[IP] Dr. William O. Baker, Global Statesman of Science and Former Bell Labs President
Begin forwarded message:
From: GLIGOR1@xxxxxxx
Date: November 1, 2005 5:46:17 PM EST
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx, Rstone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Dr. William O. Baker, Global Statesman of Science and Former
Bell Labs President
Dr. William O. Baker, Global Statesman of Science and Former Bell
Labs President, Dies At 90
MURRAY HILL, N.J., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lucent
Technologies (NYSE:LU) Bell Labs today announced that Dr. William O.
Baker, Bell Labs president from 1973 to 1979, died yesterday in
Chatham, New Jersey. He was 90.
For nearly two decades Dr. Baker's leadership of research at
Bell Labs created the model for modern industrial research
laboratories. During his tenure as Bell Labs president, researchers
at Bell Labs won Nobel Prizes in physics both for the improved
understanding of the electronic structure of glass and magnetic
materials and for the discovery of background radiation remaining
from the "big bang" that created the universe billions of years ago.
"Dr. Baker was a guardian of the country's technological
leadership as well as a true global statesman of science," said Jeong
Kim, president of Bell Labs. "Bill will be deeply missed by everyone
he touched, particularly those at Bell Labs who had the opportunity
to work with him. He will always be remembered for his enthusiasm,
knowledge and commitment to the country's scientific excellence."
In his early research Dr. Baker focused on the development and
application of polymer chemistry, resulting in crucial advancement in
the development of synthetic rubber, a ubiquitous substance found
throughout the world today in everything from shoes to tires. During
his career, Dr. Baker was granted eleven patents for this work.
Dr. Baker was honored with the Presidential Medal of Science, the
Presidential National Security Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award
from the Marconi International Fellowship Foundation, 27 honorary
doctorates, and numerous professional awards from such organizations
as the American Chemical Society, the Franklin Institute's Fahrney
Medal, the American Institute of Chemists, the National Science
Foundation, and the Materials Research Society. Dr. Baker was the
first person to hold membership in all three of the National Academy
of Science, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of
Medicine.
"The one word that seems most appropriate to describe Dr. Baker
and his many contributions to humanity is 'revered.' His counsel,
wisdom, leadership, and guidance were so significant that all the
many people who knew him -- in science, in government, at Bell Labs,
in universities, and on governing boards -- had the highest respect
for and devotion to him," said Michael Noll, professor at the
Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Southern
California and Dr. Baker's archivist. "Dr. Baker was a true
'diplomat of science' -- a 'science patriot' -- because of his
significant contributions to the Nation; and a 'science humanist'
because of his advocacy of the use of science for the benefit of
humanity."
Dr. Baker served as an advisor to most presidents in the second half
of the twentieth century including Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy,
Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. Dr. Baker's impact on the nation was
particularly felt on the technology of information gathering by the
intelligence community during the Cold War, including the use of
special computers and satellite reconnaissance. In 1959, at the
request of President Eisenhower, Dr. Baker developed the plan for the
establishment of the Defense Communications Agency, which was
eventually implemented in 1961 under President Kennedy. He served as
a member of the President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and
also on the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (from
1957 to 1977 and again from 1981 to 1990).
After receiving his doctorate in chemistry from Princeton
University in the summer of 1938 Dr. Baker joined Bell Labs the
following May as a member of technical staff. He became Head of the
Polymer Research and Development Department at Bell Telephone
Laboratories in 1948. From 1951 to 1955, he was Assistant Director of
Chemical and Metallurgical Research. Dr. Baker became Vice President
of Research in 1955, after a short period as Director of Physical
Sciences Research. He was elected President of Bell Labs in 1973 and
served until 1979. He retired in 1980 but continued his many
activities in advising various foundations, academic institutions,
and government agencies.
Awards and honors have been established in his name including:
the William O. Baker Professorship in Computer Science at Princeton
University; the William Oliver Baker Award of the Security Affairs
Support Association; the National Academy of Sciences Prize for
Initiatives in Research; the Baker Family Scholarship at Drew
University; and the William O. Baker Graduate Fellowships at
Rockefeller University by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
More information on Dr. Baker can be found at http://
www.williamobaker.org
About Bell Labs and Lucent Technologies
Bell Labs is the leading source of new communications technologies
and has been for eighty years. It has generated more than 31,000
patents since 1925 and has played a pivotal role in inventing or
perfecting key communications technologies, including transistors,
digital networking and signal processing, lasers and fiber-optic
communications systems, communications satellites, cellular
telephony, electronic switching of calls, touch-tone dialing, and
modems. Bell Labs scientists have received six Nobel Prizes in
Physics, nine U.S. National Medals of Science and eight U.S. National
Medals of Technology. For more information about Bell Labs, visit its
Web site at http://www.bell-labs.com.
Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services
and software that drive next-generation communications networks.
Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its
strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking
technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating
opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly
deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent's customer base
includes communications service providers, governments and
enterprises worldwide. For more information on Lucent Technologies,
which has headquarters in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit http://
www.lucent.com.
SOURCE Lucent Technologies
11/01/2005 10:09 ET
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