SHOW CODE: W001- WIZARDS OF SCHENECTADY - C. Guy Suits and his Flying Machine
Narrated by local news legends Jack Aernecke and Ernie Tetrault
Follow the amazing life of this pioneer as he worked with plasma technologies with Albert Hull, then moved on to become manager of the G.E. Research Lab. From artificial diamonds to building the G.E. Research lab in Niskayuna his time at GE spanned some incredible times. Suits was known for his vast assortment of hobbies which he mastered. Hobbies span from world travel to love of the outdoors. This video series features aerial footage of the Adirondacks, historical photos, and old films meticulously edited to the life story of Guy Suits.
2007 first place Electric City Film Fest.
Length 26 min. See promo on YouTube

W002- WIZARDS OF SCHENECTADY - Carl Rosner - Pioneer in Superconductors
Narrated by Jack Aernecke
Carl Rosner escaped the Holocaust to come to America in 1955. He worked with other pioneers at the Research and Development lab to make the worlds most powerful superconducting magnets. He then led Intermagnetics General - a spin-off of General Electric to success as a prime manufacturer of MRI magnets. Now he continues his work with Magnetocardiography.
2008 first place Electric City Film Fest
2009 Ballston Spa Film Fest
Length 43 min. See the promo on YouTube

W003- WIZARDS OF SCHENECTADY - Harold Chestnut - Control and Systems
Narrated by Ernie Tetrault
Hal Chestnut is the father of modern automatic control. From airplanes to powerplants Hal pioneered the theories and systems that run our world and provide a basis for today's electrical engineers work. He was a master leader, helping to create the IEEE in 1963, and run the International Federation of Automatic Control in the middle of the cold war. Later in life he devoted his life to find solutions for world peace and relaxing in his Lake Luzern retreat.
2010 Electric City Film Fest
Length 1 hour Learn More

W004- WIZARDS OF SCHENECTADY - The Rice Legacy - E.W., C.W. and Martin Rice
Narrated by Joe Doolittle
A biographic television documentary on three men who changed General Electric, and our world. E.W. Rice - Second president of GE, co-inventor with Elihu Thomson. C.W. Rice - Son of E.W., developer of better radar, sonar, and invented the modern loudspeaker with Kellogg, an invention still used in every home today. Martin Rice - head of GE's massive media influence in the early 20th century.
Length 1 hour Learn More

Current "The Edison Presents" Series: A variety series: Featuring interviews and on-location tours of engineering sites both modern and historical. Includes short "how it works" videos as well as other shorts.

SHOW CODE: EP-1 The EDISON PRESENTS - Nancy Fitzroy
Her and Roland Fitzroy's work on rockets, heat transfer, Manhattan Project

SHOW CODE: EP-2 The EDISON PRESENTS - Nancy Fitzroy 2
her work as a helicopter and airplane pilot, thoughts on being a woman engineer

SHOW CODE: EP-3 The EDISON PRESENTS - Andrew Burke
Developing the first computerized hybrid car in the early 80s at GE

SHOW CODE: EP-4 The EDISON PRESENTS - The Folsom Power House
Learn about the 1895 power house built at the beginning of widespread development of AC power

Former "The Edison Presents" Series:

Edison Exploratorium is the Edison Tech Center's old name.

Half hour interview shows with leaders of energy, technology, and the local area.
This series is hosted by Capital Region TV legend Ernie Tetrault. Started in spring of 2009.

SHOW CODE: E001 EDISON EXPLORATORIUM PRESENTS - Betsy Wyman of Sundog Solar
All about home application of solar panels

SHOW CODE: E002 EDISON EXPLORATORIUM PRESENTS - Dr. Frank Wicks of Union College
Current topics of energy production for our national grid. Solar vs. Oil vs. Coal.

SHOW CODE: E003 EDISON EXPLORATORIUM PRESENTS - Dr. Frank Wicks of Union College
Continued discussion on energy production for our national grid.

SHOW CODE: E004 EDISON EXPLORATORIUM PRESENTS - Walter Bardsley, B-17 Gunner
Walt Bardsley talks about his experience in World War Two as a tail gunner on the Flying Fortress.

SHOW CODE: E005 EDISON EXPLORATORIUM PRESENTS - Ari Presler - Silicone Imaging
Ari Presler talks about using the SI-2K camera used in the Oscar winning film "Slumdog Millionaire", designed here in Niskayuna.

