James West On Invention And Inclusion In Science

Short Wave

NPR

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2021

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

James West has been a curious tinkerer since he was a child, always wondering how things worked. Throughout his long career in STEM, he's also been an advocate for diversity and inclusion — from co-founding the Association for Black Laboratory Employees in 1970 to his work today with The Ingenuity Project, a non-profit that cultivates math and science skills in middle and high school students in Baltimore public schools.

Host Maddie Sofia talks to him about his life, career, and about how a device he helped invent in the 60's made their interview possible.

Email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:05.5	Earlier this month, I got on my laptop, started my recorder,
0:10.0	1, 2, 3.
0:11.0	Okay, it's working.
0:12.0	Awesome.
0:13.0	1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
0:14.0	To talk to James West.
0:15.0	Yeah, and I have a good level.
0:17.2	A scientist and inventor.
0:19.0	Perfect, perfect.
0:20.0	I had a feeling we'd get it.
0:21.6	It was extremely cool because the thing he co-invented decades ago helped make this
0:27.4	interview possible.
0:29.2	When you list some of the things that it's used in today, because it's used in a lot of
0:33.6	stuff.
0:34.6	I'd be better at telling you that it's not used in.
0:38.2	Right, right, right.
0:40.0	But since 1968, it has been the major microphone for communications, for professional studios,
0:51.1	for toys, anything that requires a microphone, you have more than an app to find an electric
0:57.3	microphone.
0:58.3	We're talking hearing aids, baby monitors, smartphones.
1:02.5	Inside, you'll probably find technology based off the foil-electric microphone.
	...

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