Edward Keonjian
Encyclopedia
Dr. Edward Keonjian was a prominent engineer
, an early leader in the field of low-power electronics, the father of microelectronics
. In 1954 Keonjian designed the world's first solar-powered, pocket-sized radio transmitter. In 1959 Keonjian designed the first prototype of integrated circuit. In 1963 he organized the world's first international symposium on low-power electronics. Later on Keonjian collaborated with NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong
as chief of failure analysis on the Apollo 11
project.
, now known as the Georgian Republic. He obtained academic degrees in electrical engineering from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Institute of Electrical Engineering in 1932. When Leningrad was besieged in World War II
, Edward was teaching at the Institute. Millions were perishing from cold and starvation. When he too collapsed from hunger, he was mistaken for dead and placed in a common grave. A woman passing by saw a hand sticking out of this grave. Noticing a slight movement, she realised someone was still alive and rescued him. To her astonishment it was an old friend.
Not long afterward, Edward was evacuated from Leningrad, only to be captured, along with his wife Virginia and young son Edward, Jr., by the Germans and sent to a slave labor camp. His duties at the camp included dismantling aircraft for spare parts. Liberated after World War II, he eventually emigrated to the United States of America with both his wife, (who died in 1969) and son. He arrived in 1947 penniless, knowing not one word of English, and with no friends or relatives. Nonetheless, he rose to become one of the outstanding scientists and inventors in microelectronics.
.
Edward was married to his first wife Virginia, and they had one child, Edward Keonjian, Jr. in 1937.
He moved to Green Valley
in 1993 from Great Neck, New York with his third wife Maria.
In 1997 he chronicled his life story in his autobiography, Survived to Tell.
Edward is survived by his son, Edward Jr., only grandchild Camille Keonjian (both residing in Portland, Oregon) as well as his widow Maria who resides in Tucson, Arizona.
. Keonjian has had more than 100 publications and 27 U.S. and foreign patents. One of the books Keonjian edited and co-authored, Microelectronics: Theory, Design, and Fabrication, sold more than one million copies worldwide and has been translated into six languages since it was first published in 1963.
Keonjian began his work in microelectronics at General Electric
in 1951. He later organised the first international symposium on low-power electronics in 1963. While employed by Grumman Aircraft, he supervised a staff of 165, and worked with Neil Armstrong
as chief of failure analysis on the Apollo 11
project. He spent several years in India
and Egypt
working as an electronics specialist for the United Nations. He also spent 12 years as a U.S. member of NATO's research arm (AGARD
) among many other distinguished career events.
He was a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
, won the Distinguished Colleague Award from the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), and was a member of the New York Academy of Science. At the University of Arizona
in Tucson, he has endowed the Edward Keonjian Visiting Professorship which permits some of the world's leading scientists in microelectronics to come to the university to work with the faculty and students. In 1998, he and his second wife established the Edward and Maria Keonjian Chair in Microelectronics at the university. In 2001, the University of Arizona
placed a life size bronze cast, in Edward's honour, in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Building.
from the California Institute of Technology
and NASA
’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
.
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, an early leader in the field of low-power electronics, the father of microelectronics
Microelectronics
Microelectronics is a subfield of electronics. As the name suggests, microelectronics relates to the study and manufacture of very small electronic components. Usually, but not always, this means micrometre-scale or smaller,. These devices are made from semiconductors...
. In 1954 Keonjian designed the world's first solar-powered, pocket-sized radio transmitter. In 1959 Keonjian designed the first prototype of integrated circuit. In 1963 he organized the world's first international symposium on low-power electronics. Later on Keonjian collaborated with NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
as chief of failure analysis on the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
project.
Early life
Edward Keonjian was born in 1909 to an Armenian family in Tiflis, in the southern part of RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, now known as the Georgian Republic. He obtained academic degrees in electrical engineering from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Institute of Electrical Engineering in 1932. When Leningrad was besieged in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Edward was teaching at the Institute. Millions were perishing from cold and starvation. When he too collapsed from hunger, he was mistaken for dead and placed in a common grave. A woman passing by saw a hand sticking out of this grave. Noticing a slight movement, she realised someone was still alive and rescued him. To her astonishment it was an old friend.
