About the Dreamers Anthology

The Dreamers digital anthology, a key component of CSPC’s project commemorating the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, will feature case studies on groups and individuals who pushed the bounds of technology and innovation and propelled American prosperity, progress, and imagination. The anthology will highlight lesser-known innovators alongside household names to produce key insights about America’s innovation history and lessons for the future. Authors drawn from academia, journalism, and the research community will examine the personal traits that led to success and highlight the underlying elements of American culture and society that help explain the diverse cohort’s collective achievements.

Meet our Dreamers

Elijah McCoy, Engineer and Inventor of the Lubricating Oil Cup for Steam Engines

Mr. McCoy (1844-1929), an engineer whose parents escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad, invented an automatic lubrication system for steam engine trains that reduced maintenance and increased the engine’s efficiency. Read more

Bell Labs, “The Idea Factory”

Bell Labs, founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1925, was one of the most important incubators for scientific research in American history. The prolific lab produced over 26,000 patents and six Nobel prizes. Its scientists were responsible for critical inventions, like the transistor, laser, and solar cell. Read more

Dwight Eisenhower, America’s Innovation President

While better known for his military service and leadership in the post-World War II period, President Eisenhower (1890-1969) oversaw an era of tremendous growth in innovation by the federal government. By launching initiatives like Atoms for Peace, DARPA, and NASA, Eisenhower harnessed federal resources to drive scientific and technological progress. Read more

Chien-Shiung Wu, “The First Lady of Physics”

Dr. Wu (1912-1997) was a Chinese American physicist who contributed to the Manhattan Project through her enrichment of uranium ore used in the production of the atomic bomb. The famous Wu experiment, which disproved the law of conservation of parity, earned her the inaugural Wolf Prize in Physics. Read more

Norman Borlaug, “Father of the Green Revolution”

Dr. Borlaug (1914-2009) was an agronomist whose agricultural developments, including high-yield dwarf wheat and wheat-rye hybrids (triticale), helped alleviate widespread global food insecurity. Read more

Jennifer Doudna, Co-Inventor of CRISPR

Dr. Doudna (1964) is the co-creator of the CRISPR genome editing tool currently being used forcancer research, disease treatment (notably of sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis), and viral protection for humans, animals, and agriculture. Read more

Margaret Hamilton, Apollo 11 Software Engineer

Mrs. Hamilton (1936), coiner of the term “software engineer,” wrote software for both the first U.S. air defense system (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) and error detection for NASA’s Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Read more