IEEE Edison Medal
Encyclopedia
The Edison Medal is presented by the IEEE "for a career of meritorious achievement in electrical science, electrical engineering or the electrical arts." It is the oldest and most coveted medal in this field of engineering in the United States. The award consists of a gold medal, bronze replica, small gold replica, certificate and honorarium. The Edison Medal may only be awarded to an individual.
The Edison Medal, named after the inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison
, was created on 11 February 1904 by a group of Edison's friends and associates. Four years later the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
(AIEE) entered into an agreement with the group to present the medal as its highest award. The first medal was presented in 1909 to Elihu Thomson
. Other recipients of the Edison Medal include George Westinghouse
, Alexander Graham Bell
, Nikola Tesla
, Michael I. Pupin, Robert A. Millikan (Nobel Prize 1923), and Vannevar Bush
. A complete and authoritative list is published by the IEEE online.
After the merger of AIEE and the Institute of Radio Engineers
(IRE), in 1963, to form the IEEE, it was decided that IRE's Medal of Honor
would be presented as IEEE's highest award, while the Edison Medal would become IEEE's principal medal.
The Edison Medal, named after the inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
, was created on 11 February 1904 by a group of Edison's friends and associates. Four years later the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
American Institute of Electrical Engineers
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
(AIEE) entered into an agreement with the group to present the medal as its highest award. The first medal was presented in 1909 to Elihu Thomson
Elihu Thomson
Elihu Thomson was an American engineer and inventor who was instrumental in the founding of major electrical companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and France.-Early life:...
. Other recipients of the Edison Medal include George Westinghouse
George Westinghouse
George Westinghouse, Jr was an American entrepreneur and engineer who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry. Westinghouse was one of Thomas Edison's main rivals in the early implementation of the American electricity system...
, Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
, Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, Michael I. Pupin, Robert A. Millikan (Nobel Prize 1923), and Vannevar Bush
Vannevar Bush
Vannevar Bush was an American engineer and science administrator known for his work on analog computing, his political role in the development of the atomic bomb as a primary organizer of the Manhattan Project, the founding of Raytheon, and the idea of the memex, an adjustable microfilm viewer...
. A complete and authoritative list is published by the IEEE online.
After the merger of AIEE and the Institute of Radio Engineers
Institute of Radio Engineers
The Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
(IRE), in 1963, to form the IEEE, it was decided that IRE's Medal of Honor
IEEE Medal of Honor
The IEEE Medal of Honor is the highest recognition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers . It has been awarded since 1917, when its first recipient was Major Edwin H. Armstrong. It is given for an exceptional contribution or an extraordinary career in the IEEE fields of...
would be presented as IEEE's highest award, while the Edison Medal would become IEEE's principal medal.
Recipients
- 1909: Elihu ThomsonElihu ThomsonElihu Thomson was an American engineer and inventor who was instrumental in the founding of major electrical companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and France.-Early life:...
- 1910: Frank J. SpragueFrank J. SpragueFrank Julian Sprague was an American naval officer and inventor who contributed to the development of the electric motor, electric railways, and electric elevators...
- 1911: George WestinghouseGeorge WestinghouseGeorge Westinghouse, Jr was an American entrepreneur and engineer who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry. Westinghouse was one of Thomas Edison's main rivals in the early implementation of the American electricity system...
- 1912: William Stanley, Jr.William Stanley, Jr.William Stanley, Jr. was an American physicist born in Brooklyn, New York. In his career, he obtained 129 patents covering a variety of electric devices.-Biography:...
- 1913: Charles F. BrushCharles F. BrushCharles Francis Brush was a U.S. inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist.-Biography:Born in Euclid Township, Ohio, Brush was raised on a farm about 10 miles from downtown Cleveland...
- 1914: Alexander Graham BellAlexander Graham BellAlexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
- 1915: No Award
- 1916: Nikola TeslaNikola TeslaNikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
- 1917: John J. CartyJohn J. CartyJohn Joseph Carty was an American electrical engineer and a major contributor to the development of telephone wires and related technology. He was a recipient of the Edison Medal. As Chief Engineer of AT&T, he was instrumental in the development of the first transcontinental telephone line...
