Celebrating Black History – Black History in Science: Remembering Dr. George Carruthers Celebrating Black History – Black History in Science: Remembering Dr. George Carruthers By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent, Dr. Carruthers receives the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from U.S. President Barack Obama Feb. 1, 2013. / Department of the Navy’s Information Technology Magazine He built his first telescope at the age of 10, and by age 25, George Carruthers earned a Ph.D. in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. Upon graduating from the University of Illinois, Carruthers started work at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. His telescope and image converter identified molecular hydrogen in space, and his ultraviolet spectrograph was used by the Apollo 16 crew in their flight to the moon.