|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jack St. Claire Kilby, winner of the 2000 Nobel
Prize in Physics, recently was honored for his outstanding achievement in
the area of engineering with a symposium and dinner.
Kilby, who served as distinguished professor from 1978 to 1985 in
the Department of Electrical Engineering at Texas A&M University,
was awarded the Nobel Prize in October by the Royal Swedish Academy
of Sciences for his part in the development of the integrated circuit,
a design said to have revolutionized the electronics industry (see
Kilby). In 1995, Kilby earned an honorary doctorate degree from
Texas A&M and in 1998 Texas A&M and TI honored Kilby with
an endowed chair in his name in the electrical engineering department
(see $5.1 million TI
Grant).
Electrical Engineering Department Head, Dr. Chanan Singh, (top left) introduced
TAMU President Ray Bowen (top middle), who gave the opening adress, followed
by an lifetime achievement award presentation to Kilby with Texas Instruments
President Tom Engibous (top right). Engibous next gave a presentation entitled,
"Dreams Come True: How Technology Empowers Imagination in the Internet
Age."
"This is the single most important invention for the computer age,"
Engibous said, adding that Kilby is a very modest man despite the impact of
his integrated circuit. "This invention changed the world, but it hasn't
changed Jack."
Kilby's colleague, Ray Warner (center left), followed with some Jack Kilby
insights. During his discussion, Warner said Kilby had four goals he accomplished
when creating the circuit: reliabililty, economy, performance and diminished
size. "This may not be physics," Warner said, "but it has more
of an effect on physics than anything in years."
Following a break and poster presentation by A&M engineering students
(center middle), another colleague, Bernie Murphy (Center left), discussed
"The Kilby Concept - From Challenger to Champion."
Dennis Buss from TI (bottom left), then introduced some former colleagues
of Kilby who paid a tribute by sharing stories about Kilby.
Following the symposium a reception (bottom middle) and dinner (bottom right)
followed at the College Station Hilton. This symposium and dinner celebrated
not only Kilby's achievements, but his relationship with TI and Texas A&M.