Research Proposal Worksheet: Finding Science in the Humanities

Student Group Members: Lancelot Li, Sam Shi, Allan Huang, Jessica Wang, Ben Liu

Research Topic: Scientist/Inventor: Nichola Tesla--Historical Significance in U.S. History

Instructions: Please fill out each question as clearly as possible. Your poster will cover three specific
research questions. Question #1 should require examining quantitative (Numbers and Graphs) data, #2
should require qualitive data (Quotes and personal anecdotes), and Question #3 might require both.
Please fill out this worksheet with your research questions. Don’t forget to submit your project plan
along with this document.

Research Question#1: What is your research question about the effect of the scientist/inventor? (e.g.,
"How did [scientist/inventor] impact [field/industry/technology]?")

Research Question#1: How did Nichola Tesla impact the development of the application of electricity?

Research Quest #2: Describe the kind of person the scientist/inventor was. What were their personal
qualities, background, and motivations? Scientist/Inventor Description:

Research Question#2: How did Nikola Tesla's political and environmental advocacy influence the public
awareness and policy making?

Personal Qualities: ___creative, visionary, pacifist, environmentally concerned, uptight_____

Background: His personal experience of living through wars and conflicts in his homeland.

His humanitarian and altruistic values.

His scientific and philosophical outlook.

Motivations: His desire to prevent the misuse and abuse of his inventions.

His hope to inspire and educate others about the benefits of peace and cooperation.

His aspiration to achieve his ultimate goal of creating a World Wireless System.

Research Question #3: Explain the significance of the scientist/inventor in U.S. or world history. What
were their major contributions and achievements? How did they influence their field or society?
Significance in U.S./World History:

Major Contributions: __The invention of alternating current____

Achievements: The invention of alternating current

The first hydro-electric power plant

Tesla coil

Tesla induction motor

Influence on Field/Society: ___Electrical engineering and technology___

Research Methods: What sources will you use to gather information about the scientist/inventor? List at
least three potential sources (e.g., books, articles, websites).

Source 1: Nikola Tesla | Biography, Facts, & Inventions | Britannica

Source 2: Nikola Tesla the Eugenicist: Eliminating Undesirables by 2100 | History| Smithsonian Magazine

Source 3: How Nikola Tesla embodied sustainability in the early 1900s — Sustainable Review

Historical Context: Do preliminary research on what was going on at the time this scientist/inventor
came to prominence:

Nikola Tesla was in prominence during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of rapid
industrialization, urbanization, and globalization.

1) The rise of electricity as a new source of power and innovation. Tesla was one of the pioneers of
electrical engineering and technology, and he competed with other inventors such as Thomas
Edison and George Westinghouse for the development and implementation of electric systems.
2) The growth of science and technology as fields of inquiry and discovery. Tesla was fascinated by
the natural phenomena and the laws of physics that governed them. He was also inspired by the
works of other scientists and inventors, such as Michael Faraday, James Clerk Maxwell, Heinrich
Hertz, and Guglielmo Marconi.
3) The impact of wars and conflicts on the world and his homeland. Tesla lived through several wars
and conflicts that affected his personal and professional life. He was born in the Austrian Empire,
which was involved in several wars during his lifetime, such as the Austro-Prussian War, the
Franco-Prussian War, the Balkan Wars, and World War I. He witnessed the suffering and
destruction caused by these wars and was deeply affected by them. He also saw his homeland
divided into different countries after World War I.
4) The emergence of social movements and ideologies that challenged the status quo. Tesla lived in
a time when many people were questioning the existing social order and seeking change. He
encountered various social movements and ideologies, such as socialism, anarchism, feminism,
eugenics, nationalism, and pacifism.