Alan speaks with Dr. Guru Madhavan at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, as we continue our series marking 250 years of American innovation. Guru, a leader at the National Academy of Engineering, explores the Academy’s Civil War origins, its lasting role in advising the U.S. government, and its influence on everything from compass design to pandemic response. He discusses how innovation must balance bold ideas with long-term systems like sanitation and maintenance. Calling for a “deep time” perspective, Guru urges us to value resilience, inclusivity, and the often-unseen foundations that truly sustain progress. &nbsp; &nbsp;  Guest Bio Dr. Guru Madhavan is the Norman Augustine Senior Scholar and Senior Director of Programs at the National Academy of Engineering. With a background in biomedical engineering (MS, PhD) and an MBA from the State University of New York, he previously led innovations in the medical device industry before turning his focus to national science and engineering policy. He is the acclaimed author of Applied Minds: How Engineers Think and Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World. A valued member of AMSE’s National Advisory Committee, Guru was honored with the 2024 AMSE Foundation National Excellence Award for his outstanding contributions. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show Highlights  (1:54) An introduction to the National Academy of Sciences (7:59) Lincoln’s impact on the sciences in the United States (11:06) How Vannevar Bush’s principles from Science: The Endless Frontier are implemented (19:30) The impact the arts are having on STEM (20:13) How the National Academies have supported and encouraged innovation (24:10) Guru’s list of most important American innovations (30:23) The frameworks and institutions that have supported America’s innovations (37:51) The United States and the ideology of innovation (43:27) Using deep time to gain perspective on innovation  &nbsp; &nbsp; Links Referenced  Applied Minds: How Engineers Think:  Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World:   &nbsp;

Engineering a Nation with Guru Madhavan

AMSEcast continues celebrating 250 years of American innovation with Curtis Gregory. A park ranger at the George Washington Carver National Monument, Curtis sits down with Alan to share Carver’s inspiring journey from enslavement to becoming a pioneering scientist and educator who transformed Southern agriculture. Known for promoting peanuts and sweet potatoes as sustainable crops, Carver created hundreds of uses for them! Beyond his lab, he educated rural farmers through lectures, pamphlets, and the innovative Jesup Wagon. His legacy endures in food security and agricultural education. Visitors can explore his story at the Carver Monument in Diamond, Missouri. &nbsp; &nbsp;  Guest Bio Curtis Gregory is a longtime park ranger at the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri, where he has shared Carver’s legacy with visitors for nearly 20 years. With deep knowledge and passion, Curtis brings to life the story of George Washington Carver—scientist, educator, and agricultural innovator—highlighting his contributions to sustainability, food security, and education. As a dedicated steward of this historic site, Curtis helps connect the past to the present, inspiring new generations through Carver’s enduring impact. We’re thrilled to have Curtis join us on AMSEcast to celebrate the remarkable life and innovations of one of America’s greatest minds. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show Highlights  (2:00) How George Washington Carve went from being born a slave to a professor by 30 (6:53) The state of agriculture in the South when Carver arrived at Tuskegee (8:25) What led him to the peanut in the first place (10:45) George Washington Carver’s innovations with the sweet potato (15:51) His impact on agriculture in the South and nationwide (17:12) What to expect at the George Washington Carver National Monument  &nbsp; &nbsp; Links Referenced  Facebook:  X:  Website:

The Legacy of George Washington Carver with Curtis Gregory

Alan is joined by Peter Armstrong, president of Mystic Seaport Museum, to continue our celebration of 250 years of American innovation. Peter reflects on his 25 years in museum leadership and shares insights into Mystic’s long shipbuilding history. The museum, the largest maritime museum in the U.S., features historic vessels like the Charles W. Morgan, clipper ships, and a converted diesel-electric steamboat. From Fresnel lenses to nuclear submarines, Peter highlights how the museum preserves maritime heritage while embracing modern innovation. &nbsp; &nbsp;  Guest Bio Peter Armstrong has been president of Mystic Seaport Museum since 2020, the largest maritime museum in the United States. With over 25 years in museum leadership, Peter previously served as senior director of museum operations and education at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Before moving to the U.S., he held key roles at the UK’s National Museum of Arms and Armor, which includes iconic sites like the Tower of London. Peter brings a deep passion for history, education, and preservation to every project, making him a leading voice in connecting heritage with innovation. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show Highlights  (1:30) How Mystic became a hub for shipping and shipbuilding (3:02) What you can see and do at the Mystic Seaport Museum (5:55) What makes whaling ships and clipper ships different from any other types of ships (9:26) When and how steamboat technology made its way to the United States (14:00) How the Fresnel lens revolutionized lighthouses (15:34) Where America builds its ships today (17:53) Where you can learn more about the Mystic Seaport Museum  &nbsp; &nbsp; Links Referenced   Website:&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sailing the High Seas of History with Peter Armstrong

