While both the promise and threat of artificial intelligence are dominating the headlines in 2024, last night the Liberty Science Center highlighted how human intelligence is making the world a better place.
At the Liberty Science Center’s 12th annual “Genius Gala” at the Jersey City museum Monday night, three scientists were honored for the game-changing breakthroughs they have made in their respective fields.
“This year’s class of Genius awardees are a true testament to what this honor seeks to convey. Through faith in their convictions, this group stood in the face of what appeared to be unbeatable odds to succeed and enlighten our world,” Liberty Science Center’s president and CEO Paul Hoffman said. “Their breakthroughs and courage to go against the grain of what was expected of them sets them in a class of their own and lays the foundation for future generations of Geniuses to build on what they have started.”
The three scientists honored were:
• Dr. Andrea Kritcher, a nuclear engineer and physicist of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, whose team created the first successful controlled fusion experiment — sometimes called the “holy grail” of nuclear physics — producing more energy than it used. Nuclear fusion is a potential source of clean energy to help the planet slow climate change.
• Dr. Nicholas Schiff, a professor of neurology and neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College and neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, who led a successful experiment that implanted electrodes to improve brain function after traumatic injuries. Like pacemakers for the brain, these implants hold out promise for the five million Americans who have permanent brain injuries as a result of trauma caused by accidents such as car crashes.
• Westfield native Joseph Graves Jr., who is the first African American to receive a doctorate in evolutionary biology and has helped dispel misconceptions about biology and race. Dr. Graves taught himself to read because his parents were illiterate and was incorrectly placed on a low-academic track as a small child, but graduated at the top of his high school class and went on to become an award-winning biologist, author and academic.
The center also honored William Shatner, best-known as Captain James T. Kirk on the beloved TV show “Star Trek.” Shatner added to his legacy when he became a real-life space traveller — the oldest ever at the age of 90 — strapping into space tourism company Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket in 2021.
Since 2011, the Genius Gala has raised $22 million for the center’s Science, Technology, Math and Engineering (STEM) education programs, helping students, teachers, and families, including those in high-needs communities.
Marty Lipp may be reached by email at martylipp@hotmail.com.
