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Robert Heath Dennard Edit Profile

scientist engineering executive

Robert Heath Dennard, American Engineering executive, scientist. Recipient National Medal of Technology, President United States, 1988, Industrial Research Institute Achievement award, 1989, Harvey prize Technion-Israel Institute Technology, 1990; named Inventor of Year, New York Intellectual Property Law Association, 1995;inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame, 1997.

Background

Dennard, Robert Heath was born on September 5, 1932 in Terrell, Texas, United States. Son of Buford Leon and Loma (Heath) Dennard.

Education

He received his Bachelor of Surgery and Master of Surgery degrees in Electrical Engineering from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, in 1954 and 1956, respectively. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy from Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1958.

Career

His professional career was spent as a researcher for International Business Machines. In 1968, he invented dynamic random-access memory (Dynamic random-access memory). Dennard was also among the first to recognize the tremendous potential of downsizing MOSFETs.

The scaling theory he and his colleagues formulated in 1974 postulated that MOSFETs continue to function as voltage-controlled switches while all key figures of merit such as layout density, operating speed, and energy efficiency improve – provided geometric dimensions, voltages, and doping concentrations are consistently scaled to maintain the same electric field

Achievements

  • Robert Heath Dennard has been listed as a notable Engineering executive, scientist by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Fellow: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (life Cledo Brunetti award 1982, Edison medal 2001, Medal of Honor 2009). Member: American Philosophical Society, National Academy of Engineering (Charles Stark Draper prize 2009).

Interests

  • Scottish country dancing, choral singing.

Connections

Children— Robert (deceased November 1998), Amy, Holly. Married Jane Bridges.

Father:
Buford Leon Dennard

Mother:
Loma (Heath) Dennard

Spouse:
Jane Bridges

child:
Amy Dennard

child:
Holly Dennard

child:
Robert Dennard (deceased)

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Education

Career

Awards

  • IEEE Cledo Brunetti Award; IBM Fellow; National Medal of Technology and Innovation; Edison Medal; Benjamin Franklin Medal; Harvey Prize IEEE Medal of Honor; Kyoto Prize; Benjamin Franklin Medal; IEEE Edison Medal; Charles Stark Draper Prize; Harvey Prize

    The Royal Society of Arts Benjamin Franklin Medal was instituted in 1956 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth and the 200th anniversary of his membership to the Royal Society of Arts.; The Kyoto Prize is Japan’s highest private award for global achievement.; The National Academy of Engineering annually awards the Charles Stark Draper Prize, which is given for the advancement of engineering and the education of the public about engineering.; The Harvey Prize is an Israeli scientific distinction awarded annually for breakthroughs in science and technology, as well as contribution to Peace in the Middle East, by Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.; The IEEE Edison Medal is presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 'for a career of meritorious achievement in electrical science, electrical engineering or the electrical arts'.; The IEEE Medal of Honor is the highest recognition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).