Dr. Josh Levy is a historian of science and technology at the Library of Congress. In this episode of AMSEcast, he highlights key figures and artifacts from all across America’s innovation history. From Samuel Morse’s early telegraph designs to George Washington Carver’s advocacy for sustainable farming, Levy reveals stories of invention and resilience. He also discusses aviation pioneer Lt. Thomas Selfridge and Claude Shannon’s groundbreaking work in information theory. Josh and Alan finish with Gladys West, whose geoid calculations became foundational for GPS. Her later recognition reflects how major technological advances often depend on unsung, collaborative contributions across generations. &nbsp; &nbsp;  Guest Bio   Dr. Josh Levy is the historian of science and technology in the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress, where he helps uncover and share the stories behind key figures in American innovation. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Illinois and brings years of teaching experience at both high school and college levels, including the University of South Florida, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the College of Micronesia. Since joining the Library of Congress in 2020, Dr. Levy has curated collections that illuminate the complex, collaborative nature of scientific and technological breakthroughs. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show Highlights  (1:50) What led Samuel Morse to invent the telegraph (4:03) Morse’s letter regarding the telegraph (7:36) Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver (8:47) Carver’s letter to John Washington, Booker T. Washington’s brother (12:02) Alfred Graham Bell’s interest in aviation (15:02) Thomas Selfridge (17:28) Claude Shannon, the Father of the Information Age (18:46) Shannon’s schematic of Theseus, the maze-solving robotic mouse (20:11) Gladys West’s impact on GPS technology  &nbsp; &nbsp; Links Referenced  Library of Congress website:  For specific questions about manuscripts at the Library of Congress:

A Library of Treasures in American History with Josh Levy

Kathleen Carlucci, director of the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park, joins AMSEcast to discuss Edison’s lasting impact on American innovation. From his early love of telegraphy to his system-wide inventions in sound, light, and film, Edison redefined how ideas were developed and assembled skilled teams in the world’s first “invention factory.” Carlucci highlights his resilience, collaborative spirit, and ability to turn failure into progress. Visitors to the Center can explore original artifacts, interactive exhibits, and hands-on demonstrations that bring Edison’s legacy to life, reminding us that with perseverance, innovation is within anyone’s reach. &nbsp; &nbsp;  Guest Bio Kathleen Carlucci is the Director of the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park, where she leads efforts to preserve and share the legacy of one of America’s greatest inventors. With degrees in history and secondary education, she combines her passion for storytelling with a strong background in management and customer service. Kathleen has played a key role in enhancing the museum experience through engaging tours, educational programs, and community outreach. Her work ensures that visitors of all ages connect with Thomas Edison’s innovations and are inspired by his enduring message of curiosity, perseverance, and the power of hands-on learning. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show Highlights  (1:14) Edison’s process for thinking up ideas and bringing them to fruition (2:40) How Edison overcame hearing loss to accomplish so much (3:42) Edison’s improvements to the telegraph and telephone (6:36) How Edison organized and staffed his Menlo Park lab (9:51) Why he moved to West Orange, NJ, and what became of Menlo Park (12:28) Edison’s work with light bulbs, motion picture technology, and batteries (19:03) What Edison would do when he hit a wall on a project (20:39) Lessons from Menlo Park that future innovators should learn (22:43) What a tour of the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park includes  &nbsp; &nbsp; Links Referenced  Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park:

Inside the Invention Factory with Kathleen Carlucci

Given the centrality of uranium to the story of the Manhattan Project, the creation of Oak Ridge, and the ongoing nuclear renaissance, I thought it would be good to learn more about that element, so I spoke on our podcast, AMSEcast, with Tom Zoellner about his fascinating book, Uranium: War, Energy, and the Rock that Shaped the World. I started by asking why uranium is so unique and so suited to creating the chain reactions that are central to both nuclear energy production and the workings of nuclear weapons.

