Magnus W. Alexander
Encyclopedia
Magnus W. Alexander was a German-born American electrical engineer and a technical designer
for the General Electric Company and the Westinghouse Electric Company
. He also became a social reformer in the United States of America by working on state boards and commissions in such areas as workmen's compensation and retirement benefits
.
Alexander was the son of Alexander M. and M. (Jelenkiewicz) A. Alexander. He studied mechanics
, metallurgy
, and electrical engineering
at the Austrian universities of Vienna
, 1889, the Leoben
, 1891, and the University of Gratz
, 1892.
Following the completion of his engineering
education, Alexander was employed by Austria's largest steel
-making company. In 1893, he joined Weston Electrical Instrument Company as an engineer
and a technical designer. In the following year, he was recruited by Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., and he emigrated to the United States. After five years with the Westinghouse Corp., he joined the Siemens and Halske Electric Co.
, a German corporation with operations in North America
. In the year 1900, the General Electric Company hired him as its chief engineer in charge of design, which was a position that he held until 1918. Thereafter, he served as GE's consulting engineer on economic issues until 1922.
While with General Electric, Alexander began turning his attention to industrial education
. He created and directed the General Electric Education and Personnel Department in Lynn, Massachusetts
. In 1907, he set up a partnership between G.E. and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in which G.E. provided both apprenticeships and in-house technical courses for newly graduated M.I.T. engineers.
Alexander also served on the Old Age Pension Commission of Massachusetts and on the Massachusetts Workman's Compensation Commission. He became a charter member of the National Association of Corporate schools, the American Management Association
, the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education, and of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
(AIEE).
Alexander was an early participant, along with Wesley Mitchell and Malcolm Rorty, in the National Bureau of Economic Research
. He also created the National Industrial Conference Board (now known as The Conference Board
) along with Frederick P. Fish, Frank A. Vanderlip
, and Loyall Osborne.
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
for the General Electric Company and the Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...
. He also became a social reformer in the United States of America by working on state boards and commissions in such areas as workmen's compensation and retirement benefits
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
.
Alexander was the son of Alexander M. and M. (Jelenkiewicz) A. Alexander. He studied mechanics
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
, and 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...
at the Austrian universities of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, 1889, the Leoben
University of Leoben
The University of Leoben, in the town of Leoben, Austria, is the country's university for mining, metallurgy, and materials.It was founded on 4 November 1840, as the Steiermärkisch-Ständische Montanlehranstalt in Styria, Austria's mining region. In 1848 Peter Tunner relocated the university to the...
, 1891, and the University of Gratz
Gratz
Gratz may refer to:In places:* Gratz, Kentucky, a US city* Gratz, Pennsylvania, a US boroughIn education:* Gratz College, general college of Jewish studies* Simon Gratz High School, secondary school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, 1892.
Following the completion of his engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
education, Alexander was employed by Austria's largest steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
-making company. In 1893, he joined Weston Electrical Instrument Company as an engineer
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,...
and a technical designer. In the following year, he was recruited by Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., and he emigrated to the United States. After five years with the Westinghouse Corp., he joined the Siemens and Halske Electric Co.
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
, a German corporation with operations in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In the year 1900, the General Electric Company hired him as its chief engineer in charge of design, which was a position that he held until 1918. Thereafter, he served as GE's consulting engineer on economic issues until 1922.
While with General Electric, Alexander began turning his attention to industrial education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
. He created and directed the General Electric Education and Personnel Department in Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...
. In 1907, he set up a partnership between G.E. and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in which G.E. provided both apprenticeships and in-house technical courses for newly graduated M.I.T. engineers.
Alexander also served on the Old Age Pension Commission of Massachusetts and on the Massachusetts Workman's Compensation Commission. He became a charter member of the National Association of Corporate schools, the American Management Association
American Management Association
The American Management Association , based in New York City, is a corporate training and consulting group that provides a variety of educational and management development services to businesses, government agencies and individuals. The non-profit membership organization offers business courses in...
, the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education, and of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
American Institute of Electrical Engineers
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
(AIEE).
Alexander was an early participant, along with Wesley Mitchell and Malcolm Rorty, in the National Bureau of Economic Research
National Bureau of Economic Research
The National Bureau of Economic Research is an American private nonprofit research organization "committed to undertaking and disseminating unbiased economic research among public policymakers, business professionals, and the academic community." The NBER is well known for providing start and end...
. He also created the National Industrial Conference Board (now known as The Conference Board
The Conference Board
The Conference Board, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan business membership and research group. It has approximately 12,000 executives in its network, from 1200 corporations in 60 countries. It holds conferences, convenes executives, conducts economic and business management research, and is seen...
) along with Frederick P. Fish, Frank A. Vanderlip
Frank A. Vanderlip
Frank A. Vanderlip was an American banker. From 1897-1901, Vanderlip was the Assistant Secretary of Treasury for President of the United States William McKinley's second term. In that office he negotiated with National City Bank a $200 million loan to the government to finance the Spanish...
, and Loyall Osborne.