Special Events

In the early 20th century, Alice H. Parker invented a device to heat homes more efficiently and safely using natural gas, which became one of the precursors for the development of the modern HVAC system. Illustration from Parker’s patent for a gas furnace. Although there is little official documentation of Parker’s life and no verified…

 (National Library of Medicine) Dr. Patricia E. Bath (1942-2019) was a trailblazing ophthalmologist and laser scientist who helped improve eye health for underserved communities across the globe. She grew up in Harlem during the 1950s, and went on to attend Hunter College, where she received a BA in chemistry, and medical school at Howard University…

Angel Teagle is a young entrepreneur who was inspired to invent after hearing about a problem that hit close to home. In 2019, he learned that he was going to be a father, which heightened his awareness of news about the dangers of hot-car deaths among infants and young children.That’s when he developed the idea…

(LMS Online) Valerie Thomas conducted groundbreaking imaging work that revolutionized our view of the universe and our own planet. As an analyst at NASA, she managed the development of image-processing systems for “Landsat,” the first satellite to send multispectral images of the Earth from space, which were made widely available to scientists. She also helped…

(Lemelson-MIT) Lewis Latimer (1848-1928) was connected to some of the most important inventions of the 19th century. Born to parents who had been formerly enslaved, Latimer enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. Afterward, he became a draftsman specializing in mechanical drawing and patents. He produced the drawings for Alexander Graham Bell’s patent…

(Photo by Darlene M. Puzon, courtesy of Tahira Reid Smith) Growing up in the Bronx as an only child, Tahira Reid Smith dreamed about an automated Double Dutch jump rope machine that would allow her to practice — even when there was no one available to turn the ropes.  As an undergraduate student at Rensselaer…

Monique Dyers (American Council on Renewable Energy) Monique Dyers is a leader in renewable energy solutions that also advance equity. As the founder and CEO of EmpowerSun Solutions, she examines how to make solar power and storage more accessible to underserved communities. The current process for developing solar power projects is complicated and expensive, and…