Meet the Author

Laurence O. Williams

[August 31, 1933 to May 7, 2008]

Laurence Williams in his hybrid car Laurence O. Williams limited his carbon dioxide production by driving a hybrid car. A graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette Indiana, early in his career, he worked as Analytical Chemist in the areas of food, sewage, solid propellants and liquid propellants. Later he was a Research Chemist in the areas of propellants, explosives and fuels. He had published 32 articles on propellants, explosives and hydrogen. He has had 13 patents granted, 10 US and 3 Foreign. He was twice voted Lockheed Martin's inventor of the year and received NASA's Original New Technology Application award for inventing a new method to reduce a contaminants in the hydrazine monopropellant used to land the Viking Landers on the surface of Mars. This method allowed the production of hydrazine with less than one part per million of contamination from carbon compounds.

In the sixties, he became concerned about the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As an avocation, he started studying and writing about the use of hydrogen as a zero pollution fuel. In the mid seventies, he played a minor part in founding the International Association for Hydrogen Energy. During the administration of President Carter he spent several years with The Aerospace Corporation, a Federal Contract Research Center, consulting for the United States Department of Energy in the area of hydrogen fuel and other alternate energy technologies. In 1980 he published Hydrogen Power, Pergamon Press (ISBN 0 08 024783 0) and in 1994 "Therapy for the Earth" Applied Energy, (Vol. 47 Nos. 2-3 1994, ISSN 0306-2619). In 2002 Elsevier published his book, An End To Global Warming, ISBN 0 08-044045-2. His invention of fuel cell powered lighter than air ship was featured in a New Scientist article "Frontiers - Emerging Technology", March 3, 2001 page 20.

During his working years, he was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute for Astronautics and Aeronautics, (Section Chairman for 3 years) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was on the distinguished Speakers list for both the American Chemical Society and the American Institute for Astronautics and Aeronautics. He was on the Editorial Board of Applied Energy, Elsevier Applied Science, for 18 years. He was an active member of Rotary International, the Planetary Society and the Sierra Club.

In 1999, he retired from Lockheed Martin where he held the position of Chief Scientist for their Ordnance Systems Division. In retirement, he was a paid consultant for Lockheed Martin Corporation and Atlantic Research Corporation regarding propellants, explosives and hydrogen.

Until his death in May of this year, Laurence continued his efforts to promote RFH energy systems.