Charles M. Herzfeld
Encyclopedia
Charles M. Herzfeld is an American scientist
and scientific manager, particularly for the US Government. He is best known for his time as Director of DARPA, during which, among other things, he personally took the decision to authorize the creation of the ARPANET
, the predecessor of the Internet
.
, Austria
; he is the nephew of Carl Ferdinand Herzfeld, the accomplished physical chemist (brother of his father, August). After the Nazi takeover of Austria, since they were Catholic Monarchists, he and his mother fled Austria, criss-crossing Europe and two years later emigrated to the United States; he became an American citizen in the late 1940s.
He received a BS
degree in engineering
from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (1945) and a PhD
degree in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago
(1951). While at Chicago, he attended a lecture by John von Neumann
about von Neumann's early work on computers, a lecture which had a profound influence on him.
He first worked as a physicist
; from 1951 to 1953 at the Ballistic Research Laboratory
in Aberdeen, Maryland, and from 1953 to 1955 at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He then spent several years with the National Bureau of Standards.
One early experience at DARPA would leave a lasting impact on him: a lecture by the noted computer scientist J. C. R. Licklider
, which converted him to Licklider's vision of computers as general information accessories; during his time at DARPA, Herzfeld would do much to set Licklider's vision on the road to achievement.
Herzfeld would stay at DARPA until 1967, directing the Ballistic Missile Defense Program from 1961 to 1963, then moving on to serve as Assistant Director from 1963 to 1965, and as Director from June, 1965 to March, 1967.
After leaving ARPA, he worked for a number of different companies, including the ITT Corporation (as Vice President and Director of Research and Technology) from 1967 to 1985, and as Vice Chairman of Aetna, Jacobs, and Ramo Technology Ventures, a high technology venture capital group, from 1985 until 1990.
He returned to the Government in 1990, serving as Director of Defense Research and Engineering
from March 12, 1990 to May 18, 1991. He chaired the Nuclear Weapons Council and the Intelligence R&D Council.
He was also a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel (since its formation in 1970), the National Commission on Space (to which he was appointed in 1985), the Defense Science Board, the Defense Policy Board and the President's Information Advisory Council (PITAC) National Security Panel, among numerous other government advisory activities.
in London. He is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society
, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
.
He is also a member of the Cosmos Club
(in Washington D.C.), and of the Explorers Club (in New York).
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and scientific manager, particularly for the US Government. He is best known for his time as Director of DARPA, during which, among other things, he personally took the decision to authorize the creation of the ARPANET
ARPANET
The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network , was the world's first operational packet switching network and the core network of a set that came to compose the global Internet...
, the predecessor of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Biography
Herzfeld was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
; he is the nephew of Carl Ferdinand Herzfeld, the accomplished physical chemist (brother of his father, August). After the Nazi takeover of Austria, since they were Catholic Monarchists, he and his mother fled Austria, criss-crossing Europe and two years later emigrated to the United States; he became an American citizen in the late 1940s.
He received a BS
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (1945) and a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
(1951). While at Chicago, he attended a lecture by John von Neumann
John von Neumann
John von Neumann was a Hungarian-American mathematician and polymath who made major contributions to a vast number of fields, including set theory, functional analysis, quantum mechanics, ergodic theory, geometry, fluid dynamics, economics and game theory, computer science, numerical analysis,...
about von Neumann's early work on computers, a lecture which had a profound influence on him.
He first worked as a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
; from 1951 to 1953 at the Ballistic Research Laboratory
Ballistic Research Laboratory
The Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland was the center for the United States Army's research efforts in ballistics and vulnerability/lethality analysis....
in Aberdeen, Maryland, and from 1953 to 1955 at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He then spent several years with the National Bureau of Standards.
Later career
He moved to DARPA (or ARPA as it was called at that point) on September 29, 1961 to coordinate the Project Defender program, an early ballistic missile defense program.One early experience at DARPA would leave a lasting impact on him: a lecture by the noted computer scientist J. C. R. Licklider
J. C. R. Licklider
Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider , known simply as J.C.R. or "Lick" was an American computer scientist, considered one of the most important figures in computer science and general computing history...
, which converted him to Licklider's vision of computers as general information accessories; during his time at DARPA, Herzfeld would do much to set Licklider's vision on the road to achievement.
Herzfeld would stay at DARPA until 1967, directing the Ballistic Missile Defense Program from 1961 to 1963, then moving on to serve as Assistant Director from 1963 to 1965, and as Director from June, 1965 to March, 1967.
After leaving ARPA, he worked for a number of different companies, including the ITT Corporation (as Vice President and Director of Research and Technology) from 1967 to 1985, and as Vice Chairman of Aetna, Jacobs, and Ramo Technology Ventures, a high technology venture capital group, from 1985 until 1990.
He returned to the Government in 1990, serving as Director of Defense Research and Engineering
Director of Defense Research and Engineering
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering ASD is a senior official of the United States Department of Defense. The ASD and the office s/he heads are charged with the development and oversight of DoD technology strategy for the DoD. The ASD reports to the Under Secretary of...
from March 12, 1990 to May 18, 1991. He chaired the Nuclear Weapons Council and the Intelligence R&D Council.
He was also a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel (since its formation in 1970), the National Commission on Space (to which he was appointed in 1985), the Defense Science Board, the Defense Policy Board and the President's Information Advisory Council (PITAC) National Security Panel, among numerous other government advisory activities.
Memberships
He is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the International Institute for Strategic StudiesInternational Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
in London. He is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
.
He is also a member of the Cosmos Club
Cosmos Club
The Cosmos Club is a private social club in Washington, D.C., founded by John Wesley Powell in 1878. In addition to Powell, original members included Clarence Edward Dutton, Henry Smith Pritchett, William Harkness, and John Shaw Billings. Among its stated goals is "The advancement of its members in...
(in Washington D.C.), and of the Explorers Club (in New York).
External links
- Biography at the Potomac Institute
- Oral history interview at the Charles Babbage InstituteCharles Babbage InstituteThe Charles Babbage Institute is a research center at the University of Minnesota specializing in the history of information technology, particularly the history since 1935 of digital computing, programming/software, and computer networking....