AMSEcast with guest Tom Zoellner

Alan Lowe speaks with Dr. Simon Cordery about the transformative role of railroads in American history. From the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1828 to a national network by 1916, Cordery details how rail shaped commerce, industry, and infrastructure. He also explores regulation, from early oversight efforts to the 1980 Staggers Act, which revitalized the struggling industry. The conversation touches on Amtrak’s dependence on subsidies, the challenges of expansion, and the promise of high-speed rail. Cordery also previews his book on Albert Pullman, a largely forgotten innovator behind the Pullman Company’s early success and a symbol of overlooked entrepreneurial ambition. &nbsp; &nbsp;  Guest Bio Dr. Simon Cordery is Chair of the History Department at Iowa State University and a leading scholar of American labor and transportation history. He previously served as department chair at Western Illinois University and Monmouth College. Dr. Cordery has authored several acclaimed books, including Mother Jones: Raising Cain and Consciousness and The Iron Road in the Prairie State: The Story of Illinois Railroading. His forthcoming work, Gilded Age Entrepreneur: The Curious Life of American Financier Albert Benton Pullman, explores the overlooked legacy of the elder Pullman brother and offers fresh insight into the entrepreneurial spirit of 19th-century America. &nbsp; &nbsp; Show Highlights  (2:14) When railroads first arrived in America and how quickly they spread (6:18) Changes in the business world that supported and continued railroad expansion (7:16) The impact of government oversight as the industry develops (14:47) When deregulation of the railroad industry occurred and the effects it had (19:46) The effects railroads had on labor organization and the labor market in America (22:32) How railroad expansion affected how we keep time throughout the U.S. (24:28) The effect of digital technology on the American railroad industry (31:47) Is high-speed rail a profitable enterprise? (35:23) Simon Cordery’s upcoming book, Gilded Age Entrepreneur: The Curious Life of American Financier Albert Benton Pullman  &nbsp; &nbsp; Links Referenced  Mother Jones: Raising Cain and Consciousness:  &nbsp; The Iron Road in the Prairie State: The Story of Illinois Railroading:  &nbsp; Gilded Age Entrepreneur: The Curious Life of American Financier Albert Benton Pullman:

Tracks Across America with Simon Cordery

Jack Kelly joins Alan on this episode of AMSEcast to talk about his book Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics. They discuss gunpowder’s accidental invention in 10th-century China and its explosive mix of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. Kelly explains how gunpowder shaped science and warfare, fueling revolutions in physics, ending the era of castles, and powering colonial empires. Though once too expensive for civilian use, gunpowder later drove mining and infrastructure projects before being replaced by safer, more powerful explosives like dynamite. Kelly also previews his upcoming book on Thomas Paine, highlighting Paine’s role as both Enlightenment thinker and Revolutionary soldier. &nbsp;  Guest Bio Jack Kelly is an award-winning historian, journalist, and novelist, as well as a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow. His work has appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and American Heritage, and he’s been featured on NPR, PBS, and the History Channel. Jack’s books explore pivotal moments in history with vivid storytelling and sharp insight. His titles include Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold, and Murder on the Erie Canal and God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man. His upcoming book is Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics, an explosive history of invention and empire. &nbsp; Show Highlights  (1:24) When the Chinese invented gunpowder and when it arrived in Europe (2:35) The ingredients of gunpowder (3:54) Why saltpeter is such a challenging ingredient to produce (5:43) Challenges faced by European engineers in the production of gunpowder (8:34) What the development of chemistry revealed about how gunpowder works (10:46) How gunpowder influenced sciences like physics in Europe (12:51) When guns and cannons were introduced (14:12) Gunpowder’s impact on European architecture, such as castles (16:39) The commercial uses of gunpowder (20:12) Replacements for gunpowder in weapons and other explosives today (22:51) Modern uses for black powder (24:26) What Jack Kelly is currently working on  &nbsp; Links Referenced  Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold, and Murder on the Erie Canal:  God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man: &nbsp; Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics: The History of the Explosive that Changed the World: &nbsp;

Gunpowder: From Alchemy to Empire with Jack Kelly

We always celebrate at our museums the rich history of American innovation, but we’re putting a special spotlight on that history as we approach the nation’s semiquincentennial in 2026. To help us with that, we spoke on our podcast, AMSEcast, with Kathleen Carlucci, the Director of the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park. Thanks to his host of revolutionary innovations and inventions, Thomas Edison changed our world with technologies like the phonograph, motion pictures, electric light, and the list truly goes on and on. Altogether he obtained 1,093 US patents, and 1,250 patents in 34 other countries. At Menlo Park in New Jersey, Edison gathered an incredible team in one place to conceive and create these inventions, starting the whole concept of research and development and what we call today “Big Science.”

