| John Mauchley and J. Presper Eckert | ||
| John Mauchley was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1907. He enrolled at John Hopkins University in Baltimore and was initially an engineering student, but later transferred to physics. He received a Ph.D. in physics from Hopkins in 1932. After receiving his doctorate, Mauchley became an instructor, then professor of physics at Ursinus College, a small college near Philadelphia. While at Ursinus College Mauchley began thinking about a electronic means of calculation. Mauchley wanted the rapidity and flexibility of electrical circuits to do more complex calculating with less error and greater speed. Mauchley later began exploring vacuum tubes and putting them together in a laboratory. After experimenting for some time, Mauchley realized that an electronic digital calculator was a feasible device. In 1941, Mauchley enrolled in a summer war-training course at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. While at Moore School, Mauchley discussed his idea for an electronic computer with members of the staff and students. Mauchley met John Persper Eckert, a graduate student, and they put their ideas together to make the Electrical Numerical Integrator and Computer. John Mauchley received many awards before he died in 1980 during heart surgery. | John Presper Eckert was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1919. Eckert attended the William Penn Charter School before leaving to attend Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Eckert received his bachelor degree in 1941 and his master in 1943. Eckert was interested in business-related projects. Eckert was serving as a laboratory assistant for one of the Moore School's war-training courses when he first met John Mauchley in 1941. During his college career, Eckert was undoubtedly the best electronic engineer in Moore School. After hearing John Mauchley's proposal to build an electronic computer, Eckert believed that his idea was feasible. Between 1948 and 1966 Eckert received 85 patents, mostly for electronic inventions . Eckert was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1967. Eckert was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1969. Eckert along with Mauchley received the IEEE Computer Society Pioneer Award in 1980. John Persper Eckert died June 3, 1995 from complications relating to leukaemia. | |