Page 33 - Florida Sentinel 2-5-16 (2)

Black History: Inventions That Changed The World
DR. JANE COOKE WRIGHT
Dr. Jane Cooke Wright was born November 30, 1919, in Man- hattan, New York. She graduated from Smith College with an Art de- gree in 1942, then earned a medical degree from New York Medical Col- lege.
After school, she became a re- searcher and eventually began working at New York University Bellevue Medical Center.
Her research involved studying the effects of various drugs on tumors.
She was the first to identify methotrexate, one of the foun- dational chemotherapy drugs, as an effective tool against can- cerous tumors.
Dr. Wright was also successful in identifying treatments for both breast and skin cancer, developing a chemotherapy protocol that increased the lifespan of skin cancer patients.
DR. PATRICIA BATH
Imagine living in a world ranging from hazy, clouded vision to that of total darkness for 30 years. Before 1985, that was the plight of those with cataracts who did not want to risk sur- gery with a mechanical grinder. Now imagine sitting in a doc- tor's office without being able to see her as she explains that it may be possible to restore your vision.
As a noted Ophthalmologist and famous Black inventor, Dr.
Patricia Bath has dedicated her life to the treatment and pre-
vention of visual impairments. Her personal belief that every-
one has the "Right to Sight" led to her invention in 1985 of a
specialized tool and procedure for the removal of cataracts.
With the Laserphaco Probe and procedure, Dr. Bath increased the accuracy and results of cataract surgery, which had previously been performed manually with a mechanical grinder.
With the Laserphaco Probe invention and the development of the procedure for its use, Dr. Bath helped restore the sight of several people who had been blinded by cataracts for up to 30 years. Imagine the joy they felt when they opened their eyes to see Dr. Bath's smiling face for the first time.
DR. SHIRLEY ANN JACKSON
Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, a theoretical physicist and fa- mous Black inventor, has been credited with making many ad- vances in science. She first developed an interest in science and mathematics during her childhood and conducted exper- iments and studies, such as those on the eating habits of hon- eybees. She followed this interest to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she received a bachelor, and doctoral degree, all in the field of physics. In doing so she became the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. from MIT.
Dr. Jackson conducted breakthrough basic scientific re-
search that enabled others to invent the portable fax, touch tone telephone, solar cells, fiber optic cables, and the technology behind caller ID and call waiting.
Currently, Dr. Jackson is the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the oldest tech- nological research university in the United States, and recently ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the nation's top 50 universities.
DR. BETTY HARRIS
Dr. Betty Harris was born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana; the young Dr. Betty Harris was interested in chem- istry. At college she obtained a B.S. degree in chemistry from Southern University and an M.S. degree in chemistry from Atlanta University.
After working for some time and gaining more exposure to the field of research, she decided to become a research chemist and earned her Ph.D. from the University of New
Mexico.
As a research chemist at Los Alamos, Dr. Harris worked
in the areas of hazardous waste treatment and environmental restoration facilities contaminated with energetic materials.
Through her research, Dr. Harris obtained a patent for her invention of a spot test for identifying explosives in a field environment. She has received the state's Governor's Trail- blazer Award for her achievements.
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