Thomas Mensah (engineer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Mensah
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| Born |
Thomas Owusu Mensah
1950 Kumasi, Ashanti
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| Died | (aged 74) Kumasi, Ghana
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| Education | Adisadel College |
| Alma mater | Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; Montpellier University |
| Occupation | President and CEO of Georgia Aerospace Systems |
| Known for | Pioneer in fiber optic technology |
| Awards |
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Dr. Thomas Owusu Mensah (born in 1950 – died on March 27, 2024) was an amazing Ghanaian-American engineer and inventor. He helped create the super-fast fiber optic cables we use for the internet today. He also worked with tiny technology called nanotechnology.
Dr. Mensah held 14 patents for his brilliant inventions. In 2015, he was honored by joining the US National Academy of Inventors. He even helped write a book about Nanotechnology in 2017.
Contents
The Early Life of a Brilliant Inventor
Thomas Mensah was born in Kumasi, Ghana, in 1950. His dad was a merchant who sent cocoa to chocolate factories in France. Because of this, Thomas learned French very well. He even won national French contests in Ghana in 1968 and 1970.
He went to Adisadel College in Ghana. Then, he studied chemical engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He earned a special scholarship to study in France at Montpellier University. While in France, he also studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1977. He earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Montpellier University in 1978.
A Career Full of Amazing Inventions
Dr. Mensah started his career at Air Products and Chemicals from 1980 to 1983.
Making Fiber Optics Super Fast
In 1983, he joined Corning Glass Works. Here, he focused on making fiber optics better. Before his work, these special cables were made very slowly. Dr. Mensah found new ways to make them much faster.
By 1985, he increased the speed from 2 meters per second to 20 meters per second! This made fiber optic cables much cheaper. They became as affordable as older copper cables. His inventions helped make the internet faster for everyone. Eventually, his methods allowed speeds over 50 meters per second. In 2017, a TV news story even highlighted his important work for Black History Month.
Innovations for Advanced Systems
In 1986, Dr. Mensah moved to Bell Laboratories. He led a project to create advanced laser-guided technology. This technology was used for US Department of Defense guided systems. It helped develop systems that could travel incredibly fast, even at the speed of sound.
Leading Technology Companies
Dr. Mensah was also the president and CEO of Georgia Aerospace Systems. This company made special materials called nanocomposite structures. These materials are used in advanced aircraft and other systems for the US Department of Defense.
He was a leader in many important groups. He served on the board of the AIChE and was a trustee for the AIChE Foundation. He was also on the board for the NASA Space Grant Consortium. In 2014, he was chosen as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Dr. Mensah was also the chairman of Entertainment Arts Research Inc. This company designed virtual reality and video games. From 2016, he worked on a big project. He wanted to create a new technology hub in Texas, like a 'Silicon Valley of the South'.
Remembering Dr. Thomas Mensah
Dr. Mensah passed away in Kumasi, Ghana, on March 27, 2024. He was 74 years old.
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Mensah received many important awards for his inventions. These included the Turner's Trumpet Award for Fiber Optics Innovation. He also got the Percy L. Julian Award and the Golden Torch Award. The Golden Torch Award is the highest honor from the NSBE. In 2017, he received the Kwame Nkrumah African Genius Award in Ghana for his work in science and technology.
In November 2017, Dr. Mensah gave a special lecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. After his talk, he was given an honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 2015, he received the International Business Leadership Award. His story was also featured in magazines like Ebony.
From 1988 to 1992, Dr. Mensah helped guide Chemical Engineering studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He wrote four books, including Fiber Optics Engineering and his life story, The Right Stuff Comes in Black, Too. In 2015, the government of Georgia in the U.S. officially praised Dr. Mensah and his amazing work.
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