SHOW CODE: E006 EDISON EXPLORATORIUM PRESENTS - Mike Newell - Heat Regeneration
A new invention using waste heat from factories to create energy
(DVD not currently available 10/2011)

THE TECHSPLORER SERIES: Half hour interview shows with some of the people who made today's technology possible. This series is hosted by Capital Region TV legend Ernie Tetrault and Schenectady civic leader Nicholas C. Barber. Length of each episode: 30 minutes

SHOW CODE: T001-T002 TECHSPLORER - Pier Abetti (two shows) Engineer and son of Astronomer Giorgio Abetti talks about his youth in Florence growing up with house visitors like Marconi, Einstein, and Irving Langmuir. Pier also talks about his work designing high power power transformers and transmission lines. 2008

T003- TECHSPLORER - Roy Anderson
Roy started his career with tracking Sputnik from Crawford Hill outside of Rotterdam in the Schenectady Area. He talks about moving on to designing the first satellite navigation systems (pre-GPS), ATS Satellites, and starting mobile satellite communications before the cell phone. 2008

T004- TECHSPLORER - Peter Frischman
Subject: Superconductivity at General Electric in the 1960's, working on early computers in Arizona for General Electric. 2008

T005- TECHSPLORER - Ivar Giaever
Nobel Prize winner talks about coming to America from Norway and working at General Electric. 2007

T006- TECHSPLORER - Harold A. Gauper
Talks about work in controlling radio interference in an array of technology. 2008

T007- TECHSPLORER - Robert Hall
Talks about inventing the Semiconductor Laser and Microwave work. 2008

T009- TECHSPLORER - Howard Hart
Howard Heart discusses his work with Lexan Apollo space helmets, making a better MRI magnet, and Surveyor space mission experiments. 2008

T010- TECHSPLORER - Community Roundtable with Harry Apkarian. 2007
Discussion of local events and issues in downtown Schenectady. 2007

T011- TECHSPLORER - Walt Robb Managing General Electric's Research Lab. 2007 T012-T013 - TECHSPLORER - Carl H. Rosner (two shows) He was a pioneer in Superconducting magnets and led a spin-off of GE Intermagnetics into a market leader in MRI Magnet production. 2007

T014- TECHSPLORER - Roland Schmitt
Managing General Electric's Research and Development Laboratory. 2007

T015- TECHSPLORER - Austin Spang
Austin Spang helped design control systems for jet engines, and missile systems. Interview with Ernie Tetrault. 2008

T016- TECHSPLORER - Paul Swartz
Designing superconducting magnets for the MRI at Intermagnetics General. Cofounder of Intermagnetics. 2007

GE FAMILY ALBUM SERIES: Featuring comprehensive sets of rare videos on technology and history from the engineers that made it happen. Lectures, interviews, and documentaries organized by subject.

G001 - History of Microwave and Radar (and Laser Technologies) - 3 DVDs - 2.5 hours
DVD 1 -Robert N. Hall gives a lecture on his work with radar, microwave, and invention of the semiconductor Laser - 1990's (length: 1 hr+)
DVD 2 -Robert N. Hall talks to the Edison Exploratorium about his life's work. 2008. (Length: 1 hr 8 min.)
DVD 3 -W004 Wizards of Schenectady: Chester W. Rices work with Radar 1910s-1920s. (Part of Episode 2) (15 min.)

G002- History of Superconductivity - 3 DVDs - 2.5 hours DVD 1 -The first item in this is a full interview with Mark G. Benz about working at GE in the 1960s with superconductivity. See the original magnet specimens saved from that time including the first 100,000 Gauss magnetic coil. 2008 (length: 52 min.) DVD 2 -Ivar Giaver gives a lecture on his work with Josephson Junctions. 1990s (length: 1 hr+) DVD 3 -T014 and T013Carl H. Rosner talks about his work with early superconducting magnets. 2008 (length: 30 min.)

G003- History of Control Systems - 3 DVDs - 5.5 hours
DVD 1 - IFAC 08 Seoul, Korea Interviews - Hal Chestnut Interviews
Featuring interviews with major Control Systems engineers of today about their memories of Harold Chestnut and IFAC in the 1950's-1980s.
(Length: 4 hours) 2008
DVD 2 - Austin Spang talks about his work on control systems for the GE jet engines (length: 30 min.) 2008
DVD 3 - Wizards of Schenectady - Harold Chestnut - The life and work of Harold Chestnut featuring many interviews, photos, and graphic diagrams(see top of this page)2008 (length: 50 min approx.)

