory (a computer memory type) From Radio Corporation of America
Einstein, AlbertAlbert Einstein 1989 Theoretical physics (ideas about how the universe works) From Institute for Advanced Study
Vail, AlfredAlfred Vail 1989 Telegraph (sending messages over wires) From Speedwell Ironworks
Edison, Thomas A.Thomas A. Edison 1989 Many different inventions (like the light bulb) From his Edison laboratory
Sternbach, LeoLeo Sternbach 1989 benzodiazepines (a type of medicine) From Hoffman-La Roche
Waksman, SelmanSelman Waksman 1989 streptomycin (a powerful antibiotic) From Rutgers University
Roy Weber 1989 Intelligent Network Services - 800 Number (toll-free calls) From Bell Labs
Zworykin, VladimirVladimir Zworykin 1989 television From Radio Corporation of America
Smith, OberlinOberlin Smith 1990 Magnetic recording (how sound and data are saved) Lived in Bridgeton, New Jersey
Jansky, Karl G.Karl G. Jansky 1992 radio telescope (for studying space) From Bell Labs
Rose (physicist), AlbertAlbert Rose (physicist) 1992 video camera tube (for early cameras) From Radio Corporation of America
Weimer, Paul K.Paul K. Weimer 1992 thin-film transistor (used in screens) From Radio Corporation of America
Sinfelt, John H.John H. Sinfelt 1992 Unleaded gasoline From ExxonMobil
Hillier, JamesJames Hillier 1992 electron microscope (to see tiny things) From Radio Corporation of America
Andrews (inventor), SolomonSolomon Andrews (inventor) 1992 Dirigible (a type of airship) Lived in Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Hawkins, Walter LincolnWalter Lincoln Hawkins 1992 Plastic cable sheathing (protecting wires) From Bell Labs
Brattain, WalterWalter Brattain 1994 transistor (a key part of electronics) From Bell Labs
Shockley, WilliamWilliam Shockley 1994 transistor From Bell Labs
Bardeen, JohnJohn Bardeen 1994 transistor From Bell Labs
Paul, LesLes Paul 1996 guitar pickup (makes electric guitars work) Lived in Mahwah, New Jersey
DuMont, Allen BalcomAllen Balcom DuMont 1998 television From DuMont Television Network
Baker, William O.William O. Baker 1998 synthetic rubber From Bell Labs
Armstrong, Edwin HowardEdwin Howard Armstrong 1998 FM radio, regenerative receiver, superheterodyne receiver (radio technologies) Worked in Alpine, New Jersey
Carrier, Willis HavilandWillis Haviland Carrier 1999 Air conditioning Worked in Newark, New Jersey
Lake, SimonSimon Lake 2000 submarine innovations Born in Pleasantville, New Jersey
Nobile, ArthurArthur Nobile 2000 prednisone (a medicine) Born in Newark, New Jersey
Goetz, MartinMartin Goetz 2000 software From Applied Data Research
de Forest, LeeLee de Forest 2001 audion tube (important for early radio)
Netravali, ArunArun Netravali 2001 HDTV (high-quality TV) From Bell Labs
Roebling, John AugustusJohn Augustus Roebling 2002 suspension bridge innovations Worked in Trenton, New Jersey
Allen, Samuel LeedsSamuel Leeds Allen 2004 Flexible Flyer (a famous sled) From Moorestown Township, New Jersey
West, JamesJames West 2008 electret microphone (used in phones and computers) From Bell Labs
Gordon, Eugene I.Eugene I. Gordon 2008 Fiber optics innovations (for fast internet) From Bell Labs
Smith, George E.George E. Smith 2008 charge-coupled device (CCD, used in digital cameras) From Bell Labs
Boyle, WillardWillard Boyle 2008 charge-coupled device (CCD) From Bell Labs
Sessler, Gerhard M.Gerhard M. Sessler 2008 electret microphone From Bell Labs
Taylor, Edward C.Edward C. Taylor 2008 tetracycline (an antibiotic) From Princeton University
Tompsett, Michael FrancisMichael Francis Tompsett 2010 First Thermal and Charge Coupled Imager Patents, CCD Cameras and MOS Video ADC (digital imaging) From Bell Labs
Schneemeyer, LynnLynn Schneemeyer 2011 Material science innovations From Rutgers University
Hagmann, William K.William K. Hagmann 2012 Medicinal chemistry innovations From Merck & Co
Wheatley Jr., C. FrankC. Frank Wheatley Jr. 2013 Power semiconductor devices and the Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) From RCA
Mills, Sander G.Sander G. Mills 2013 Discoveries in cancer research, like Aprepitant (helps with chemotherapy side effects) From Merck & Co.
Ahmed, Adel A.Adel A. Ahmed 2013 Bipolar integrated circuit design and the Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) integrated circuit From RCA
Anderson, PhilipPhilip Anderson 2013 Ideas about how magnets and disordered systems work, helping create computer memory From Bell Labs
Joshi, Rajiv V.Rajiv V. Joshi 2014 Development of integrated circuits (IC), memory, and predictive analytics From Columbia University (NJ Resident)
Pierce, John R.John R. Pierce 2014 Information theory and global and satellite communications From Bell Labs
Tesla, NikolaNikola Tesla 2014 Inventions transforming electrical engineering, including alternating current (AC) and radio From Tesla Electric Light and Manufacturing
Jamiolkowski , Dennis D.Dennis D. Jamiolkowski 2015 Absorbable polymers for medical devices From Ethicon Inc.
Fenn, JohnJohn Fenn 2015 Electrospray Mass Spectrometry (ESMS) technique (used in biomedical research) From Princeton University
O'Connor, OwenOwen O'Connor 2015 New drugs for treating lymphoma From Columbia University (NJ Resident)
LeCun , YannYann LeCun 2016 Image and speech recognition, and Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs) From Bell Labs

