Laser pioneer Marshall Jones is joining the Inventors Hall of Fame

May 4, 2017
Marshall Jones was inducted May 4, 2017, for his pioneering work with industrial lasers.

Marshall Jones was inducted Thursday into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Washington DC for his pioneering work with industrial lasers.

It’s a profoundly thrilling moment for a man who lived his early years on a Long Island duck farm, and a rare honor, for there are only 547 members of the Hall -- only about 100 of whom are still living -- out of an estimated 2 million engineers working in America today.

When the ceremony is over, Jones will make his way back to General Electric’s research campus overlooking the Mohawk River in Niskayuna, where he has worked since 1974, earning 55 patents so far, with more pending.

For at age 75, he has no plans to retire. He has more work to do, as he helps shape what has been called the next stage of the Industrial Revolution: 3D printing, in which lasers fuse metal powder into objects that would be difficult or impossible to create with conventional manufacturing techniques.

About the Author

Conard Holton

Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Sponsored Recommendations

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) electrode manufacturing

Jan. 31, 2025
Learn how an industry-leading Brain Computer Interface Electrode (BCI) manufacturer used precision laser micromachining to produce high-density neural microelectrode arrays.

Electro-Optic Sensor and System Performance Verification with Motion Systems

Jan. 31, 2025
To learn how to use motion control equipment for electro-optic sensor testing, click here to read our whitepaper!

How nanopositioning helped achieve fusion ignition

Jan. 31, 2025
In December 2022, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved fusion ignition. Learn how Aerotech nanopositioning contributed to this...

Nanometer Scale Industrial Automation for Optical Device Manufacturing

Jan. 31, 2025
In optical device manufacturing, choosing automation technologies at the R&D level that are also suitable for production environments is critical to bringing new devices to market...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!