G004- History of the Gas Turbine 3 DVDs - 2.5 hours DVD 1 -A lecture on the development of the gas turbine from one of its original pioneers Bob Hendrickson, includes rare information not found in textbooks.(Length: 1 hr 20m) 1999 DVD 2 -Internal GE video on testing the 7F Gas Turbine (length: 6 min.) 1990's DVD 3 -Full interview with gas turbine pioneer Arne Loft (1 hour)

G005-Steve Israel with Ernie Tetrault
Ernie Tetrault interviews Steve Israel about the Schenectady County Airport 1990's
Length: 27 min.

G006- Helen Briggs Interview
Helen talks about her experience working at General Electric as a ... 1990's
Length: 22 min.

G007 - Ernie Tetrault - Ethel Cermack
Talks about William Cermack - pioneer of the ceramic insulator. 1990's
Length: TBD

G008- GOSAM Memories
A collection of old films on all the GE greats: Langmuir, Coolidge, Steinmetz, Edison. Edited for the Gosam committee at General Electric in 1976
Length: 20 min.

G009- Edison Visits Schenectady 1922 film
Titles of names and places added to this old film. 2008 See it on YouTube
Length: 20 min.

G010- Principals of Electricity
An educational film about the basics of electricity. 1991
Length: 20 min.

G011- AC and DC Electricity
Another educational film about the differences between AC and DC electricity 1990's
Length: 30 min.

G012- Energy from the Atom
Educational video on how energy from the atom can be used to make energy. 1990's
Length: 30 min.

The Charles Proteus Steinmetz Video Collection: Videos from various sources about the man who tamed the wild mathematical frontier of AC power during the birth of major electric power development in the 1890-1920 era. Steinmetz was General Electric's "Wizard". While Edison mastered the market in DC, Steinmetz led GE into a new age of AC. His understanding of AC power was unequaled and due to his humble nature, refused to take credit for most of his work helping others on countless patents. Learn more about this unknown master. G013- Steinmetz Day 2008 - Union College President Steve Ainlay talks about Steinmetz and the history of Union College at the Edison Tech Center. Length: 50 min. G014- Steinmetz Lecture at Union College 2007 - The Annual Steinmetz Memorial Lecture Series feature guests prominent in their fields. This year features Tod Machover - Professor of Music and Media Technologies at MIT. Length: 1 hr + -Steinmetz Lectures at Union College are available going back to the 1990's. -Steinmetz Speech - See it on YouTube Famous Words of Steinmetz from a WGY 50th anniversary radio show. Mixed to film of Steinmetz himself. Length: 1 min. W004- Wizards of Schenectady: The Rice Legacy: Includes Steinmetz's role in the creation of the GE Research Lab and early AC power development: Interview with George Wise Length: 15 min out of 1 hour

The GE Family Album Series 2011:

G015 - Work of Arne Loft - Pioneering the Gas Turbine
The life and work of Arne Loft, and the story of the development of the first commercial gas turbine at GE in 1949.
Length: 58:30

G016 - The GEMOV and Transients - Bill Morris, J. Harnden, L. Barthold
The story of the metal oxide varistor which came at the right time in order to save the new semiconductor industry from it's own susceptibility to spikes in voltage which are common in utility systems.
Length: 58:30

G017 - Lionel Barthold's work on pioneering utility power systems
This video is currently in production. Ask for availability.
Length: TBD

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Credits:
Volunteers and Technicians who have captured the history:

John Harnden - Camera, Editing, Audio, Producer (1970-current)
M. Whelan - Editing, Camera, Audio, Producer, Writer, Graphics, Web Video(2007-current)
Steve Normandin - Technical consultation (2007-2010)
Ernie Tetrault - host, co-producer (1999-2010)
Nicholas C. Barber - host (2007,2008)
Jack Aernecke - voiceover (2007, 2008)
Frank Hackert - Camera, Audio, Editing (1999)
Thurston Sack - host(2000-2009)
Jim Cifarelli - website work (2005-2009)

Wizards of Schenectady Credits

Disclaimer:
These media works vary greatly in technical quality. Some works were converted from old film, others were taped on early forms of video tape technology, while others are of the sharpest digital quality. Audio quality varies depending where the event took place. Some events have been recorded in our controlled studio environment, while other events have been done in the field.

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