- 1918: Benjamin G. LammeBenjamin G. LammeBenjamin Garver Lamme was an electrical engineer and chief engineer at Westinghouse, where he was responsible for the design of electrical power machines...
- 1919: William Le Roy EmmetWilliam Le Roy EmmetWilliam Le Roy Emmet was an electrical engineer who made major contributions to alternating current power systems including the design of large rotary converters....
- 1920: Mihajlo I. Pupin
- 1921: Cummings C. ChesneyCummings C. ChesneyCummings C. Chesney was an electrical engineer who made major contributions to alternating current power systems.-Sources:**...
- 1922: Robert A. Millikan
- 1923: John W. LiebJohn W. LiebJohn William Lieb was a renowned American electrical engineer for the Edison Electric Light Company. Lieb was president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers from 1904 to 1905...
- 1924: John W. HowellJohn W. HowellJohn White Howell was an American electrical engineer who spent his entire professional career working for Thomas Edison, specializing in the development and manufacturing of the incandescent lamp....
- 1925: Harris J. RyanHarris J. RyanHarris J. Ryan was an American electrical engineer and a professor first at Cornell University and later at Stanford University. Ryan is known for his significant contributions to high voltage power transmission, for which he received the IEEE Edison Medal...
- 1926: No Award
- 1927: William D. Coolidge
- 1928: Frank B. JewettFrank B. JewettFrank Baldwin Jewett was a physicist and the first president of Bell Labs....
- 1929: Charles F. ScottCharles F. Scott (engineer)Charles F. Scott was an electrical engineer.He graduated from Ohio State University in 1885, and joined the engineering staff of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1888...
- 1930: Frank ConradFrank ConradFrank Conrad was a radio broadcasting pioneer who worked as the Assistant Chief Engineer for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,...
- 1931: Edwin W. RiceEdwin W. RiceEdwin Wilbur Rice, Jr. was a president and considered one of the three fathers of General Electric ....
- 1932: Bancroft Gherardi, Jr.Bancroft Gherardi, Jr.Bancroft Gherardi, Jr. was a noted American electrical engineer, known for his pioneering work in developing the early telephone systems in the United States...
- 1933: Arthur E. Kennelly
- 1934: Willis R. Whitney
- 1935: Lewis B. StillwellLewis B. StillwellLewis B. Stillwell was an American electrical engineer and the president of American Institute of Electrical Engineers from 1909 to 1910...
- 1936: Alex DowAlex DowAlex Dow was a Scottish-born US engineer.Alex Dow was born in Scotland in 1862. He emigrated to the US in 1882.In 1893, as a result of Hazen Pingree's efforts to break the power of corporations over Detroit City politics, Detroit built a municipally-owned power plant...
- 1937: Gano DunnGano DunnGano Dunn was President of Cooper Union, and an early President of the United States National Research Council.Dunn received the first degree in Electrical engineering grantedby Columbia University...
- 1938: Dugald C. JacksonDugald C. JacksonDugald Caleb Jackson was an American electrical engineer. He received the IEEE Edison Medal for "outstanding and inspiring leadership in engineering education and in the field of generation and distribution of electric power"...
- 1939: Philip TorchioPhilip TorchioPhilip Torchio was an Italian electrical engineer known for his work at the Edison Electric Company and his many inventions in the transmission and distribution of electric energy...
- 1940: George Ashley CampbellGeorge Ashley CampbellGeorge Ashley Campbell was a pioneer in developing and applying quantitative mathematical methods to the problems of long-distance telegraphy and telephony. His most important contributions were to the theory and implementation of the use of loading coils and the first wave filters designed to...
- 1941: John B. WhiteheadJohn B. WhiteheadJohn Boswell Whitehead was an American electrical engineer and a professor at Johns Hopkins University as well as the dean of the School of Engineering. Whitehead was president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers from 1933 to 1934...
- 1942: Edwin H. Armstrong
- 1943: Vannevar BushVannevar BushVannevar Bush was an American engineer and science administrator known for his work on analog computing, his political role in the development of the atomic bomb as a primary organizer of the Manhattan Project, the founding of Raytheon, and the idea of the memex, an adjustable microfilm viewer...
