Engineers Making News, August 2013

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced the class of 2013 National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. Four of this year’s inductees are Tau Bates. They are: (read the press release or see the full list)

Donald L. Bitzer, Ph.D., – (IL A ’55) co-inventor of the plasma display, is largely regarded as the “father of PLATO,” the computer system. PLATO is the first system to combine graphics and touch-sensitive screens.

Irwin M. Jacobs, Sc.D., – (NY D ’56) co-founder of Qualcomm and major contributor to code division multiple access (CDMA) technology.

Robert A. Moog, Ph.D., – (NY A ’57) introduced first complete voltage controlled modular synthesizer, an instrument capable of producing a wide variety of electronic sounds. The Moog synthesizer helped revolutionize the face of music. He passed away in 2005.

Andrew J. Viterbi, Ph.D., – (MA B ’57) co-founder of Qualcomm and major contributor to code division multiple access (CDMA) technology. Founder of The Viterbi Group.

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The Alamogordo Daily News (NM) is reporting that semi-retired engineer Merrie Lee Soules, OH E ’77, has announced her intention to run for the state of New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission. Currently, she works part-time at Trax International. Soules has a degree in electrical engineering from Cleveland State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard. Read the article

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LeTourneau University (TX) has announced that former NASA astronaut Byron K. Lichtenberg, Ph.D. (RI A ’69), will join the University’s faculty this fall semester as a visiting scholar. Dr. Lichtenberg received his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Brown University. In addition to being a payload specialist for STS-9 and STS-45, he is also a decorated fighter pilot, a former researcher at MIT, and a former captain for Southwest Airlines. Read more here

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