[1] Dushman was born on July 12, 1883, in Rostov, Russia; he immigrated to the United States in 1891.

That year, he joined the Research Laboratory of General Electric Company (GE).

His main research interests were quantum mechanics, electromotive force, atomic structure, electron emission, unimolecular force, and high vacuum, and he authored several standard science textbooks.

It was completely revised in 1961 by his colleague James Lafferty.

His research on thermionic emission is remembered in the form of the Richardson-Dushman equation.