Edward G. Zubler once had a bright idea.
After doing six years of research at General Electric, he developed the halogen lamp in 1959. Zubler and his team of engineers improved standard incandescent light bulbs by adding a halogen gas. The halogen recycled tungsten deposits, creating a brighter, longer-lasting light bulb. Halogen lamps are mostly used in automobile headlights, floodlights and in studio lighting.
For his work in advancing lighting technology, Zubler earned numerous patents and awards. In 1978, his portrait and biography were put on display in an exhibit to technical pioneers in lighting at the Toshiba Science Institute in Kawasaki, Japan.
Prior to joining GE, Zubler received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Canisius College in New York, and a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Notre Dame. He served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army’s 102nd Infantry Division in Europe during World War II, earning a Purple Heart for a shrapnel injury to his back and a bayonet cut to his knee, and two Bronze Star Medals for valor.
Zubler died on March 20 from complications of surgery. He was 79.