Not long afterward, Edward was evacuated from Leningrad, only to be captured, along with his wife Virginia and young son Edward, Jr., by the Germans and sent to a slave labor camp. His duties at the camp included dismantling aircraft for spare parts. Liberated after World War II, he eventually emigrated to the United States of America with both his wife, (who died in 1969) and son. He arrived in 1947 penniless, knowing not one word of English, and with no friends or relatives. Nonetheless, he rose to become one of the outstanding scientists and inventors in microelectronics.
Personal life
He was an avid traveler and a member of the Explorers Club, the Circumnavigators Club, and the Archaeological Institute of AmericaArchaeological Institute of America
The Archaeological Institute of America is a North American nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion of public interest in archaeology, and the preservation of archaeological sites. It has offices on the campus of Boston University and in New York City.The institute was founded in 1879,...
.
Edward was married to his first wife Virginia, and they had one child, Edward Keonjian, Jr. in 1937.
He moved to Green Valley
Green Valley
Green Valley may refer to:*Green Valley *A feature of the galaxy color-magnitude diagramAustralia* Green Valley, New South Wales, a suburb of SydneyUSA* Green Valley, Arizona* in California:** green technology in Silicon Valley...
in 1993 from Great Neck, New York with his third wife Maria.
In 1997 he chronicled his life story in his autobiography, Survived to Tell.
Edward is survived by his son, Edward Jr., only grandchild Camille Keonjian (both residing in Portland, Oregon) as well as his widow Maria who resides in Tucson, Arizona.
Career in science
Keonjian was an early leader in the field of low-power electronics, and in 1954 designed the world's first solar-powered, pocket-sized radio transmitter. The transmitter now is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American HistoryNational Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
. Keonjian has had more than 100 publications and 27 U.S. and foreign patents. One of the books Keonjian edited and co-authored, Microelectronics: Theory, Design, and Fabrication, sold more than one million copies worldwide and has been translated into six languages since it was first published in 1963.
Keonjian began his work in microelectronics at General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
in 1951. He later organised the first international symposium on low-power electronics in 1963. While employed by Grumman Aircraft, he supervised a staff of 165, and worked with Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
as chief of failure analysis on the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
project. He spent several years in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
working as an electronics specialist for the United Nations. He also spent 12 years as a U.S. member of NATO's research arm (AGARD
AGARD
The acronym AGARD stands for Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development, and was an agency of NATO that existed from 1952 to 1996....
) among many other distinguished career events.
He was a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
, won the Distinguished Colleague Award from the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), and was a member of the New York Academy of Science. At the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Tucson, he has endowed the Edward Keonjian Visiting Professorship which permits some of the world's leading scientists in microelectronics to come to the university to work with the faculty and students. In 1998, he and his second wife established the Edward and Maria Keonjian Chair in Microelectronics at the university. In 2001, the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
placed a life size bronze cast, in Edward's honour, in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Building.
Keonjian Distinguished Professorship in Microelectronics
To mark his centennial (as Edward Keonjian would have been 100 years old on 14 August 2009), the College of Engineering has announced the establishment of the Edward and Maria Keonjian Distinguished Professorship in Microelectronics, the result of a million-dollar endowment by Keonjian and his wife Maria. The first holder of this distinguished professorship will be Wolfgang Fink, who will move to the University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
from the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
.
Biblilography
- Keonjian, Edward Micropower electronics (paper) Dewey: 621.3817, LC: TL500 .N6 no. 77, OCLC: 1855674
- Keonjian, Edward (1970) Air and spaceborne computers Technivision Services (Slough, England)
- Keonjian, Edward (1963) Microelectronics theory, design, and fabrication. McGraw-Hill (New York) LCCN: 63013140, Dewey: 621.381, LC: TK7870 .K4