- 1944: Ernst AlexandersonErnst AlexandersonErnst Frederick Werner Alexanderson was a Swedish-American electrical engineer, who was a pioneer in radio and television development.-Background:...
- 1945: Philip SpornPhilip SpornPhilip Sporn was an Austrian electrical engineer known for his work as the president and chief executive officer of the American Gas and Electric Company. He received the IEEE Edison Medal for "contributions to the art of economical and dependable power generation and transmission".- References :...
- 1946: Lee De ForestLee De ForestLee De Forest was an American inventor with over 180 patents to his credit. De Forest invented the Audion, a vacuum tube that takes relatively weak electrical signals and amplifies them. De Forest is one of the fathers of the "electronic age", as the Audion helped to usher in the widespread use...
- 1947: Joseph SlepianJoseph SlepianJoseph Slepianwas an American electrical engineer known for his contributions to the developments of electrical apparatus and theory....
- 1948: Morris E. LeedsMorris E. LeedsMorris E. Leeds was an American electrical engineer known for his many inventions in the field of electrical measuring devices and controls. He was inducted into the Academy of Natural Sciences and American Academy of Political and Social Science...
- 1949: Karl B. McEachronKarl B. McEachronKarl B. McEachron was an American electrical engineer known for his contributions to high-voltage engineering...
- 1950: Otto B. BlackwellOtto B. BlackwellOtto B. Blackwell was an American electrical engineer known for his pioneer contributions to the art of telephone transmission. He received the IEEE Edison Medal in 1950.-External links:*...
- 1951: Charles F. WagnerCharles F. WagnerCharles F. Wagner is an American electrical engineer. He is an engineer at the Westinghouse Electric Corporation and received the IEEE Edison Medal for "distinguished contributions in the field of power system engineering".Wagner received a B.S...
- 1952: Vladimir K. Zworykin
- 1953: John F. PetersJohn F. PetersJohn F. Peters is an American electrical engineer known for his invention of the Klydonograph. He received the IEEE Edison Medal for "contributions to the fundamentals of transformer design, his invention of the Klydonograph, his contributions to Military Computers and for his sympathetic...
- 1954: Oliver E. BuckleyOliver E. BuckleyOliver Ellsworth Buckley was an American electrical engineer known for his contributions to the field of submarine telephony.-Biography:...
- 1955: Leonid A. UmanskyLeonid A. UmanskyLeonid A. Umansky was an American electrical engineer and a recipient of the IEEE Edison Medal for "outstanding contribution to the electrification of industry through the application of electrical machines, devices, and systems to automatic process machinery; and for his inspiration, leadership,...
- 1956: Comfort A. AdamsComfort A. AdamsComfort Avery Adams was an American electrical engineer who as a student helped Albert Michelson with the Michelson-Morley experiment which confirmed the theory of Albert Einstein...
- 1957: John K. HodnetteJohn K. HodnetteJohn K. Hodnette was an American electrical engineer at the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. He received the IEEE Edison Medal for "significant contributions to the electrical industry through creative design and development of transformer apparatus which marked new advances in protection,...
- 1958: Charles F. Kettering
- 1959: James F. FairmanJames F. FairmanJames F. Fairman was an American electrical engineer who received the IEEE Edison Medal in 1959 for "outstanding performance in improving the design of large electric power systems; for far-sighted leadership in atomic power development; and for unremitting efforts to improve the engineering...
- 1960: Harold S. OsborneHarold S. OsborneHarold S. Osborne was an American electrical engineer who received the IEEE Edison Medal for "contributions to the art of telecommunication and his leadership and vision in extending its application; for his achievements in the coordination of international communication and in national and...
- 1961: William B. KouwenhovenWilliam B. KouwenhovenWilliam Bennett Kouwenhoven , was an electrical engineer who developed closed-chest cardiac massage, part of CPR and also invented the first cardiac defibrillator.-Biography:...
- 1962: Alexander C. MonteithAlexander C. MonteithAlexander Crawford Monteith was a Senior Vice-President of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation,and for more than forty years a leader in the development of electric power systems...
- 1963: John R. Pierce
- 1964: No Award
- 1965: Walker Lee CislerWalker Lee CislerWalker Lee Cisler was a noted American engineer, business executive, and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering....
