Dr. Meredith “Flash” Gourdine (September 26, 1929 – November 20, 1998) was a pioneering African-American physicist, engineer, and Olympic medalist who made significant contributions to the field of electrogasdynamics. Born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Gourdine demonstrated exceptional academic and athletic abilities from an early age.
Gourdine’s academic journey began at Cornell University, where he earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics in 1953. He then pursued his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which he completed in 1960. During his graduate studies, Gourdine worked as a senior research scientist at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, foreshadowing his future contributions to the field.
Throughout his career, Gourdine focused on electrogasdynamics, a field involving the generation of energy from ionized gas molecules under high pressure. He founded two companies, Gourdine Systems in 1964 and Energy Innovations in 1973, to develop practical applications for this technology. His work led to numerous inventions, including the Incineraid system for dispersing smoke from buildings and fog from airport runways, and the Focus Flow Heat Sink for cooling computer chips. Gourdine’s innovations earned him over 30 patents and recognition as a pioneer in his field.
Gourdine’s achievements extended beyond the laboratory. He was an accomplished athlete, winning a silver medal in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. His combination of athletic and scientific prowess earned him the nickname “Flash.” Despite facing health challenges later in life, including diabetes-related complications, Gourdine continued his work as an inventor and CEO of Energy Innovations until his death in 1998.
References:
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/meredith-c-gourdine-1929-1998/
- https://www.nae.edu/188202/MEREDITH-C-GOURDINE-19291998
- https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/meredith-gourdine
- https://blackinventor.com/meredith-gourdine/
Image: Courtesy Cornell University Library
