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Jack Kilby

(1923 - 2005)

A devastating 1937 ice storm in western Kansas left the president of a power company in Great Bend in desperate need of a way to communicate when phone and electrical lines were down. His son, Jack Kilby, traveled with him to meet ham radio operators, sparking a strong interest in radio technology. Years later, armed with degrees in electrical engineering from the Universities of Illinois and Wisconsin, Kilby began his career in 1947 with the Centralab Division of Globe Union, Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He was hired by Texas Instruments in May 1958 and was assigned to work in the area of microminiaturization. As a new employee Kilby had no time off so he worked alone in the lab while the plant was shut down for vacations in July. Left alone to ponder his work, Kilby discovered the inspiration he had been waiting for. On September 12, 1958, he demonstrated his new invention, the integrated circuit or microchip.

Along with three Russian scientists, Kilby was awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize in physics for his work in laying the foundations of information technology. His invention changed the world, transforming the old, crude, room-sized machines into today's array of mainframes, minicomputers, workstations, and personal computers. It has led to profound advances in space exploration, medicine, education, transportation, manufacturing, and entertainment.