James H. Pomerene
Encyclopedia
James Herbert Pomerene was an electrical engineer and computer pioneer.
. His father was Joel Pomerene and mother was Elsie Bower
He received the BS degree in Electrical Engineering
from Northwestern University
in 1942. In 1945 he married Edythe Schwenn and had three children.
In 1946, he joined the Electronic Computer Project at the Institute for Advanced Study
(IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey
under the leadership of John von Neumann
. The project built a parallel stored program computer called the IAS machine
that was the prototype for a number of machines such as the MANIAC I
, ORACLE
, and ILLIAC
series. Pomerene designed and implemented the adder portion of the arithmetic unit.
Collaborating with engineers such as Bruce Gilchrist
and Y.K. Wong, they invented a fast adder which incorporated a speed up technique for asynchronous adders reducing the time for additive carry-overs to propagate. This design was actually later incorporated in one commercial computer, the Philco
TRANSAC S-2000, introduced in 1957, the first commercial transistorized computer.
Pomerene became chief engineer on the IAS computer project from 1951 to 1956.
In Summer 1956, Pomerene joined the IBM
Corporation in Poughkeepsie
, where he and several others started the development of various electronic computer systems such as the IBM 7030 and Harvest computers. He was appointed an IBM Fellow
in 1976. He held 37 patents when he retired from IBM in 1993.
Pomerene was a Life Fellow of the IEEE and a member of the National Academy of Engineering
. He received the IEEE Edison Medal
in 1993, and the Eckert-Mauchly Award
in 2006.
He died December 7, 2008 in Chappaqua, New York
.
Biography
Pomerene was born June 22, 1920 in Yonkers, New YorkYonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. His father was Joel Pomerene and mother was Elsie Bower
He received the BS degree in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1942. In 1945 he married Edythe Schwenn and had three children.
In 1946, he joined the Electronic Computer Project at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
(IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
under the leadership of John von Neumann
John von Neumann
John von Neumann was a Hungarian-American mathematician and polymath who made major contributions to a vast number of fields, including set theory, functional analysis, quantum mechanics, ergodic theory, geometry, fluid dynamics, economics and game theory, computer science, numerical analysis,...
. The project built a parallel stored program computer called the IAS machine
IAS machine
The IAS machine was the first electronic computer built by the Institute for Advanced Study , in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. It is sometimes called the von Neuman machine, since the paper describing its design was edited by John von Neumann, a mathematics professor at both Princeton University...
that was the prototype for a number of machines such as the MANIAC I
MANIAC I
The MANIAC was an early computer built under the direction of Nicholas Metropolis at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory...
, ORACLE
ORACLE (computer)
The ORACLE or Oak Ridge Automatic Computer and Logical Engine, an early computer built by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was based on the IAS architecture developed by John von Neumann. As with all computers of its era, it was a one of a kind machine that could not exchange programs with other...
, and ILLIAC
ILLIAC
ILLIAC was a series of supercomputers built at a variety of locations, some at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In all, five computers were built in this series between 1951 and 1974...
series. Pomerene designed and implemented the adder portion of the arithmetic unit.
Collaborating with engineers such as Bruce Gilchrist
Bruce Gilchrist
Bruce Gilchrist is considered one of the notable figures in modern computing history.- Early life and education :Gilchrist was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England and attended King Edward VII School in Kings Lynn...
and Y.K. Wong, they invented a fast adder which incorporated a speed up technique for asynchronous adders reducing the time for additive carry-overs to propagate. This design was actually later incorporated in one commercial computer, the Philco
Philco
Philco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television...
TRANSAC S-2000, introduced in 1957, the first commercial transistorized computer.
Pomerene became chief engineer on the IAS computer project from 1951 to 1956.
In Summer 1956, Pomerene joined the IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Corporation in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, where he and several others started the development of various electronic computer systems such as the IBM 7030 and Harvest computers. He was appointed an IBM Fellow
IBM Fellow
An IBM Fellow is an appointed position at IBM made by IBM’s CEO. Typically only 4 to 9 IBM Fellows are appointed each year, at the annual Corporate Technical Recognition Event in May or June. It is the highest honor a scientist, engineer, or programmer at IBM can achieve.The IBM Fellows program...
in 1976. He held 37 patents when he retired from IBM in 1993.
Pomerene was a Life Fellow of the IEEE and a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. He received the IEEE Edison Medal
IEEE Edison Medal
The Edison Medal is presented by the IEEE "for a career of meritorious achievement in electrical science, electrical engineering or the electrical arts." It is the oldest and most coveted medal in this field of engineering in the United States. The award consists of a gold medal, bronze replica,...
in 1993, and the Eckert-Mauchly Award
Eckert-Mauchly Award
The Eckert–Mauchly Award recognizes contributions to digital systems and computer architecture. First awarded in 1979, it was named for John Presper Eckert and John William Mauchly, who between 1943 and 1946 collaborated on the design and construction of the first large scale electronic computing...
in 2006.
He died December 7, 2008 in Chappaqua, New York
Chappaqua, New York
Chappaqua is a hamlet and census-designated place in northern Westchester County, New York. As of the 2010 census, following a major revision to the delineation of its boundaries by the Census Bureau, the population was 1,436...
.
Selected papers
- Gilchrist, B.; Pomerene, J.; Wong, S.Y., "Fast carry logic for digital computers" IRE Transactions on Electronic Computers, EC-4 (Dec.1955), pp.133-136.
- Esterin, B.; Gilchrist, B.; Pomerene, J. H., "A Note on High Speed Digital Multiplication" IRE Transactions on Electronic Computers, vol. EC-5, p. 140 (1956).
Further reading
- Gilchrist, Bruce, "In Memoriam, James Pomerene (1920 - 2008)", New Castle Now, February 6, 2009.