Second only to Thomas Edison in U.S. patents
Clarence Weston Hansell received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1919. After graduation, he began his career at General Electric, where he led factory testing of high-frequency generators. Shortly afterward, he transferred to GE's Radio Engineering Department to work on testing transoceanic radio transmitting stations. Later, Hansell moved to the Radio Corporation of America, where he played a pivotal role in developing its transmitting facilities and founded the RCA Transmission Laboratory. In 1932, he became particularly interested in ionized air and its biological effects on people. Upon retiring from RCA in 1963, Hansell held more than 300 U.S. patents, making him the second-most prolific inventor in American history, second only to Thomas Edison. Purdue awarded him an honorary doctorate in electrical engineering in 1952.