We know the famous ones--the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells --but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper ? Shouldn' t we know who they are? 

Joan Mclean thinks so. In fact, Mclean, a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range, feels so strongly about this matter that she' s developed a course on the topic. In addition to learning "who" invented "what" , however, Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the "why" and "how" questions. According to Mclean, "When students learn the answers to these questions, they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try. " 

Her students agree. One young man with a patent for an unbreakable umbrella is walking proof of McLean's statement. "If I had not heard the story of the windshield wiper' s invention," said Tommy Lee, a senior physics major. "I never would have dreamed of turning my bad experience during a rain storm into something so constructive. " Lee is currently negotiating to sell his patent to an umbrella producer. 

So, just what is the story behind the windshield wiper? Well, Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to New York City. The day was cold and stormy, but Anderson still wanted to see the sights, so she jumped aboard a streetcar. Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the windshield, she found herself wondering why there couldn' t be a built - in device for cleaning the window. Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions. One of her ideas, a lever on the inside of a vehicle that would control an arm on the outside, became the first windshield wiper. 

Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations. It' s hard to imagine driving without Garrett A. Morgan' s traffic light. It' s equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J. Blodgett' s innovation that makes glass invisible. Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses?
Where does Joan Mclean work?
What is her job title?
Which questions does she want her students to answer?
Is she preparing her students to become inventors?
What did one of her students invent?
What was his name?
and his major?
What year is he in school?
What bad experience led to his invention?
When was the idea for the windshield wiper brainstormed?
By who?
Where was she travelling?
Where was her home?
What kind of weather sparked her creativity?
What did Garret A. Morgan invent?
Who helped made glass see-through?
What is one example of her technology in use?
Are Garret and Katherine famous?
What is one example of a well-known inventor?
Does Joan Mclean think famous inventors are the only important inventor to study?
Mountain University in Range
Mountain University in Range
professor of physics
professor of physics
"why
"why
YES
 prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing 
unbreakable umbrella
unbreakable umbrella
Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
physics
physics 
senior
senior
dreamed
dreamed 
1902
 Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 
Mary Anderson
Mary Anderson
New York City
New York City
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
stormy
cold and stormy
traffic light
traffic light
Katherine J. Blodgett
Katherine J. Blodgett
clear windows
clear windows and eyeglasses?
YES
Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations.
Morgan
Garrett A. Morgan
NO
but what about the less famous inventors?