Erich Bloch (January 9, 1925 – November 25, 2016) was a German-born American electrical engineer and administrator. He was involved with developing IBM's first transistorized supercomputer, 7030 Stretch, and mainframe computer, System/360. He served as director of the National Science Foundation from 1984 to 1990.
Erich Bloch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 8th Director of the National Science Foundation | |
| In office 1984–1990 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Edward A. Knapp |
| Succeeded by | Walter E. Massey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 9, 1925 Sulzburg, Germany |
| Died | November 25, 2016 (aged 91) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Alma mater | ETH Zurich University at Buffalo (BS, 1952) |
| Known for | IBM 360 |
| Awards | National Medal of Technology and Innovation National Academy of Engineering Member Computer Pioneer Award (1993) Vannevar Bush Award (2002) Computer History Museum Fellow Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences Member IEEE Fellow |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Electrical engineering |
| Institutions | IBM (1952–1984) National Science Foundation Director (1984–1990) |
Biography
editBloch was born in Sulzburg, Germany in 1925.[1] Bloch was the son of Josef Bloch a Jewish businessman and Lina Rothschild a housewife, who were both later murdered in the Holocaust. He survived the war in a refugee camp in Switzerland and emigrated in 1948 to the United States.[2] He studied electrical engineering at ETH Zurich and received his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Buffalo.[3]
Bloch joined IBM after graduating in 1952. He was engineering manager of IBM's Stretch supercomputer system and director of several research sites during his career. In June 1984, Ronald Reagan nominated Bloch to succeed Edward Alan Knapp become director of the National Science Foundation.[1] The same year, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. In 1985, Bloch was awarded one of the first National Medals of Technology and Innovation along with Bob O. Evans and Fred Brooks for their work on the IBM System/360.[4]
After stepping down as director of the National Science Foundation, Bloch joined the Council on Competitiveness as its first distinguished fellow.[5] The IEEE Computer Society awarded him the Computer Pioneer Award in 1993 for high speed computing.[6] In 2002, the National Science Board honored Bloch with the Vannevar Bush Award.[7] He was made a Fellow of the Computer History Museum in 2004 "for engineering management of the IBM Stretch supercomputer, and of the Solid Logic Technology used in the IBM System/360, which revolutionized the computer industry."[3]
Bloch died at the age of 91 from complications of Alzheimer's disease on 25 November 2016 in Washington, D.C.[2][8]
Awards
edit- National Medal of Technology and Innovation (1985)
- Computer Pioneer Award (1993)
- Vannevar Bush Award (2002)
- Computer History Museum Fellow (2004)
References
edit- ^ a b Reagan, Ronald (June 6, 1984). "Nomination of Erich Bloch To Be Director of the National Science Foundation". Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Ronald Reagan, 1984.
- ^ a b Roberts, Sam (November 30, 2016). "Erich Bloch, Who Helped Develop IBM Mainframe, Dies at 91". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ a b "Erich Bloch". Computer History Museum. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- ^ "1985 Laureates- National Medal of Technology and Innovation". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ Wineka, Sam (November 28, 2016). "Computing Pioneer Erich Bloch Dies at 91". U.S. Council on Competitiveness. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^ "Computer Pioneer Award". IEEE Computer Society. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ Noxon, Bill (April 24, 2002). Erich Bloch Honored with Vannevar Bush Award for Long-Running Contributions to S&T.. Retrieved April 8, 2007.
- ^ Langer, Emily (November 28, 2016). "Erich Bloch, IBM pioneer who later led National Science Foundation, dies at 91". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
External links
edit- Erich Bloch profile via Washington Advisory Group
- Erich Bloch profile via IEEE
- Erich Bloch profile via IBM