Other Hall of Fame Inductees

  • 1989: Calvin MacCracken, Roy Weber
  • 1990: Hubert Lechevalier, Arthur Patchett, William Pfefferle, Harold Seidel, Marvin Weinstein
  • 1991: Benjamin Abeles, George Cody, Carlyle Caldwell, Gordon W. Calundann, Andrew G. F. Dingwall, C. Reed Funk, Anthony D. Kurtz, Jerome Murray
  • 1992: Melvin L. Druin, Frederick J. Karol, Harold Law, William L. Maxson
  • 1993: Marc A. Chavannes, Alfred W. Fielding, Erwin Klingsberg, Keith D. Millis
  • 1994: Jack Avins, William O. Geyer, George R. Hansen, Phillip H. Smith, Richard Williams (inventor)
  • 1995: David Aronson (inventor), Alvin M. Cohan, George deStevens, Joseph J. Mascuch, Glenn Leslie Dimmick, Kenneth S. Johnson
  • 1996: Richard Dehmel (inventor), Arnold J. Morway, Charles Frederick Wallace, N. Joseph Woodland
  • 1997: Ezra Gould, Milton Morse, Harry L. Yale
  • 1998: Joseph Abys, Nikil S. Jayant, Henry M. Rowan
  • 1999: Cyrus W. Bemmels, Haig Kafafian, Morton A. Kreitchman
  • 2000: Albert Ballman, Robert Laudise, Bell Laboratories/Lucent Technologies of Murray Hill, NJ, Alan White (inventor)
  • 2001: Homer Z. Martin, Charles W. Tyson, Abdul Gaffar, Glen A. Reitmeier
  • 2002: Isaac S. Blonder, Ben H. Tongue, Anthony E. Winston
  • 2004: Dr. Corrado Dragone, Mr. Walter J. Krupick, Colonel Willian Blair, Dr. Meredith C. Gourdine
  • 2005: William Trager, Howard J. Ellison, Clarence D. Chang, Anthony J. Silvestri, William H. Lang
  • 2006: Daryl M. Chapin, Gerald L. Pearson
  • 2009: Yvonne Claeys Brill
  • 2010: Dr. Michael Tompsett, Dr. Andrew Chraplyvy, Dr. Robert Tkach, Dr. Kenneth Walker (inventor)

Inventors of the Year: Recognizing Top Innovators

This award celebrates inventors who have made significant breakthroughs in a specific year.

