204. What Makes a Great Inventor?
3/6/2026
In this episode, Claire introduces us to the fascinating inventor and engineer, Dr. Lonnie Johnson, who is best known for creating the super soaker water gun. However, that is the least of his accomplishments. Claire and Natasha follow with a discussion on what makes a great engineer and the difference between engineers and inventors… if there is a difference! STEMist storytime, a debate on important engineering skills, and more feats of STEM in the news are in store for you, dear listeners. Tune in to hear what it is all about and don’t forget to grab the free lesson to go with the STEMist Highlight in our STEM Explorer library.
ENGINEER SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Lonnie Johnson (b. 1949) is an American inventor and engineer whose curiosity started early. Growing up in Alabama, he loved taking things apart and even built a working robot in high school, winning a statewide science fair as the only Black student competing. Johnson went on to earn engineering degrees and worked for the U.S. Air Force and NASA, contributing to major missions like Galileo’s exploration of Jupiter.
While experimenting at home in the 1980s, he accidentally created a powerful water stream that sparked an idea. After refining the design, he invented the Super Soaker, one of the best‑selling toys of all time. Dr. Johnson used its success to fund research in advanced batteries and clean energy through his own company. With more than 100 patents, he continues to innovate and inspire young engineers today.
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Links from the Show:
Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes
Vivify STEM Blog Posts
Vivify STEM Lessons
Who is an Engineer or Scientist? STEM Career Game & Activity
STEM Innovators BINGO Game: 24 Game-Changing Thinkers in STEM!
Other STEM Resources
Book: Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton
Article: The 5 Traits of a Great Engineer
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