Hey there sound lovers! Today we're going to talk about a scientist named James E. West. Now, you may not have heard of him before, but let me tell you, you definitely have heard the world in a way you never would have without this true audio genius.

James E. West was born in 1931 in Farmville, Virginia, and from a young age, he had a passion for science and technology. His interest in electricity was sparked when he was electrocuted at the age of eight while plugging an old broken radio into a ceiling outlet while standing on the brass footboard of his bed. That incident did not scare him though; instead it inspired him to learn more about electricity.  

After graduating high school West attended Hampton University on a premed track at the insistence of his parents, before being drafted into the U.S. Army in the Korean War, where he received a Purple Heart for being injured in combat. He then attended Temple University studying Physics, where he was initially rejected from study groups due to his race, only being invited to join them after solving the most complex group problems on his own. 

But it was during a graduate summer internship at Bell Laboratories that West made some of his most important contributions to the world. He was interested in finding ways to improve the quality of microphones. His most notable invention is the Electret Microphone, which he co-created with Gerhard M. Sessler. It is a type of microphone that uses a permanently charged material to convert sound into electrical signals. This invention was a game-changer in the field of audio technology, as it made microphones smaller, more reliable, and more affordable. Ninety percent of the two billion microphones produced annually and used in everyday items such as cell phones, hearing aids, conference call systems, and multimedia computers employ Electret technology.

In 2001, West retired from Lucent Technologies after a distinguished 40-year career at Bell Laboratories where he received the organization's highest honor, being named a Bell Laboratories Fellow. West then joined the faculty of the Whiting School at Johns Hopkins University where he is currently a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has received honorary doctorates from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Michigan State, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University and Temple University. In 2006, President George W. Bush awarded West the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement.

West holds over 250 patents for his inventions and has been recognized for his work with numerous awards and honors. Additionally, throughout his career West has been a fervent advocate for greater diversity in the fields of science and technology.

An interesting fact about James E. West: His mother, Matilda Omega Miller West, was one of the people featured in the book Hidden Figures. She worked as a mathematician (at the time they were known as “computers”) for Langley Research Center. However, she lost her job due to her political stance and her active affiliation with the NAACP in support of equality for Black Americans during segregation.

So next time you're on a conference call or listening to music on your phone, remember James E. West and the amazing work he did. He truly made a difference in the world and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of audio engineers and inventors.