top of page
Year: 1956

Who: Walter Lincoln Hawkins

Where: USA

What: Walter Lincoln Hawkins was a pioneering chemist and engineer whose groundbreaking work revolutionized telecommunications infrastructure. As a scientist at Bell Laboratories, Hawkins developed a long-lasting, lightweight plastic to replace the lead coating used on telephone cables. Before his innovation, these cables were sheathed in heavy, toxic lead, which made them expensive and difficult to maintain. Hawkins' invention was a major advancement, as it not only made telephone cables lighter and more durable but also non-toxic, significantly reducing the environmental and health hazards associated with lead. This innovation proved crucial in expanding telephone services, particularly to rural communities, and it helped make the infrastructure more affordable and sustainable.

Hawkins' work was more than just a technical breakthrough; it had a profound impact on the telecommunications industry. The new plastic coating developed by Hawkins and his collaborator, Vincent Lanza, was able to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations and lasted for up to seventy years, a significant improvement over the brittle, short-lived materials used previously. This innovation reduced the need for costly repairs and maintenance, allowing telephone lines to be installed in underserved areas, bringing phone service to thousands of people.

Beyond his technical achievements, Hawkins was deeply committed to supporting minority students and advocating for diversity in the sciences. He helped establish programs at Bell Labs aimed at increasing the participation of women and minorities in research, and he continued this advocacy throughout his career. Hawkins’ dedication to education and mentorship left a lasting legacy, inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers. For his numerous contributions, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1992, just before his death, and posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2010.

Sources:

Websites:

Journal Articles:

  • Hawkins, W. L. (1938). The structure of lignin obtained from hardwoods.

Address

Johns Hopkins University
2800 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

Email

Connect

  • Spotify
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
bottom of page