Richard Bolt
Encyclopedia
Richard Henry Bolt Ph.D., better known as Richard Bolt or Dick Bolt, (Peking, China
, April 22, 1911-Boston, Massachusetts, January 13, 2002) was a physics
professor
at MIT
with an interest in acoustics
. He was one of the founders of the company Bolt, Beranek and Newman, which built the ARPANET
, a forerunner of the internet
.
, where his parents were medical missionaries
. His family returned to the U.S.
in 1916 and settled in California
.
Bolt graduated from Berkeley High School, California in 1928 and went to college and graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley
.
Although he initially expected to major in either music or graphical design, he decided on architecture
, in which he attained a BA
in 1933. At that time, he had already developed an interest in acoustics
, combining his interests for music, design and architecture.
After his marriage to Katherine Mary Smith, right after his graduation in 1933, they made a honeymoon to Europe, where he became acquainted with a number of scientists from Berlin
, and the honeymoon was extended to ten months while Bolt learned German and studied acoustics.
program, and, earning an M.A.
in 1937 and qualifying for Berkeley's Physics Ph.D.
program, which he completed in 1939. He performed his research at UCLA, given the fact that Berkeley had no acoustics research facilities at that time. After attaining his PhD in 1939 he worked at MIT
for a year on the transmission of sound in various shapes of rooms. Excluding a brief period at the University of Illinois
and a stationing in London
during WWII
, he remained associated with the MIT until his retirement.
, in 1948, and worked on such projects as doing an audio analysis of the JFK
assassination
, the "18.5 minute gap" in Nixon
's White House
tapes
, and improving the sound in concert halls. In later years, after the addition of one of his former students, Robert Newman, the firm of Bolt, Beranek and Newman, better known as BBN, designed the first modem in 1963, helping computers communicate with each other. This led to work on the ARPANET
, which became the Internet
. BBN helped develop e-mail
and, in 1971, one of BBN's researchers chose the "@" sign for e-mail addresses. Bolt retired in 1976.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, April 22, 1911-Boston, Massachusetts, January 13, 2002) was a physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at MIT
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...
with an interest in acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
. He was one of the founders of the company Bolt, Beranek and Newman, which built the ARPANET
ARPANET
The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network , was the world's first operational packet switching network and the core network of a set that came to compose the global Internet...
, a forerunner of the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Early life
Bolt was born in Peking, ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where his parents were medical missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. His family returned to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1916 and settled in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Bolt graduated from Berkeley High School, California in 1928 and went to college and graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Although he initially expected to major in either music or graphical design, he decided on architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, in which he attained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1933. At that time, he had already developed an interest in acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
, combining his interests for music, design and architecture.
After his marriage to Katherine Mary Smith, right after his graduation in 1933, they made a honeymoon to Europe, where he became acquainted with a number of scientists from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and the honeymoon was extended to ten months while Bolt learned German and studied acoustics.
Berkeley
Returning to Berkeley in 1934, he entered the graduate physicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
program, and, earning an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1937 and qualifying for Berkeley's Physics Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
program, which he completed in 1939. He performed his research at UCLA, given the fact that Berkeley had no acoustics research facilities at that time. After attaining his PhD in 1939 he worked at MIT
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...
for a year on the transmission of sound in various shapes of rooms. Excluding a brief period at the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and a stationing in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during WWII
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...
, he remained associated with the MIT until his retirement.
MIT and BBN
Bolt started a consulting firm with another MIT professor, Leo BeranekLeo Beranek
Leo Leroy Beranek is an American acoustics expert, former MIT professor and a founder and former president of Bolt, Beranek and Newman ....
, in 1948, and worked on such projects as doing an audio analysis of the JFK
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
assassination
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
, the "18.5 minute gap" in Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
tapes
Watergate tapes
The Watergate tapes, a subset of the Nixon tapes, are a collection of recordings of conversations between Richard Nixon and his fellow conspirators plotting a break in to the Watergate Hotel. U.S. President Richard Nixon and various White House staff started communicating on February 1971 and...
, and improving the sound in concert halls. In later years, after the addition of one of his former students, Robert Newman, the firm of Bolt, Beranek and Newman, better known as BBN, designed the first modem in 1963, helping computers communicate with each other. This led to work on the ARPANET
ARPANET
The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network , was the world's first operational packet switching network and the core network of a set that came to compose the global Internet...
, which became the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. BBN helped develop e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
and, in 1971, one of BBN's researchers chose the "@" sign for e-mail addresses. Bolt retired in 1976.
External links
- Obituary at the Acoustical Society of America, focused on Bolt's achievements in acoustics.
- BBN website
- Obituary by Leo Beranek