IT Legends: Technology's Most Pioneering and Innovative Heroes

Paul Baran: The Co-Developer of ARPANET Who Founded the Internet Paul Baran is one of the most famous innovators and entrepreneurs in technology history. He was the co-developer of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), the first wide-area computer network which served as the foundation for the modern internet. Baran was also instrumental in the foundation and development of many other technology-based concepts, including distributed networks and digital communications. Baran was born in 1926 in Grodno, Poland. He worked as a wireless engineer for the U.S. military during World War II and eventually graduated from the prestigious Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia in 1949 with a degree in electrical engineering. After completing his military service, Baran joined Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation, an aerospace research and engineering firm which later became known as TRW. During his time at Ramo-Wooldridge, Baran became an essential figure in the development o...

William Shockley: The Nobel Prize Winner Who Pioneered Silicon Valley The name of William Shockley is synonymous with the development of Silicon Valley, and he is regarded by many to be the father of the modern transistor industry. Shockley was a physics professor, inventor and entrepreneur with a Nobel Prize that recognized his pioneering work in solid-state physics. Shockley’s inventive mind and spartan principles helped him to take semiconductor technology from being a niche research tool to a multibillion-dollar industry. Shockley was born in London to American parents but raised in Palo Alto, California. He studied physics at Stanford University, and after graduating in 1934 he had a brief teaching career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and worked on radar counter measures. After the War, he returned to Stanford, accepting a teaching position in physics and continuing to pursue his research interests in tr...

Andrew Grove: The Silicon Valley Visionary Who Defined the ‘Intel Inside’ Revolution Andrew Grove was a pioneering figure in the field of microelectronics, best known for his role at Intel Corporation. He ran the company during one of its most productive and disruptive times in the 80s and 90s and is known as the father of the modern “Intel Inside” revolution. As a titan of industry, Andrew Grove will always be remembered as one of technology's most visionary heroes. Grove was born András István Gróf in Hungary in 1936. Unfortunately, he and his family were subjected to Nazi and Soviet persecution during the Second World War which was documented in his autobiography, ‘Swimming Across’. Towards the end of the war, the Soviets occupied his home town, which fleeing the country became his only option for survival. He eventually managed to flee to the United States, where he studied at City College of New York, and then got a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1963, ...

Gordon Moore: The Physicist Who Revolutionized Computer Memory and Processing Power It is impossible to overstate the importance of Dr. Gordon Moore, the physicist and computer scientist whose eponymous “Moore’s Law” was one of the key factors in the development of the modern computer. Moore is widely credited with being one of the most influential minds in technology history, using his engineering principles and understanding of physics to transform computing and driving technology forward at an unsurpassed pace. Moore, born in San Francisco, California on January 3, 1929, graduated from Berkeley High School in 1947 and then went on to receive his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1950. Afterward, Moore spent two years serving in the U.S. Army in the Korean War, then returned to Berkeley to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemistry and Physics. He received his degree in 1954 and, shortly thereafter, began work at an electronics company in Santa Clara, California c...

David Packard and William Hewlett: The Silicon Valley Pioneers Who Built A Global Technology Empire Do you know what first began the dynamic duo of David Packard and William Hewlett and their incredible journey that spawned a major technology empire in Silicon Valley? This article will give you an inside look into the lives and legacies of two of the most innovative entrepreneurs in tech history. David Packard and William Hewlett were both born in 1913, Packard in Pueblo, Colorado, and Hewlett in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They met in 1934 when they were students at Stanford Engineering School, and the two became fast friends. Hewlett and Packard shared a passion for electronics and tech; they were both budding engineers with a deep desire to make their mark on the engineering and technology world. In 1938, Hewlett and Packard founded Hewlett-Packard, now one of the world’s largest producers of personal computers, printers, and other electronic equipment. The two established the company in...

Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce: The Intel Founders Who Revolutionized Microprocessors In 1971, Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce co-founded Intel, a semiconductor chip manufacturing company. Shortly thereafter, Intel revolutionized the microprocessor industry with the release of their first products. Despite the incredible innovation that Intel provided, their impact extends far beyond the technology space. Their foresight and dedication to excellence changed the landscape of Silicon Valley and transformed the very way we interact with computers. So who were Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce? How did Intel become so successful? And how did their awareness of the potential of microprocessors spark such great growth? A Look Back at the Founders Gordon Moore was born in 1929 in San Francisco and was hailed as a prodigy in mathematics and science. He initially studied at Berkeley, but during his sophomore year a professor suggested that he switch to Caltech. There he would receive a dual degree...