Background
Goldsmith was born in New York City, received his Bachelor of Surgery in 1907 from the College of the City of New York and in 1911 his Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia University where he studied under Michael I. Pupin.
Goldsmith was born in New York City, received his Bachelor of Surgery in 1907 from the College of the City of New York and in 1911 his Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia University where he studied under Michael I. Pupin.
Columbia University; Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science.
He taught at City College from 1906 to 1923. In 1912 Goldsmith co-founded the Institute of Radio Engineers (Institute of Radio Engineers) and was the first editor of its proceedings, serving for 42 years. In 1914 he consulted as a radio engineer for the Atlantic Communication Company, and for the General Electric Company from 1915-1917.
During World War I he was Technical Director of the United States Army Signal Corps School of Communication and the United States Naval Radio School at City College.
After the war, Goldsmith became director of research for the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America and in 1919 Radio Corporation of America"s director of research. In 1923 he was named Radio Corporation of America"s Chief Broadcast Engineer and in 1927 Chairman of the Board of Consulting Engineers of the National Broadcasting Company.
Goldsmith was made an Institute of Radio Engineers Fellow in 1915, its president in 1928, and served on its board of directors for 51 years. Goldsmith was also a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Rocket Society, the Institution of Radio Engineers, Australia, the International College of Surgeons, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Optical Society of America, and was a Benjamin Franklin Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (London).
He remained with Radio Corporation of America as vice president and general manager until 1931, and was awarded Radio Corporation of America"s first production television tube with an inscription reading "Radio Corporation of America Laboratory’s Award for Outstanding Work in Research presented to Alfred Norton Goldsmith for his early recognition of the importance of a tri-color kinescope and for his concept of means for accomplishing lieutenant" In 1941 he was awarded the Institute of Radio Engineers Medal of Honor "for his contributions to radio research, engineering, and commercial development, his leadership in standardization, and his unceasing devotion to the establishment and upbuilding of the Institute and its proceedings", the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Founders Medal in 1954, and the first Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Haraden Pratt Award in 1972, to honor "outstanding service to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers." Since 1975 the Alfred N. Goldsmith Award for Distinguished Contributions to Engineering Communication Award has been given by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Professional Communication Society in his honor.
He was also a senior member in the American Astronomical Society, as well as a member of the American Physical Society, and an honorary member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
