Videos

Masters of Technology

Two and one-half hours, produced in 2003

Masters of Technology is a series of 5 half-hour programs, each a one-on-one conversation with an exceptional man or woman who has made a significant impact on technology. The series of conversations will give viewers a richer understanding of the cutting edge technologies that are propelling the world economy.

One leading innovator and technologist has been chosen from each of five categories: Space Technology, Internet Technology, Bio- Medical Technology, Environmental Technology and Aeronautical Technology. These men and women are among the most accomplished in their respective fields today and can speak with passion about what they have accomplished and where their technologies are going.

a. Environmental Technology - Geoffrey Ballard's revolutionary breakthrough may single-handedly solve the growing threat of global warming by eliminating that great polluter: the internal combustion engine. For years, he was dismissed as crazy but the dogged engineer persisted and with a team of dedicated scientists developed a new, non-polluting fuel source for automobiles and busses--the hydrogen fuel cell.

Today, the company he founded, Ballard Power is backed by funding from some of the major automobile companies. In this program, Ballard details how he and his team developed the hydrogen fuel cell--the many bumps along the way--and the future prospects for what he calls the hydrogen economy.

b. Internet Technology - Vinton Cerf may not be a household name but without his invention surfing the Internet wouldn't exist. He is known as the father of the Internet. Cerf and his research partner Bob Kahn, discovered the universal language that powers the internet, they signed the critical software that allowed computer networks to talk to each other. It's TCP/IP.

c. Bio-Medical Technology - If you want to find where medicine is headed a good place to start is the lab of Dr. Robert Langer. By combining chemical engineering with biology, Dr. Langer has pioneered breakthroughs that have saved thousands of lives and eased the suffering of millions of patients.

Despite resistance in the medical community, he went on to develop a wafer like device that doctors could implant in the brain. This wafer allowed doctors to put in drugs at much higher potency than normal to attack cancerous brain tumors. His skill with polymers also led to developing an artificial skin for burn victims. He is now working on developing artificial organs.

d. Aeronautical Technology - If there is an heir to the Wright Brothers, it is Burt Rutan. In his Mojave Desert research facility, Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, turns out airplane designs that are unlike any that have ever been seen. Many of his concepts, small wings in the front of planes, and winglets, found at the end of wings, have made their way into everyday planes and fighter jets. Rutan has also pioneered the use of composites in plane construction because of their strength and light weight.

e. Space Technology - Unlike many inventors, Donna Shirley's forte is working and managing creative teams. She put this skill to use when she oversaw the NASA team which sent the toy-like Rover crawling on the surface of Mars. The mission captured the world's imagination becoming one of NASA's greatest successes.

Growing up in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, she was constantly told that girls couldn't be engineers much less work for NASA. Yet, from the age of 16 when she got her pilot's license until the present day, she always proved her critics wrong.

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