Tech Directions - December 2007 - (Page 10)

technology’s past Dennis Karwatka d.karwat@morehead-st.edu Robert Stephenson and 19th-Century Transportation Technology business. George was an uneducated The best-known 19th-century single father with little money who British technologists were those wanted his son to involved with transhave a proper educaportation. The dration. He traveled from matic locomotives and the area to find work, their infrastructure leaving Robert to be captured everyone’s raised by his brother imagination. All British and his brother’s wife. schoolchildren knew of George StephenRobert Stephenson, his son did achieve techlocomotives, the rail nical and financial lines he built, and his success. And true to bridges. his word, he gave his Born near Newson a private school castle in northeastern education and the England in 1803, Robability to attend Scotert Stephenson was Robert Stephenson land’s Edinburgh the only surviving University. It was always understood child of George Stephenson, who that Robert would join his father in a later established the family’s railway Image reproduced by permission of the trustees of the Science Museum working partnership, and he worked for a short time as production manager at his father’s locomotive factory in Newcastle. But youthful wanderlust then sent him traveling to Colombia, South America, where he worked for three years with steam engines used in gold and silver mines. Stephenson returned to England via the United States in 1827 and settled down to become one of his country’s greatest 19th-century technologists. His first major success was with the 20-hp Rocket steam locomotive. His father designed the locomotive, and Robert Stephenson directly supervised its construction. He built a sophisticated multi-tube boiler and made many detailed improvements during its manufacture. The Rocket was subsequently chosen in 1829 to operate on the world’s first commercial railway line, which ran for about Dennis Karwatka is professor emeritus, Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, Morehead (KY) State University. Celebrate Black History Month! Inspire your students with posters of African Americans who have had a major impact on the course of American history, from the research lab to the battlefield to the courtroom. These posters will help educate your students as well as perk up dull classroom walls. Each poster provides brief biographical information and a timeline of key life events—all designed around a stunning image of these notable black Americans. 18" × 24" Technology’s Past series includes: George Washington Carver Lewis Latimer Garrett Morgan Black History Pioneers series: W.E.B. DuBois Frederick Douglass Martin Luther King, Jr. (Portraits) Martin Luther King, Jr. (March) Thurgood Marshall Rosa Parks Sojourner Truth Harriet Tubman Booker T. Washington Malcolm X The Buffalo Soldiers (lPlains) The Buffalo Soldiers (Uniform) Montgomery Bus Boycott The Tuskegee Airmen On sale now— $9.95 each! Save even more! All 14 Black History Pioneers posters $124.95 Sale expires 2/28/08 To order: Online: www.techdirections.com/posters.html ● FAX: 734.975.2787 Phone: 800.530.9673 ext. 200 ● Mail: Tech Directions Books & Media, PO Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 48107 10 techdirections ◆ DECEMBER 2007 http://www.techdirections.com/posters.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tech Directions - December 2007

Tech Directions - December 2007 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology Today Technology's Past Mastering Computers Is This Op-Amp Any Good? Lab-Built Checker Removes All Doubt Here Comes the Sun! Residential Solar Systems Add Up to Savings Pinhole Cameras—For Science, Art, and Fun! Poster Project Maps Out Design Process Gifts for Geeks E-gallery More than Fun

Tech Directions - December 2007

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