Name Year Invention NJ Connection
Cushman, DavidDavid Cushman 1989 captopril (a heart medicine) From Bristol-Myers Squibb
Ondetti, MiguelMiguel Ondetti 1989 captopril From Bristol-Myers Squibb
West, JamesJames West 1995 electret microphone From Bell Labs
Atal, BishnuBishnu Atal 2000 linear predictive coding (for speech processing) From Bell Labs
Anderson, Philip WarrenPhilip Warren Anderson 2001 Theories about materials From Bell Labs
Morris (cryptographer), RobertRobert Morris (cryptographer) 2004 cryptography (secure communication) From Bell Labs
Pestka, SidneySidney Pestka 2008 interferon (a protein used in medicine) From Hoffman-La Roche
Paladini, GianlucaGianluca Paladini 2011 volume visualization (seeing 3D data) From Siemens
Comaniciu 2011 robust object tracking (following objects in videos) From Siemens
Maliga, PalPal Maliga 2011 chloroplast transformation, plastid transformation (changing plant genes) From Rutgers University
Tallal, PaulaPaula Tallal 2012 educational software innovations From Rutgers University

Other Inventors of the Year

  • 1989: Frank Gutleber, Sheldon Karesh, Dusan Prevorsek, Leo Harwood, Amos Joel, Jr., Glenn Johnson, Jr., Walter Kosonocky, Mandayam Narasimhan, Deger Tunc
  • 1990: Michael Catapano, Renato Noe, Daniel Kramer (inventor), Juris Mednis, Franklin Reick, Bart Zoltan
  • 1991: William Charney, Charles Covino, Jack R. Hartford, Frederick M. Kahan, Gregory H. Olsten, Joseph F. Rizzo, David Savage, Guido Sartori & Winston S. Ho, Stanley S. Schodowski, Joseph V. Milo
  • 1992: Murrae Bowden, Larry F. Thompson, John D. Geberth, Jr., Gideon Goldstein, August F. Manz, Victor Palinczar, Ross C. Terrell
  • 1993: Michael J. Flowers, Louis L. Grube, Sue Wilson
  • 1994: Eric J. Addeo, Robert E. Kerwin, Donald L. Klein, John C. Sarace, Kuo-Yann Lai, June D. Passaretti, Milan R. Uskokovic, Gilbert Zweig
  • 1995: Richard Frenkiel, Robert D. Howson, Carl H. X, Liang Tai Wu
  • 1996: Leslie R. Avery, Gilbert Buchalter, Lanny S. Smoot, Dominik M. Wiktor
  • 1997: Arthur L. Babson, Walter Jinotti, Steven M. Kuznicki, Lee-Fang Wei, Tsong-Ho Wu, Richard C.L. Lau
  • 1998: Gary Ver Strate, Mark J. Struglinski of Exxon Chemical Company in Linden, John E. Johnston of Warren Exxon Research and Engineering Co. in Annandale, Roger K. West, Joseph Dettling of Howell - Zhicheng Hu, Y.K. Lui, C.Z. Wan, Engelhard Industries, Michael Pappas (inventor), Melvin E. Kamen, John Mickowski
  • 1999: Andrew Chraplyvy, Matawan Robert Tkach, Kenneth Walker (inventor), William Hickerson
  • 2000: Gerard P. Canevari, Robert J. Fiocco, Richard R. Lessard, Alfonso DiMino, Barin Haskell
  • 2001: J. Thomas Jennings, James D. Johnston (inventor), Jack H. Winters
  • 2002: Valerie A. Bell, Irwin Gerszberg, Antoni S. Gozdz, Jean-Marie Tarascon, Paul C. Warren
  • 2004: Dr. Igor Palley
  • 2005: David M. Goldenberg, Jack R. Harford, Harry T. Roman
  • 2006: Claude E. Gagna
  • 2008: Amit Limaye
  • 2009: Michael Seul, Christos Christodoulatos, George P. Korfiatis, Xiaoguang Meng, Mazakhir Dadachov
  • 2010: Dr. Nicolas Girard (inventor), Dr. Bijan Harichian, Richard Caizza

