BIPOC in STEM

George Carruthers discusses Lunar Surface Ultraviolet Camera with Apollo 16 Commander John Young, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

• Born 1929, Cincinnati, OH; Dies 2020, Washington, D.C.
• At age 10, builds first telescope
• 1957-1964, studies at University of Illinois, graduating in 1964 with a PH.D. in
• Aeronautical and Astronomical Engineering
• 1964, starts work at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory as an NSF post-doc fellow
• 1970, his UV telescope/spectrograph provides proof of that molecular Hydrogen exists in interstellar space
• 1972, Apollo 16 uses UV telescope during lunar walk
• Co-creator of NRL's Science & Engineering Apprentice Program for H.S. students
• Teaches D.C. science teachers and at Howard University
• 2003, inducted into National Invention Hall of Fame