- 1966: Wilmer L. BarrowWilmer L. BarrowWilmer Lanier Barrow was an American electrical engineer, inventor, teacher, industrial manager, and a counselor to government agencies....
- 1967: George Harold Brown
- 1968: Charles F. AvilaCharles F. AvilaCharles Francis Avila was an electrical engineer and a Vice President and a member of the Executive Committee of the Yankee Atomic Electric Company.-Biography:...
- 1969: Hendrik Wade BodeHendrik Wade BodeHendrik Wade Bode , was an American engineer, researcher, inventor, author and scientist], of Dutch ancestry. As a pioneer of modern control theory and electronic telecommunications he revolutionized both the content and methodology of his chosen fields of research.He made important contributions...
- 1970: Howard H. Aiken
- 1971: John Wistar SimpsonJohn Wistar SimpsonJohn Wistar Simpson was an electrical engineer, who made significant contributions to the development of the nuclear energy. -Biography:He was born in 1914 in Glenn Springs, South Carolina...
- 1972: William Hayward PickeringWilliam Hayward PickeringWilliam Hayward Pickering ONZ KBE was a New Zealand born rocket scientist who headed Pasadena, California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 22 years, retiring in 1976...
- 1973: Bernard D. H. TellegenBernard D. H. TellegenBernard D.H. Tellegen was a Dutch electrical engineer and inventor of the penthode and the gyrator...
- 1974: Jan A. RajchmanJan A. RajchmanJan Aleksander Rajchman was an American electrical engineer and computer pioneer.He received the Diploma of Electrical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich in 1935, and became a Doctor of Science in 1938.Rajchman emigrated to America in 1935. He joined RCA...
- 1975: Sidney DarlingtonSidney DarlingtonSidney Darlington was an electrical engineer and inventor of a transistor configuration in 1953, the Darlington pair...
- 1976: Murray JoslinMurray JoslinWilliam Murray Joslin was an electrical engineer who made major contributions to nuclear power. He was born in Independence, Iowa.-Biography:...
- 1977: Henri G. BusigniesHenri G. BusigniesHenri Gaston Busignies was an electrical engineer who made major contributions to radar, radio communication, and radio navigation. He held 140 patents, many of them secret....
- 1978: Daniel E. NobleDaniel E. NobleDaniel Earl Noble was an American engineer, and Executive Vice Chairman of the Board emeritus of Motorola,who is known for the design and installation of the nation's first statewide two-way radio...
- 1979: Albert RoseAlbert RoseAlbert Rose was an American physicist, who made major contributions to TV video camera tubes such as the orthicon, image orthicon, and vidicon....
- 1980: Robert AdlerRobert AdlerRobert Adler was an Austrian-born American inventor who held numerous patents.-Achievements:Adler was born in Vienna in 1913. He earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Vienna in 1937.Following Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany in 1939, Dr. Adler, a Jew, left the country...
- 1981: C. Chapin CutlerC. Chapin CutlerCassius Chapin Cutler was an American electrical engineer at Bell Labs. His notable achievements include the invention of the corrugated waveguide and differential pulse-code modulation .-Biography:...
- 1982: Nathan CohnNathan CohnNathan Cohn was an American electrical engineer, who was best known for his contributions to the control of interconnected electric power systems.-Biography:...
- 1983: Herman P. SchwanHerman P. SchwanHerman P. Schwan was a physicist, who made contributions to the development of biomedical engineering. He was born in Aachen, Germany.-Biography:...
- 1984: Eugene I. GordonEugene I. GordonEugene I. Gordon is an American physicist. He was Director of the Lightwave Devices Laboratory of Bell Labs-Honors and awards:* IEEE Edison Medal in 1984* member, National Academy of Engineering in 1978...
- 1985: John D. KrausJohn D. KrausJohn Daniel Kraus was an American physicist known for his contributions to electromagnetics, radio astronomy, and antenna theory. His inventions included the helical antenna, the corner reflector, and several other types of antennas...
- 1986: James L. Flanagan
- 1987: Robert A. HenleRobert A. HenleRobert A. Henle was an electrical engineer, who contributed to semiconductor technology.In 1949 he received the BSEE degree from the University of Minnesota....
