Professor James E. West

James “Jim” West co-inventor of the electret microphone knows what it is to be challenged and how to overcome those challenges.  He grew up in the south before the Civil Rights Movement but was nevertheless able to go to college and study physics.  His father wanted him to become a doctor but he knew that he would only be happy studying physics and “tinkering”.

As a young boy of just 8-years old, he inadvertently conducted his first scientific experiment.  He conducted 120 volts of electricity through his body when he attempted to plug the cord of a radio he had repaired into an electrical outlet.  Instead of being shocked into fear of electricity, he became more fascinated with it and was determined to learn all he could about it.

Jim West is dyslexic so he memorized his textbooks in an effort to disguise his reading disability from everyone.  People with learning disadvantages often see the world through different glasses and this difference can make them very successful inventors.  The moral of Jim’s story is to embrace your differences and face your challenges head on finding ways to overcome them and make them work in your favor. Today, James E. West is a research professor at John Hopkins University.

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