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L.A. Black Engineers recognize Bourns’ College Dean

By Chris Levister –

Lonnie Johnson has some impressive hard science credentials.

He’s worked for the Strategic Air Command and for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, engineering missions to Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. He holds more than 100 patents, many of them in that arcane spot where chemistry, electricity and physics cross into future technology. He invented a chip that converts solar heat to electric current.

Now Johnson, a nuclear engineer is introducing a new generation of rechargeable battery technology that could revolutionize the, cell phone, pacemaker and plug-in electric car.

But among the crowd of aspiring engineering students, their parents and some of Los Angeles’ top names in engineering, Lonnie Johnson is still known as Mr. Squirt Gun, inventor of the Super Soaker water gun.

“What, cried UC Riverside engineering students Ebube Agu, Kevin Mitton and Nkenge Wheatian “He invented the Super Soaker”? The students were among those gathered at the Proud Bird Restaurant for the Los Angeles Council of Black Professional Engineers’ 31st annual awards and scholarship banquet.

Keynote speaker Johnson, 61, doesn’t mind if he’s better known for watery mayhem than rocket science.

Perhaps that’s because more than $1 billion worth of Super Soakers have sold since 2007. His share (he licensed the Soaker’s design to Larami Toys, later bought by Hasbro) won him financial independence to pursue his own dreams and ideas which is how his Atlanta based Johnson Research and Development Company was born.

“It all started with an accident,” Johnson told the crowd.

“Late one night, while experimenting on a new kind of heat pump in my bathroom of all places a blast of water shot out of a nozzle. Where some people might have seen a mess to clean up, I saw opportunity,” he said.

After seven years and a lot of rejections the mother of all water guns, the Super Soaker was born.

“It’s like discovering a new continent. You don’t know what’s there, but you sure want to explore it to find out. But you are merely a dreamer without the proper education, training and personal discipline.

The moral of the story,” said Johnson, “Don’t give up on your dreams and ambitions.”

The crowd roared with approval.

Reza Abbaschian, UC Riverside Dean of the Bourns College of Engineering invited the nearly 50 aspiring engineers in the audience to launch their dreams at UCR, winner of the 2009 Claire Felbinger Awards for Diversity from ABET.

Dr. Abbaschian pointed out that UCR is one of the most ethnically and economically diverse and fastest growing public research universities in the nation. What US News and World Report deems as one of America’s, most successful at graduating students from underrepresented ethnic groups and disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We’re dedicated to educating the next generation of engineering and science leaders to discover and apply groundbreaking solutions and innovations that improve the quality of life,” he said.

LACBPE president Leroy Freelon Jr. recognized the engineering educator with a plaque calling him a ‘catalyst for change through diversity and leadership excellence’.

“It’s important for these kids to see there’s a bright future waiting for them,” said Ernest C. Levister, M.D who sponsored the UCR student’s trip to the event.

Levister, also a chemical engineer and member of the Bourns Advisory Committee said the annual event highlights the need for educating youth for a changing world. “Today's engineers are unlike the engineers of the past century: they must be able to solve problems that are multifaceted, span many disciplines that are critical to our health and to the economic vitality of our nat ion, and the world,” said Levister.

The LACBPE, a non-profit professional society based in Los Angeles, was founded in 1969 to enhance the educational and employment opportunities of minority individuals. It’s Honors and Awards Banquet is held annually with proceeds funding the Council’s scholarship initiative, and Excell Program which provides instruction in mathematics, science and computer science to African-American and other minority youth.