1929 – 1998
Developed noncontact printing and air pollution control
Enshrined: 1994
Field of Study: Electrogasdynamics
Specific Accomplishments: Invented solutions to air pollution and non-contact printing
Home Town: Born in Newark, New Jersey and raised in Brooklyn, New York
High School: Brooklyn Technical High School
Youth Activities: Track and Field, Swimming
Bachelor’s Degree: Engineering Physics, Cornell University, 1953
Ph.D.: Engineering Science, California Institute of Technology, 1960
Engineering and Science Achievements:
Dr. Meredith Gourdine was a pioneer inventor in the field of “electrogasdynamics,” solutions to air pollution, non-contact printing, and gas conversions. Using the principles of electrogasdynamics (EGD) Goudine developed methods to disperse fog and smoke. Gourdine also successfully converted natural gas to electricity using EGD principles which would have practical everyday applications. Other applications of EGD include refrigeration, desalination, reducing the pollutants in smoke among others.
Additional Background:
Dr. Gourdine grew up in Harlem and Brooklyn, attended Cornell University and received a bachelor’s degree in engineering and physics in 1953. Before graduating he ran track and won a silver medal in the long jump at the Olympic Games in 1952 only missing gold by one and a half inches. After returning from serving in the Navy, Gourdine received a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena in 1960. With his work on gas dispersion, he developed techniques for dispersing fog from airport runways. His work also entailed over 30 patents, many of them for allergen filter devices.
Gourdine served on the technical staff of the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation from 1957 to 1958. He then took a job as senior research scientist at the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory until 1960. He later became a lab director of the Plasmadyne Corporation from 1960-62, before becoming chief scientist of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation from 1962 to 1964.
Gourdine went on to establish a research laboratory, Gourdine Laboratories located in Livingston, N.J. Working with his staff of over 150, Gourdine was issued several patents on gas dynamic products. Gourdine also served as president of Energy Innovation, Inc. of Houston, TX. He died in November of 1998.
References:
1. African American History Program Editors. “Meredith Gourdine.” African American History Program. National Academies of Sciences, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016.
2. Chamberline, Gaius. “Meredith Gourdin.” Black Inventors Online. N.p., 26 Nov. 2012. Web. 27 June 2016.
3. “Meridith Goudine.” Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2016.
Links
http://blackinventor.com/meredith-gourdine/
http://www.cpnas.org/aahp/biographies/meredith-gourdine.html