Kathleen Carlucci, the Director of the Thomas Edison Center talks history

On this episode, being recorded at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC, I’m very honored to be joined by Dr. Alton D. Romig, Jr. Al has had a truly exceptional career, full of more awards than I can list today. Most recently, for example, the 2024 IEEE McClure Citation of Honor for engineering leadership, and more positions than I can include today, but they’ve included leadership roles at Sandia National Lab, service as vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs, better known to all of us as the famous Skunk Works. And currently, Al serves as Executive Officer of the National Academy of Engineering.

AMSE Science Report Al Romig

Noted historian Walter Borneman recently spoke to us about his book, MacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific. Few characters loom as large in that war than Douglas MacArthur, and Walt’s book gives a terrific look at how this enigmatic man helped lead our nation to victory over the Japanese. After his narrow escape from the Philippines as the Japanese invaded, MacArthur set up his headquarters in Australia in a time that looked very bad for the allies. Walt offers unique perspective on MacArthur’s field of operations as the allies began to turn the tables against the Japanese empire.

AMSE Science Report: Walter Borneman recently spoke to us about his book, MacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific

Highlights of conversations about innovation from AMSEcast. The Podcast of the American Museum of Science and Energy.

The keys to innovation

Dr. E.C. “Ed” Krupp joins Alan on this episode of AMSEcast to discuss the Griffith Observatory and his role as its longtime director. Now in its 90th year, the observatory remains a hub for public astronomy, drawing over 1.6 million visitors annually. Ed shares its educational mission, including a fifth-grade program and immersive exhibits like “Water is Life.” He also discusses archaeoastronomy, the cross-disciplinary study of ancient skywatching, and how visiting historical sites deepens our understanding of past cultures. From the Hopi village of Walpi to upcoming lunar livestreams at Chimney Rock, Ed continues to connect humanity’s cosmic curiosity across centuries through science, culture, and wonder. &nbsp;  Guest Bio Dr. E.C. “Ed” Krupp has served as director of the world-renowned Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles since 1974, guiding it through transformative changes and welcoming over 1.6 million visitors annually. Under his leadership, the observatory has become the most visited public observatory on the planet. Ed is also a leading authority in the field of archaeoastronomy—the study of how ancient cultures understood the sky—and has authored several acclaimed books, including Skywatchers, Shamans &amp; Kings: Astronomy and the Archaeology of Power. Known for his engaging insights and deep knowledge, Ed continues to inspire public curiosity about the cosmos and our place within it. &nbsp; Show Highlights  (1:43) When Griffith Observatory was established and its mission (4:38) Exhibits and programs offered at the observatory (8:51) How they work with students (11:37) When archeoastronomy began to develop (17:02) How astronomical knowledge shapes our place in society and culture today (19:45) Places Ed has visited that have had the most impact on his work and life (25:13) What still perplexes Ed Krupp after all his traveling and learning (26:56) What’s next for Ed and the observatory  &nbsp; Links Referenced  Skywatchers, Shamans &amp; Kings: Astronomy and the Archaeology of Power:  Website:

Connecting Cultures and Cosmos with Ed Krupp

In this excerpt from our podcast, AMSEcast, Jack Kelly, author of Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics: The History of the Explosive that Changed the World. Discusses one of the most innovative and compounds ever manufactured.

AMSE Science Report with guest Jack Kelly

Author Richard Ellis speaks about his latest book The Quest for the Cosmic Dawn. A breakdown of the earliest moments of our celestial cosmic soup.

AMSE Science Report with Richard Ellis

ASME Science Report with Marc Wortman

AMSE Science Report with Marc Wortman

AMSE tells the story of national and global security, science, research, engineering, technology development, and environmental restoration successes that have occurred in Oak Ridge since the very first days of the Manhattan Project.

New tracks tagged #Super Computing