IP: Erich Bloch Honored with Vannevar Bush Award for Long-Running Contributions to S&T

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

A bit old but never  dated. BTW Erich was the cause of IP starting and the
oldest subscriber . Djf

Erich Bloch Honored with Vannevar Bush Award for Long-Running Contributions
to S&T 

The National Science Board (NSB) has named Erich Bloch for its highest award
for scientific achievement and statesmanship.

Bloch is a Principal of The Washington Advisory Group, a distinguished
fellow at the Council on Competitiveness, a former National Science
Foundation (NSF) director, and an outspoken supporter of fundamental
research in leading innovation.  He will receive the 2002 Vannevar Bush
Award on May 7 in Washington, D.C. in tribute to his long-standing
reputation in research and innovation, and his senior statesman status in
science and engineering.

Bloch, a standout electrical engineer at IBM early in his career, was a key
figure responsible for IBM's STRETCH Computer Systems Engineering project
and in the groundbreaking developments of the IBM 360.  Charged with the
technology for the IBM Systems 360, Bloch's accomplishments on the system
revolutionized the computer industry and led to Bloch's 1985 National Medal
of Technology.

"Erich Bloch is a visionary innovator of enormous stature - in both high
technology for the private sector - and in the organization and objectives
of science and engineering research, and science and mathematics education
programs funded by the Federal government.  He has been an exceptionally
effective communicator of the benefits of public funding for science and
technology, and a leader in establishing widely emulated mechanisms for
productive partnerships in research and education across public, academic
and private sectors," Eamon Kelly, NSB chair, said.

In his six-year term (1984-1990) as NSF director - NSF's only director from
industry - Bloch built national support for advances in high-performance
computing and networking.  Bloch's bold step in transitioning the NSFNET to
a commercialized Internet has had immense economic and societal impact from
the 1990s to today.  He also established NSF's Computer and Information
Science and Engineering Directorate.

Bloch's creation of NSF engineering research centers and science and
technology centers reflected his belief in knowledge transfer - to bring
together university scientists with appropriate industry researchers to
extend the benefits of fundamental research to industry, and to provide
added educational benefits.

In education, Bloch also oversaw NSF's support of system wide reform for
K-12 math and science education.  During his tenure, the budget for
education and human resources more than tripled, and NSF's overall budget
increased from $1.3 to 2.0 billion.

As a distinguished fellow with the Council on Competitiveness, a private
organization, Bloch continues to promote policies that allow the effective
use of innovation in the development of the U.S. economy.  The council
brings together a cross-section of American business, labor and universities
to advance U.S. economic competitiveness.

Bloch is also a member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology (PCAST).

The National Science Board established the Vannevar Bush Award in 1980 to
commemorate NSF's 30th anniversary.  The award honors an individual with
long-standing scientific achievement and "statesman" status in the community
who, through public service activities in science and technology, makes
outstanding contributions to the nation and humankind.  Bloch will be the
Bush award's 24th recipient.

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