Background
Baker, William Oliver was born on July 15, 1915 in Chestertown, Maryland, United States. Son of Harold May and Helen (Stokes) Baker.
Baker, William Oliver was born on July 15, 1915 in Chestertown, Maryland, United States. Son of Harold May and Helen (Stokes) Baker.
Bachelor of Science, Washington College, 1935. Doctor of Science (honorary), Washington College, 1957. Doctor of Philosophy, Princeton University, 1938.
Doctor of Science (honorary), Georgetown University, 1962. Doctor of Science (honorary), University Pittsburgh, 1963. Doctor of Science (honorary), Seton Hall University, 1965.
Doctor of Science (honorary), University Akron, 1968. Doctor of Science (honorary), University Michigan, 1970. Doctor of Science (honorary), St. Peter's College, 1972.
Doctor of Science (honorary), Polytechnic Institute New York, 1973. Doctor of Science (honorary), Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, 1975. Doctor of Science (honorary), Northwestern University, 1976.
Doctor of Science (honorary), University Notre Dame, 1978. Doctor of Science (honorary), Tufts University, 1981. Doctor of Science (honorary), New Jersey University Medicine and Dentistry, 1981.
Doctor of Science (honorary), Clark University, 1983. Doctor of Science (honorary), Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1983. Doctor of Science (honorary), Rockefeller University, 1990.
Doctor of Engineering (honorary), Stevens Institute of Technology, 1962. Doctor of Engineering (honorary), New Jersey Institute of Technology, 1978. Doctor of Laws (honorary), University Glasgow, 1965.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), University Pennsylvania, 1974. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Kean College, New Jersey, 1976. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Lehigh University, 1980.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), Drew University, 1981. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Monmouth College, 1973. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Clarkson College of Technology, 1974.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), Princeton University, 1993. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Rutgers University, 1995.
With, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1939-1980;
in charge polymer research and development, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1948-1951;
assistant director chemical and metallurgical research, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1951-1954;
director research, physical science, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1954-1955;
vice president research, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1955-1973;
president, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1973-1979;
Chairman of the Board, American Telephone & Telegraph Company Bell laboratories, 1979-1980. Board directors General American Investors, Inc. Director Health Effects Institute, 1980-1995.
Visiting lecturer Northwestern University, Princeton University, Duke. Schmitt lecturer U.Notre Dame, 1968. Harrelson lecturer North Carolina State University, 1971.
Herbert Spencer lecturer University of Pennsylvania, 1974. Charles M. Schwab Memorial lecturer American Iron and Steel Institute, 1976. National Institutes of Health lecturer, 1958, Metallurgical Society American Institute Mining Engineers/American Society Metals distinguished lecturer, 1976.
Miles Conrad Memorial lectr.Nat. Federation Abstracting and Indexing Superior vena cava syndrome, 1977. Wulff lecturer Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1979.
Mayo Foundation lecturer, 1980. Logue lecturer, 1981. Whitehead lecturer U. Georgia, 1985.
Lazerow lecturer U. Pittsburgh, 1984. Taylor lecturer Pennsylvania State University, 1984. Other lectureships; consultant Office Science and Technology, 1977-1981.
Member Princeton Graduate Council, 1956-1964. Board visitors Tulane University, 1963-1982. Member of commission sociotechnical systems National Research Council, 1974-1978, also chairman advisory board on military personnel supplies, 1964-1978.
Member commission on physical chemistry of div.chemistry and chemical technical, 1963-1970. Also steering committee President's Food and Nutrition Study Commission International Rels. National Academy Sciences-National Research Council, 1975.
Member panel on physical chemistry Office Naval Research, 1948-1951. Past member President's Science Advisory Committee, 1957-1960. National science board National Science Foundation, 1960-1966.
Past chairman National Science Information Council, 1959-1961. Member science advisory board National Security Agency, 1959-1976, consultant, since 1976. Consultant Department Defense, 1958-1971.
Consultant to special assistant president for science and technical, 1963-1973. Consultant Panel of Operations Evaluation Group, United States Navy, 1960-1962. Member New Jersey Board Higher Education, 1967-1994, exec.com., 1970-1994, vice chairman, 1970-1972, 82-84.