Innovator Award: Recognizing Creative Thinkers

The Innovator Award celebrates individuals who have shown great creativity and new ways of thinking in their fields.

Name Year Field NJ Connection
Gilbreth, Lillian M.Lillian M. Gilbreth 2005 scientific management (making work more efficient) From Montclair, New Jersey
Schatz, AlbertAlbert Schatz 2005 streptomycin (an antibiotic) From Rutgers University
von Neumann, JohnJohn von Neumann 2006 computer science From Institute for Advanced Study
Gilbreth, Sr., Frank BunkerFrank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr. 2006 scientific management From Montclair, New Jersey
Spitzer, Jr., LymanLyman Spitzer, Jr. 2006 Theoretical physics From Princeton University
Sirkar, KamaleshKamalesh Sirkar 2009 Membrane separation (for filtering things) From New Jersey Institute of Technology
Brzustowicz, LindaLinda Brzustowicz 2010 Genetics research From Rutgers University

Corporate Award: Companies That Innovate

This award honors companies in New Jersey that have made important contributions through their research and development.

Company Research Area Location Year
AT&T Bell Laboratories Telecommunications Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 1989
Merck and Company Pharmaceuticals Rahway, New Jersey 1990
David Sarnoff Research Center television Princeton, New Jersey 1991
Bell Communications Research Telecommunications Livingston, New Jersey 1992
Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Princeton, New Jersey 1993
Mobil Research and Development Corporation petrochemicals Princeton, New Jersey 1993
Exxon Research and Engineering petrochemicals Florham Park, New Jersey 1995
National Starch and Chemical Company Food science Bridgewater, New Jersey 1996
Johnson & Johnson health care New Brunswick, New Jersey 1997
Howmedica health care Rutherford, New Jersey 1998
General Magnaplate Corporation metallurgy (study of metals) Linden, New Jersey 2009
Hoffman La Roche Pharmaceuticals Nutley, New Jersey 2009
Immunomedics biotechnology Morris Plains, New Jersey 2009
Becton Dickinson health care Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 2012
Celgene Corporation Biopharmaceuticals 2013
Honeywell International Inc. Technology and manufacturing 2014

Trustees Award

This award recognizes special individuals for their leadership and support of innovation.

  • Representative Rush Holt (2009)
  • Dr. Ralph Izzo (2010)
  • Dr. Jeong Kim (2011)
  • Dr. Stephen Chu (2012)
  • Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. (2013)
  • Greg Olsen, Ph.D. (2014)

Outstanding Contributions Award

This award honors people who have made significant and lasting contributions to the field of invention.

  • Dr. Gertrude M. Clarke (2011)
  • Inventor Harry Roman (2012)

Advancement of Invention Award

This award is given to organizations or individuals who help promote and support new inventions.

  • New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey (1997)
  • New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology (1999)
  • Gil Zweig (2009)
  • Dr. Dr. Rainer Martini (2011)
  • Dr. Dr. Hsuan Lillian Labowsky (2012)
  • Dr. Yu-Dong Yao, Ph.D. (2013)
  • Dr. Beatrice Hicks, D.Sc. (Hon) (2013)
  • Dr. Leslie Brunell, P.E., Ph.D (2014)
  • Dr. Beth McGrath, Mercedes McKay & Jason Sayres (2014)
  • Dr. Joshua Weston (2014)

See also

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