- 1988: James Ross MacDonaldJames Ross MacDonaldJames Ross Macdonald , is a physicist, who was instrumental in building up the Central Research laboratories of Texas Instruments .-Biography:...
- 1989: Nick Holonyak, Jr.
- 1990: Archie W. StraitonArchie W. StraitonArchie Waugh Straiton was a physicist, who studied radio propagation.-Biography:He received the degrees of B.S. in E.E., M.A. in Physics, and the Ph.D. in Physics from The University of Texas at Austin in 1929, 1931, and 1939, respectively.From 1931 to 1943, he taught at Texas A. & I...
- 1991: John L. MollJohn L. MollJohn Louis Moll was an American electrical engineer, notable for his contributions to solid-state physics....
- 1992: George D. Forney
- 1993: James H. PomereneJames H. PomereneJames Herbert Pomerene was an electrical engineer and computer pioneer.-Biography:Pomerene was born June 22, 1920 in Yonkers, New York. His father was Joel Pomerene and mother was Elsie Bower...
- 1994: Leslie A. GeddesLeslie A. GeddesLeslie Alexander Geddes was an electrical engineer and physiologist. He has conducted research in electromyography, cardiac output, cardiac pacing, ventricular defibrillation, and blood pressure. He discovered and demonstrated precisely the optimal sites on the chest for defibrillation or pacing...
- 1995: Robert W. Lucky
- 1996: Floyd DunnFloyd DunnFloyd Dunn is an electrical engineer who made contributions to all aspects of the interaction of ultrasound and biological media.-Biography:...
- 1997: Esther M. ConwellEsther M. ConwellEsther Marley Conwell is a physicist who studied properties of semiconductors and organic conductors, especially transport.-Biography:...
- 1998: Rolf LandauerRolf LandauerRolf William Landauer was an IBM physicist who in 1961 argued that when information is lost in an irreversible circuit, the information becomes entropy and an associated amount of energy is dissipated as heat...
- 1999: Kees Schouhamer Immink
- 2000: Jun-ichi NishizawaJun-Ichi Nishizawais a Japanese engineer known for his invention of optical communication systems , PIN diode and SIT/SITh . He is currently the president of Tokyo Metropolitan University.-Biography:...
- 2001: Robert H. Dennard
- 2002: Edward E. HammerEdward E. HammerEdward E. Hammer is an engineer who has been at the forefront of fluorescent lighting research. His technological contributions in incandescent, fluorescent and HID light sources have earned him over 35 patents....
- 2003: No Award
- 2004: Federico CapassoFederico CapassoFederico Capasso , a prominent applied physicist, was one of the inventors of the quantum cascade laser during his work at Bell Laboratories. He is currently on the faculty of Harvard University...
- 2005: Peter LawrensonPeter LawrensonPeter Lawrenson FRS, FREng is a British electrical engineer who contributed to the development of switched reluctance drive technology. He was president of The Institution of Electrical Engineers from 1992 to 1993.- Biography :...
- 2006: Fawwaz T. UlabyFawwaz T. UlabyFawwaz T. Ulaby is a R. Jamison and Betty Williams Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and is the Founding Provost and Executive Vice President of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology...
- 2007: Russel D. DupuisRussel D. DupuisRussell Dean Dupuis is the Steve W. Chaddick Endowed Chair in Electro-Optics in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech. He has made pioneering contributions to metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and continuous-wave room-temperature quantum-well lasers...
- 2008: Dov Frohman-Bentchkowsky
- 2009: Tingye LiTingye LiDr. Tingye Li is a world-renowned scientist in the fields of microwaves, lasers and optical communications. His innovational work at AT&T, which pioneered the research and application of lightwave communication, has had a far-reaching impact on information technology for over four...
- 2010: Ray DolbyRay DolbyRay Dolby is the American engineer and inventor of the noise reduction system known as Dolby NR. He was also a co-inventor of video tape recording while at Ampex. He is the founder of Dolby Laboratories.-Biography:...
- 2011: Isamu AkasakiIsamu Akasakiis a Japanese scientist, best known for inventing p-n junction blue LEDs using gallium nitride as early as 1989.-Blue LEDs:Akasaki was born in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1929, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952 from Kyoto University. He received his PhD degree in Electronics from...