James Edward Maceo West
James E. West | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 10 February 1931 |
| Citizenship | American |
| Awards | ASA Gold Medal (2006), National Medal of Technology and Innovation |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | physics |
| Institutions | Bell Labs Johns Hopkins University |
James Edward Maceo West is an African-American inventor and professor who developed a microphone component that is used in ninety percent of the microphones used today.
Early life[change | change source]
West was born on February 10, 1931. From an early age, West liked to take things apart. After an accident with a radio he had tinkered with, he became very interested in the concept of electricity. West attended Temple University.
Public life[change | change source]
In 1960, West teamed up with a fellow scientist Gerard M. Sessler. They developed an inexpensive, compact microphone. It relied on their invention of electric transducers and became the industry standard.
West was appointed president-elect of the Acoustical Society of America in 1997. He joined the National Academy of Engineering in 1998. West retired in 2001
References[change | change source]
"James West". Biography.com. 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.