Background
Engstrom was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Engstrom was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Bachelor of Science, University of Minnesota, 1923. Doctor of Science, honorary, New York University, 1949. Doctor of Laws, Findlay College, 1960, Rider College, 1962, West Virginia University, 1962.
After graduation in 1923, he worked at the General Electric Company in Schenectady, New York, on radio technology and sound devices for motion pictures. When this activity was spun out to the Radio Corporation of America (Radio Corporation of America) in 1930, he took on further responsibilities for these technologies plus research in electron tubes. During the 1930s, Engstrom led Radio Corporation of America"s research and development efforts for television, culminating in the company"s first commercial black and white television system.
Its first complete test took place in 1939, with a transmitter installed on the eighty-fifth floor of the Empire State Building.
A mechanical scanner provided a 120-line, 24-frame picture from live and film subjects, and extensive field tests took place with the first cathode ray tube receivers. Although picture quality was poor, the tests conclusively proved the feasibility of television broadcasting.
This effort was one of the earliest applications of a "system engineering" approach, now standard practice on large technical programs. Engstrom subsequently became head of Radio Corporation of America Laboratories (1943) and Vice President for research (1945), leading Radio Corporation of America"s highly successful World World War II efforts in radar, radio, and acoustics.
In the immediate aftermath of the war he participated in relief efforts for central Europe and Germany.
In his role as head of research he led Radio Corporation of America"s development of its first all-electronic color television system after the war ended, as well as national efforts including BMEWS (the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System) and the TIROS (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) weather-reporting satellite system. Radio Corporation of America"s Astro-Electronics Division (1958) was the first organization within the electronics industry to develop space electronic systems Engstrom became Radio Corporation of America"s President (1961-1965) and Chief Executive Officer (1966-1968), serving on its board until 1971.
Engstrom was prominent in a number of educational, professional, and civic organizations.
He was active in the Princeton chapters of the American Red Cross, Sigma Xi, the Rotary Club and the Young Men’s Christian Association-Young Women’s Christian Association. There is one fundamental concept I have learned very clearly from my business experience. There is a need for a definite and clearly understood charter for one"s operations.
Having established that charter, there is need for complete belief in it and in the program which it provides. In the Christian life the Bible is our charter.
lieutenant is the supreme authority for our lives and it is sufficient for our needs.
I believe it is a requirement of paramount importance that Christ be the Lord of our whole life, and that our allegiance to Him be in no way divisible. The Department of Engineering and Computer Science at Cedarville University is named in his honor.
Member advising committee research division College Engineering, New York University, from 1949. Member Executive Committee, Board of Governors American Swedish History Foundation Chairman Hoover Medal Board of Award, 1962. Fellow American Institute of Elctrical Engineering, Institute of Radio Engineers (director 1949).
Member North.A.M., Industrial Research Institute, Incorporated.
(president 1948-1949), National Security Industrial Association, Sigma Xi (past president local chapter) Presbyterian. Clubs: Nassau. Rotary (past president local club).
Married Phoebe Leander, July 28, 1926.