Engineering Pioneers: Lonnie Johnson and Lilia Abron

Lonnie Johnson If you grew up having water fights with your friends, you can thank Lonnie Johnson, the inventor of the Super Soaker water gun. Johnson grew up tinkering with inventions and ideas. In high school, he won a science fair held at the University of Alabama as the only minority student competing. He went on to study nuclear and electrical engineering. He served in the Air Force before joining NASA, where he developed his now famous water gun as a side project. Johnson has acquired multiple patents and has many inventions – some successful, some failed – to his name, but none have surpassed the popularity of the Super Soaker, which ranks as one of the top toys around the world.

Lilia Abron Lilia Abron is a significant STEM pioneer in the field of engineering. In 1972, she became the first African American woman to receive a doctorate in chemical engineering. She went on to teach and also create an engineering firm to protect the environment. Abron shares her passion for engineering with students and promotes STEM at elementary and middle schools.