Lonnie Johnson

“I've invented a new type of engine that converts heat directly into electricity with no moving mechanical parts. It's called the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter, the JTEC.”

“Most of my career as an engineer, I was put in environments where I was the only person of color in the room.”

“I consider myself a general practitioner. I do electronic things. I do toys and water things, mechanical stuff. I'm very, very flexible.”

“When I was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory back in the early '80s is when I first got the idea. The Super Soaker was based on some engineering principles that I applied. I was actually working on another invention which was a heat pump that would use water as a working fluid instead of Freon.”

“Sitting still, a person produces about 100 watts of heat. What if you could use that to charge your cell phone?”

“I think America's strength is in innovation.”

“As an inventor, it's a rite of passage to have an engine. I'd like to have my own engine someday.”

“In 1975, I was called to active duty in the Air Force, studying U.S. space launches that used nuclear power. I felt it was a big deal to be involved in such an important project - we were providing technical support for launch recommendations that ultimately went to the president.”

“In 1968 when I was in high school I built a four-foot-tall remote control robot with pneumatic cylinders that operated his hands. My robot won first place at a science competition at the University of Alabama where my high school was the only African-American school represented. That was a huge moral victory.”

“I don't think there's any project that I started that I ever stopped working on.”

“I didn't want to grow old and find that I didn't do what I could have done, that I didn't put my best foot forward. I didn't want to have any regrets.”

“I received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, then graduated with a masters in nuclear engineering.”

“Peer review is fine, as long as you're making incremental improvements to a technology.”

“That's one of the advantages of being an inventor and tinkerer - I have everything I need to make what I need.”

“I've always liked to tinker with things.”

“I have a collection of SuperSoakers. I have managed to keep most of them.”

“I thought to myself, jeez, it would be really nice to have a high power water gun. It felt really, really good holding a powerful stream in my hand.”

“I would say that engineering has been a very positive experience overall, but usually coming into the situation it would be one of being underestimated. People would actually have low expectations. But I would take advantage of it quite honestly, because I would take my time to underestimate the situation.”

“I wound up getting offered a job at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory where I invented a power supply mechanism for the Galileo space craft which was in orbit around Jupiter until 2003.”

“After I graduated from Tuskegee with a masters in nuclear engineering, the draft was on so I signed up for ROTC. I figured if I had to go into the military, I'd rather go in as an officer.”