Speaker Series: Lonnie Johnson

Dr. Lonnie Johnson, holder of more than 100 U.S. patents, spacecraft systems designer, energy innovator, and inventor of the Super Soaker®, joined USPTO Director Andrei Iancu for a talk on his work and journey of innovation. Johnson worked on the stealth bomber program while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Later, he joined NASA as a nuclear engineer and earned awards for spacecraft system design. His Super Soaker® has received multiple industry awards, including Outdoor Toy of the Year. Johnson is the founder and CEO of Johnson R&D, where his current work includes the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Convertor (JTEC), an all solid-state device that operates on the Ericsson cycle, and the development of a new solid-state lithium-metal battery. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in nuclear engineering, and an honorary doctorate in science. He was inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2011.