Member liaison committee for science and technical Library of Congress, 1963-1973. Member President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, 1959-1977, 81-90. Chairman diplomatic telecommunication systems policy board Department State, since 1984.
Chairman President's Advisory Group Anticipated Advances in Science and Technology, 1975-1976. Vice chairman President's Committee Science and Technology, 1976-1977. Board regents National Library Medicine, 1969-1973.
Board visitors Air Force Systems Command, 1962-1973. Member management advisory council Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1970-1978. Member National Commision on Libraries and Information Sciences, 1971-1975, Commision on Critical Choices for Americans, 1973-1975, National Cancer Advisory Board, 1974-1980, National Commision on Excellence in Education, 1981-1983, National Commision on Jobs and Small Business, 1985-1987, National Commision on Role and Future State Colleges Universities, 1985-1987.
Member, vice chairman Commision on Science and Technology New Jersey since 1985. Member Carnegie Forum on Education Science Technology and The Economy, since 1985. Co-chairman national county on science and technical education American Association for the Advancement of Science, since 1985.
Member panel advisory Institute Materials Research, National Bureau Standards, 1966-1969. Member Council Trends and Perspectives, United States Chamber of Commerce, 1966-1974. Chairman technical panels advisory to National Bureau Standards, National Academy Sciences-National Research Council, 1969-1978.
Member National Council Ednl. Research, 1973-1975; member energy research anddevel. advisory council Energy Policy Office, 1973-1975. Member Project Independence advising committee Federal Energy Administration, 1974-1975, Governor's Committee to Evaluate Capital Needs New Jersey, 1974-1975.
Member governing board National Enquiry into Scholarly Communication, 1975-1979. Advisory council New Jersey Regional Med.Library, since 1975, Special Library. Association, since 1985, Federal Emergency Management Advisory Board, 1980-1993, Gas Research Institute Advisory Board, 1978-1985.
Member of advisory board New Jersey Science and Technology Center, 1980-1986. Member science advisory board Robert A. Welch Foundation, since 1968. Visiting committee for chemistry Harvard, 1959-1972.
Member county Marconi Fellowships, since 1978. Visiting committee, division chemistry and chemical engineering California Institute Technology, 1969-1972. Visiting commission on science and mathematics Drew U., since 1969.
Associate in university seminar on technical and social change Columbia, 1969-1980;visiting committee, department materials science and engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1973-1976. Board overseers College Engineering and Applied Science University of Pennsylvania, since 1975. Board directors Councilon Library.
Resources, since 1970, Clinical Scholar Program Robert Wood JohnsonFound., 1973-1976, Third Century Corporation, 1973-1976, EDUCOM, 1985-1992. Organizer laboratories for numerous companies. Originator national technical means of satellite survey National Security Council Organisation Federal Telecommunications System.
Co-sponsor National Cancer Plan, National Materials Program. Co-founder Aerospace Corporation, 1961, Health Effects Institute, 1980-1995, New Jersey Commision on Science and Technology, since 1985.
Trustee Urban Studies, Inc., 1960-1978, Aerospace Corporation, 1961-1976, Carnegie-Mellon U., 1967-1987, now emeritus, Princeton, 1964-1986, now emeritus, Fund New Jersey, since 1974, Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, since 1976, Gen.Motors Cancer Research Foundation, since 1978, Charles Babbage Institute, since 1978, Newark Museum, 1979-1989. Trustee Rockefeller U., 1960-1990, chairman, 1980-1990, chairman emeritus, since 1990. Trustee Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, 1965-1990, chairman, 1975-1990, chairman emeritus, since 1990.
Fellow American Physical Society, American Institute Chemists (Gold medal 1975), FranklinInst., American Academy Arts and Sciences. Member Dirs. of Industrial Research, American Chemical Society (past member committee national defense, consultant, past member committee chemistryand public affairs, Priestley medal 1966, Parsons award 1976, Willard Gibbs award 1978, Madison Marshall award 1980), American Philosophical Society, National Academy Sciences (council 1969-1972, committee science public policy 1966-1969), National Academy Engineering (Bueche prize 1986), Institute Medicine (council 1973-1975), Industrial Research Institute (director 1960-1963, medal 1970), Sigma Xi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Omicron Delta Kappa.
Married Frances Burrill, November 15, 1941. 1 child Joseph Burrill.