Nikola Tesla Monument Alex James
Bibliography Born in 1856 in Croatia, Nikola Tesla was extremely smart and gifted almost right out the gate. At the age of 7 Nikola’s brother Daniel was killed in a riding accident, an event which started him on his lifelong struggle with mental illness. Nikola studied at the Technical University of Graz as well as at the University of Prague. It was during his time here he invented the brushless AC motor. After studying Nikola moved to Paris where he got a job working for the Continental Edison Company. Two Years later Nikola ended up immigrating to the United states in 1884. Nikola was hired as an engineer at Edison’s Manhattan headquarters. Edison was impressed by Tesla and told him he would pay him $50,000 to build an improved DC (direct current) dynamos design. After Tesla completed his work Edison shrugged off the payment saying it was a joke, an event which prompted Tesla to leave soon after. Tesla then tried and failed to start his own company but was able to find backers to support his research into alternating currents.
In the next couple of years Tesla acquired over 30 patents for his inventions and was invited to present his ideas to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. This lecture was the catalyst for Tesla meeting George Westinghouse, Edison's major competitor. Tesla was hired by Westinghouse and through this partnership Tesla was able to finally make his ideas into reality. During this time Tesla invented improved lights, meters, oscillators, and the Tesla coil. Tesla and Westinghouse also partnered with General Electric to create the first ever modern power station in Niagara Falls. In 1895 Tesla’s lab burned down along with the years worth of equipment and notes. Tesla lived the rest of his life working on new inventions in a new york hotel until his death on January 7,z1943
Inventions Aside from those mentioned in the bio Tesla's other inventions are the magnifying transmitter, tesla turbine, the shadowgraph, the radio (never fully completed), neon lamp, hydroelectric power, and induction motor. The Alternating Current is by far his most recognizable and important invention and is still used today.
• A magnifying Transmitter built by Tesla called the Wardenclyffe tower • The Tesla Turbine
• Nikola Tesla showing off the first public demonstration of radio in 1893
• First Major power plant in Niagara Falls built with the help of Tesla
• A shodowgraph of Tesla’s foot
• Nikola Telsa with his neon lamp
Why Nikola Tesla Deserves a Monument Nikola Tesla is one of the people most responsible for the way the world is, though most people don’t know it. He is significant because his inventions, even if he wasn’t credited for them, have led to huge advancements in power and electricity and are the reason we have the luxuries we have today. I believe Nikola Tesla deserves a monument because to this day many people don’t know of his significance and importance and I believe a monument would help shed light on his accomplishments and bring him back into the public eye.
I’d want the monument to Nikola Tesla to somehow incorporate his inventions, almost like a showcase of his life’s work. A simple statue would just show who he was but having it be more extravagant and interactive it would not only draw more attention to it but also help show his accomplishments and inventions. An example of what it would be like would be a statue in the middle but at the base be a body of water with a motor using hydroelectric power to power the rest of the monument. What would be powered would be some inventions like the tesla coil and neon lamp as well as a way to show Alternating current and its uses.
A place I would like to put this monument on campus is by the art and design building. This is because an elaborate monument would fit best here to my belief and the design aspect of the building is a perfect reflection of Tesla’s genius and passion.
For a secondary location anywhere else in the world the site of Tesla’s lab would make the perfect location as it not only has relevance to him but will help preserve the legacy he left on the location as well.
References History.com Editors. “Nikola Tesla.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/ inventions/nikola-tesla.