PASADENA, CA, June 14, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Michael Smith, Ph.D., with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Smith celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
When reflecting back on a career that spanned nearly 50 years, Dr. Smith describes his journey using one word: serendipity, being in the right place at the right time with the right stuff. He notes that he always wanted to be an engineer, and it seemed that opportunities to take new directions within the field were always coming his way, adding that his career was a true evolution from start to finish. Initially intending to work in the nuclear engineering field, Dr. Smith listened to a mentor who suggested that he explore the doctorate program at Case Western University before making his decision. In 1965, he achieved a Doctor of Philosophy in plasma physics, which set the foundation for what would become his greatest career achievement. The LIGO project was a 17 year initiative, which earned the three Nobel Laureates a Nobel Prize in 2017. He was part of the design team and is honored to have been a part of the famous project. Dr. Smith wrote a memoir on this experience entitled "To Catch a Black Hole from the Bottom of the Pond."
Alongside his incredible work on the LIGO Project, Dr. Smith has achieved success through his extensive research and his many inventions over the years. Most notably, he was the inventor of an Emergency Vehicle Warning and Traffic Control System, a Flat Electro-Optic Display Panel, a High Power Mirror, a Laser Recording Film with Opaque Coating, a Pulsed Gas Laser with Radiation Cooling, and an Infrared Laser Photocautery Device. In total, Dr. Smith holds eight U.S. patents and nine foreign patents.
Now retired, Dr. Smith concluded his career as a consultant for the California Institute of Technology. His long tenure in the field of engineering has been marked by noteworthy roles including design leader for the LIGO Project at the California Institute of Technology, assistant professor for the California Lutheran University, head of the physics program at California Lutheran University, president of Exocor, senior staff engineer for the Singer/Librascope division in Glendale, CA, vice president of the Britt Corporation, director of research at the Britt Corporation, and member of the technology staff at HRL Laboratories.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Dr. Smith has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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