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Professor Gordon Thompson, teaching Electrical Engineering from 1920 to 1927.
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1888-1974ned and specified elecirical distribution and lighting systems for Yale-in-Chin....t Changsha.
Returned to BTL employ in April 1927. Assistant chief
. 1927 1945' chief engineer 1945-1960: techmcal
engIneer) - .
director
196<Y-1965.
In the employeeowned company.director 1943 to date: vice-president. 1957 to dats; chair man of both emoloyees' trusts. 1956 to 1965.
During second period at ETL numerous improvements
in precision measurements of emf, resistancs, inducta~ce
(self and mutual) and capacitance. With the cooperatlon of E. H. Salter, developed a-c potantiometer methods for measurement of a-c resistance and reactance of single and multiconductor cables in air, 1n metallic sheaths and in pipe. With ETL opcrating as the Techni-cal
Agent of the Appliance Comm~ttee of the Association
of Edison Illuminating Compames, 1928-1932. carned out extensive measurements of the physiological perception
of alternating currents ('·EI.ctrical World", June 17, 19~3?
Active part in the developme.nt of performance speCIfI cations for 22 household electrioal appliances, man~ of wbich have furnished the test procedures for Amencan
(ASA) Standards and NEMA Standards.
In technical soeietiss: American Institute of Electrical Engineers, associate, 1912; member. 1913! fellow, 1946. Standards Committee, 1942-1946. Board of Admissions, 1943-1963. Vice-chairman Committee on Domestic and Commercial Applications, 1942-1946. Committee on Insu lated Conductors, 1947-1964, chairman of subcomm1ttee
XII (Tests and Measurements) 1947-1956.
American Society for Testing Materials: ETL represen tative. 1930-1964. Committee D-9 (Electrical Insulating
Materials)
193<Y-1964.
Contributed to extensive revision- 43 ~. ,... t i:"",
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I LPROFESSOR GORDON THOMPSON
TECHNICAL
College education: Cooper Union (Day) BS 1909, EE 1913.
Employed Electric~1 Testing Laboratories 1909-1919.
Made foreman of the electrical department, June 1910. Beginning about 1912 did early work in development of alternating-current bridges for measurement of capacit~
anee, inductance and resistance up to 10 mcps. Conducted extensive series of measurements for manufacturers of solid and stranded wires and cables of copper and of iron. galvanized and steel. Developed a spark method for automa.tic timing of watthour meters. Did original work in measurements, by compensated wattmeter, Df
dielectric loss in single-phase and threephase "belted" paper-insulated cablss over wide range of operating temperatures. High dialectric loss in some paper cables impregnated with resin oils caused a "runaway", sclf destructive action above a certain critical temperature. Capacitance and power factor of high-voltage capacitors was iJ, natural sequence.
Professor 01 electrical engineering at Nanyang Univereity, Shanghai, China under the Ministry of Communications (Chiao-Tung Pu) 1920-1927. Made numerous improvem ents in class-room and electical laboratory ma.terials, curricula and equipment. Conducted extensive Enginee ring Exhibition on the campus of the college on the occasion of the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Univ ersity. Several hundred "foreign" companies exhibited. Medal of honor from the Chinese Government. Did con sulting work for the Mission Architects' Bureau. Seventh
Day Adventist Board and several Chinese firms. Desig
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45of the standard D150, dielectric constant and power factor, 1934-1936; vice-chairman, 1937-1938; honorary member, 1963. Committee' D-11 (Rubber) 1930-1964; cha irman, subcommittee IV: Elec. Protective Materials, 1935 1964. concurrently chairman of Sec..Com. J-6of the Amer. . Standards Assoc. having identical membership; honorary ,
,, member of D-11, 1964. ASTM representative on ASA Sec.
Com. C-8 (Cable) 1950 to date; ASA Sec. Com. C-39 (Measuring Instruments) 1953 to date; for a number of years on ASA Sec. Com. B-38 (Household Refrigerators), C-70, C-71 and C-72. various household electriCal appli ances .
. Editor Sec. 3 on Electrical Measurements, Std. Handbook for Elec. Engineers, 6th, 7th and 8th Editions. Editor, Chap. 2, Sec F. Specification Tests and Significance for Cables and Cable Insulation of "Underground Systems
Reference Book", Edison Electric Institute, 1957-1958, Registered Professional Engineer,. State of New York, since 1930.
PERSONAL
Born October 18, 1888, at Charleston, New York to Jud son Thompson and Eudora Bassett Thompson. Thompson
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family came to Staten Island from Elizabeth. New Jersey, 1805. Married June 3, 1913, to Hilda Haughwout, Staten Island family since 1969. Children, Margaret Ann (Mrs. Pierson D, Jessup). Douglas Bruce, Dorothy Jane Norman and Mary-Ellen David Henkelman; 11 grandch ildren; 14great grand children. Religion, Moravian Church in America, elder, 15 years; treasurer, Eastern' Disttict
Board, 15 years; member, governing board of Northern Province, 5 years. Trustee, Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 10 yeers; honorary degree, D. Sc., 1952. Life member, Staten Island HistoriCal Society and Am erican Mnseum Natural History.
