Never Give Up: Marshall G. Jones Story by Lawrence E. Walker & Harold St. Louis
Dr. Marshall G. Jones’s life stands as a powerful example of perseverance, innovation, and service, demonstrating how determination and education can transform both an individual life and entire industries.
Dr. Marshall G. Jones (born August 1, 1941) is an American mechanical engineer, inventor, educator, and mentor, widely recognized as a pioneer in laser materials processing and fiber-optic laser beam technology. Over the course of his career at General Electric (GE) Global Research, where he served as a Coolidge Fellow, he earned more than 65 U.S. Patents and helped transform the use of lasers in modern industrial manufacturing.
Jones was born in Southampton, Long Island, New York, and raised on a duck farm by his Aunt and Uncle while his father served in the Navy and his mother worked in New York City. As a child, he excelled in mathematics and athletics, though he struggled with reading due to a speech impediment. Repeating the fourth grade proved to be a turning point, giving him the foundation he needed for later academic success.
After graduating from Riverhead High School in 1960, Jones attended Mohawk Valley Technical Institute, earning an associate degree in mechanical technology in 1962. He later received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1965, where he was the only African American engineering student at the time. He continued his education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning both a master’s degree (1972) and a Ph.D. (1974) in mechanical engineering.
Jones joined GE’s Research and Development Center in 1974, where he became a leader in laser and materials processing technologies. His innovations included new methods for welding dissimilar metals and the development of fiber-optic laser beam delivery systems, which allowed lasers to cut, weld, and drill materials at multiple angles with minimal optical loss. His work helped establish industrial laser welding, cutting, and metal additive manufacturing as practical technologies.
Throughout his career, Jones also dedicated himself to education and community service. He served on the National Science Foundation Advisory Committee, taught as an adjunct professor, and mentored countless students through programs such as GE COMPASS and the New York State Mentoring Program. He frequently returned to his hometown schools to inspire young people, especially fourth graders, to pursue careers in science and engineering.
Dr. Jones has received numerous honors, including the Coolidge Award, the Black Engineer of the Year Award, and the Arthur L. Schawlow Award. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2001 and inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2021, he was named an Honorary Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for his technical achievements and lifelong commitment to STEM Education.
Dr. Marshall G. Jones’s life stands as a powerful example of perseverance, innovation, and service, demonstrating how determination and education can transform both an individual life and entire industries.
This Black History Month 2026 dedicate his life and career in a two part documentary 40-minute & 30-minute and has never been on TV.
