Many of us first heard about lasers from science-fiction television shows and movies such as the Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica series. Some people, however, have made their living from them.
Marshall Jones is an international expert in laser technology with more than 50 patents from the United States and 31 from other countries for his inventions affecting the use of lasers in materials processing, for laser device development, and in fiber optics. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Coolidge Fellow at General Electric Global Research, where he is a project leader. During his 37 years with GE, he has received many awards for his scientific work. He has also been honored with humanitarian awards, particularly for his work with children.
Marshall Jones was raised by an aunt and uncle on a duck farm on Long Island. His father was in the Navy and did not become a part of his life until Marshall was an adult. His mother moved to New York City when he was not yet four years old to get a better job. Marshall’s uncle was the source of much good advice. He told the youth: “When you grow up, work with your mind, not just your hands. Do the best you can in school. Then you will be successful and have a good life.”
Despite these wise words, Dr. Jones did not reach his level of achievement easily. Among the challenges he faced:
When he was almost two, only his little brother and the family dog could understand him. He was born tongue-tied, which went unnoticed at birth, and had to have an operation to fix the problem.
Young Marshall was quite shy, and had difficulty with reading and spelling. He repeated fourth grade, and spent that year in the same class as his kid brother.
He wanted to be a pilot, but when it was learned that his eyesight was not perfect, this dream was set aside. The Air Force did not train men who wore glasses.
Although he played several sports--in fact, a teacher recommended the high school junior for a wrestling scholarship to Rochester Institute of Technology--Marshall tore some knee ligaments and thus was no longer a good candidate.
In high school, Marshall excelled in math and science, and was determined to go to college; he worked and took out student loans to pay for tuition and room and board. He graduated from Mohawk Valley Community College, in Utica, New York, with a degree in mechanical engineering technology. When his roommate decided to get a four-year engineering degree, Marshall was inspired to do the same. They were both accepted at the University of Michigan, from which Marshall received his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. After working at Brookhaven National Laboratory for several years, he entered the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned a master’s in mechanical engineering in 1972 and a doctorate in 1974. At that time, Dr. Jones began his tenure at GE, and has worked there ever since.
Although his job and his family (he has a wife and two children) take up a lot of his time, Dr. Jones can frequently be found at public schools encouraging students to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses through his demonstrations of lasers. He also exhorts students to develop a PLAN for life. PLAN is an acronym:
Plan and map out a direction so you can make the tough decisions necessary to stay focused on your goals.
Learning should be a constant, as is adapting to changes, which is critical for someone pursuing a career in technology development.
Attitude and determination are hallmarks of success.
Be Nice; what goes around comes around.
Dr. Jones believes that with motivation, you can do anything you set your mind to. "If you don’t try," he says, "you’ll never know how much you can do."
