David Messerschmitt
Encyclopedia
David G. Messerschmitt is an engineer and professor emeritus
at the University of California, Berkeley
in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences in the UC Berkeley College of Engineering
. He retired from UC Berkeley in 2005. At present he is conducting research at Berkeley, is a visiting professor in the Software Business Laboratory at the Helsinki University of Technology
, and is doing research on interstellar communications at the SETI Institute
. His notable past research includes the advancement of digital transmission systems, including contributions that made digital telephony
possible over the existing telephone network, the use of VLSI
to realize functions in the telephone network, and VLSI architectures to solve signal processing
challenges. His work has increasingly been devoted to software. In 1984 Messerschmitt wrote Blosim, a software-based block diagram
simulation system for digital signal processing
simulations. He also contributed to a successor to Blosim called Ptolemy
, which is still being actively developed and used. When the UC Berkeley School of Information
was created he co-founded courses on network applications and strategic technology, and later served as interim dean of the school. His research interests and curriculum development for the past decade have been largely devoted to the business of software and economics of the software industry.
Messerschmitt graduated with a B.S.
in electrical engineering
from the University of Colorado in 1967, and received his M.S.
and Ph.D.
in computer, information, and control engineering from the University of Michigan
in 1971. He was a Bell Labs
researcher until 1977, when he left to take an academic position at Berkeley.
In 1999 Messerschmitt received the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal
. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering
of the United States.
In 2007 Messerschmitt co-founded the Software business community
(SWBC) in cooperation with the Helsinki University of Technology.
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences in the UC Berkeley College of Engineering
UC Berkeley College of Engineering
The College of Engineering is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. The College of Engineering is ranked second in the nation, after MIT, according to the 2010 U.S. News & World Report rankings; It houses one of the most highly regarded and prestigious...
. He retired from UC Berkeley in 2005. At present he is conducting research at Berkeley, is a visiting professor in the Software Business Laboratory at the Helsinki University of Technology
Helsinki University of Technology
Aalto University School of Science and Technology , was the temporary name for Helsinki University of Technology during the process of forming the Aalto University...
, and is doing research on interstellar communications at the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”. SETI stands for the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence". One program is the use of both radio and optical telescopes to search...
. His notable past research includes the advancement of digital transmission systems, including contributions that made digital telephony
Digital telephony
Digital telephony is the use of digital electronics in the provision of digital telephone services and systems. Since the 1960s a digital core network has almost entirely replaced the old analog system, and much of the access network has also been digitized...
possible over the existing telephone network, the use of VLSI
Very-large-scale integration
Very-large-scale integration is the process of creating integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistors into a single chip. VLSI began in the 1970s when complex semiconductor and communication technologies were being developed. The microprocessor is a VLSI device.The first semiconductor...
to realize functions in the telephone network, and VLSI architectures to solve signal processing
Signal processing
Signal processing is an area of systems engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics that deals with operations on or analysis of signals, in either discrete or continuous time...
challenges. His work has increasingly been devoted to software. In 1984 Messerschmitt wrote Blosim, a software-based block diagram
Block diagram
Block diagram is a diagram of a system, in which the principal parts or functions are represented by blocks connected by lines, that show the relationships of the blocks....
simulation system for digital signal processing
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
simulations. He also contributed to a successor to Blosim called Ptolemy
Ptolemy Project (computing)
The Ptolemy Project is an ongoing project aimed at modeling, simulating, and designing concurrent, real-time, embedded systems. The focus of the Ptolemy Project is on assembling concurrent components. The principal product of the project is the Ptolemy II model based design and simulation tool...
, which is still being actively developed and used. When the UC Berkeley School of Information
UC Berkeley School of Information
The UC Berkeley School of Information or the iSchool is a graduate school offering both a professional master's degree and a research-oriented Ph.D. degree at the University of California, Berkeley. The school was created in 1994 and was known as the School of Information Management and Systems ...
was created he co-founded courses on network applications and strategic technology, and later served as interim dean of the school. His research interests and curriculum development for the past decade have been largely devoted to the business of software and economics of the software industry.
Messerschmitt graduated with a B.S.
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...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Colorado in 1967, and received his M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in computer, information, and control engineering from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1971. He was a Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
researcher until 1977, when he left to take an academic position at Berkeley.
In 1999 Messerschmitt received the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal
IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal
The IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal is an award honoring "exceptional contributions to the advancement of communications sciences and engineering" in the field of telecommunications...
. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
of the United States.
In 2007 Messerschmitt co-founded the Software business community
Software business community
The software business community is a non-profit community web site that aims to promote the cooperation of researchers, managers, practitioners and end-users in the software business...
(SWBC) in cooperation with the Helsinki University of Technology.