George Alcorn Biography

The advancement of science relies on new discoveries and experiments for other scientists to work off of; because of George Acorn’s discovery of the x-ray spectrometer, plasma etcher, and multiple other inventions, it is possible to dig further into the field of knowledge.

George Alcorn was born on March 22, 1940 to George and Arletta Dixon Alcorn. His father, an auto mechanic, who did not make much money, sacrificed so Alcorn and his brother could get an education. Alcorn went to the Occidental College in Pasadena, California, where he kept a superb academic record and earned eight letters in baseball and football. During the summers of 1962 and 1963, he worked as a research engineer for the Space Division of North American Rockwell,

He is perhaps best known for inventing an imaging x-ray spectrometer, a device that helps scientists better understand what materials are composed of when they cannot be broken down. He received a patent for his invention in 1984; his inclusion of the thermomigration of aluminum in the spectrometer was seen as a major innovation by expert scientists. In 1986 he developed an improved method of laser drilling. Also, his concept and implementation of “plasma etching” has become a standard in the field. This procedure is now used by many semiconductor manufacturing companies. Alcorn was one of the first scientists to present a computer-modeling solution of wet etched and plasma etched structures, and he’s got several cash prizes for his plasma-processing techniques. He is also the founder of Saturday Academy, a weekend honors program designed to help and extend math-science training for students in grades six to eight. As an organizer and mentor for the University of Maryland, he supported the Meyerhoff Foundation, whose goal is to motivate and support African American males interested in getting doctorates in science and engineering. George Alcorn's job as an educator is also of importance. He held positions at both Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia, where he taught courses in electrical

He has impacted the lives of many, and he has influenced many to continue into the field of science. Also, with the invention of x-ray spectrometer he has dug deeper into science and the furthering of it. Alcorn has given others the opportunity to look deeper into elements on atomic level. Now, scientists can know what certain materials are composed of, and if they can or cannot be broken down. His new methods allow others to work off of one another to continue the knowledge of science and of the future. Alo, he has invented new techniques that used by a varieties of places and scientists that are needed in a field to further, protect, and maintain it. For example, plasma