Science on Tap
Time: 6:00pm
Location: National Mechanics, 22 S 3rd St, Philadelphia
Everyone has heard about liquid crystal displays. These thin electronic screens are found in our televisions, laptops, and smartphones. We rely on them to consume information and communicate with each other.
But what exactly are liquid crystals? Who figured out they could be used in displays? And why did RCA—the company that oversaw their invention—never succeed in commercializing them? In this talk Ben Gross will provide a “behind the screens” tour of the science and history of the LCD.
Ben Gross is a research fellow in the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s Center for Contemporary History and Policy, where he oversees a variety of projects related to material innovation. He also serves as curator of “Innovations That Changed the World,” an exhibition on RCA’s contributions to the history of electronics at The College of New Jersey. Gross earned a Ph.D. in the history of science from Princeton University and is currently revising his doctoral dissertation on the development of the LCD for publication.