Howard Engstrom
{{short description|American computer scientist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Howard T. Engstrom
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| other_names =
| occupation = mathematics professor, Navy commander
| birth_date = April 23, 1902
| birth_place = Boston, MA
| death_date = March 8, 1962
| death_place = Carney Hospital, Boston, MA{{cite news|title=H. T. Engstrom, Scientist, Was 59: One of the Developers of Univac Computer Dies|work=New York Times|date=10 March 1962|page=21}}
|spouse = Karin Ekblum
|children = Mrs. William Agosta (daughter), Anna (daughter), Morton (son){{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
|awards = Distinguished Service Medal (United States Navy), Order of the British Empire, Naval Reserve Medal, Presidential Unit Citation (United States).{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
}}
Howard T. Engstrom (1902 – 1962)[https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/49178838/howard-theodore-engstrom Dr Howard Theodore Engstrom] was a Yale University mathematics professor and headed research operations at the United States Navy's Communication Supplementary Activities CSAW during World War II. Along with William Norris and others he founded Engineering Research Associates in 1946.{{sfn|Murray|1997|loc=Chapter 1}} {{sfn|Boslaugh|2003|p=82}} He was one of the co-creators of the Univac computer, and served as deputy director of the National Security Agency.{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
Education
Engstrom graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University in 1925, and received a master's from the University of Maine in 1922,{{cite news|title=21 Changes Made in Yale Faculty|work=New York Times|date=May 23, 1927|page=E1}} where he also worked as a mathematics instructor.{{cite news|title=TRINITY HOLDS EXERCISES.: Ancient Custom Is Revived at Hartford Institution.|work=New York Times|date=13 June 1926|page=E7}} He was announced as an Instructor of mathematics at Yale in 1927,{{cite news|title=21 Changes Made in Yale Faculty|work=New York Times|date=May 23, 1927|page=E1}} received his PhD from Yale in 1929, and was promoted to associate professor in 1941.{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
Engstrom "was a national research fellow at the California Institute of Technology in 1930 and an international research fellow at Göttingen, Germany, in 1931".{{sfn|New York Times|1962}} He was also a "fellow of the Institute of Radio Engineers and of Davenport College".{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
Military and professional career
Engstrom resigned from Yale to enter military service in 1941.{{sfn|New York Times|1962}} He attained the rank of captain {{sfn|New York Times|1962}} in the Navy and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (United States Navy), the Order of the British Empire, the Naval Reserve Medal, and a Presidential Unit Citation (United States).{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
Engstrom served as vice president and director of marketing of scientific systems for Sperry Rand's Remington Rand Univac division from 1952–1956, and co-created the Univac.{{sfn|New York Times|1958}}
Engstrom served at the National Security Agency for two years, beginning in October, 1956.{{sfn|New York Times|1958}} Upon his departure, Secretary of Defense Neil H. McElroy cited him for "exceptional meritorious civilian service" in directing the agency's research program.{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
Death
Engstrom died at the age of 59 after suffering a months-long illness.{{sfn|New York Times|1962}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite book|last1=Boslaugh|first1=David|title=When Computers Went to Sea: The Digitization of the United States Navy|date=2003|publisher=Wiley-IEEE Computer Society|isbn=978-0471472209}}
- {{cite book|last1=Murray|first1=Charles|title=The Supermen: The Story of Seymour Cray and the Technical Wizards behind the Supercomputer|date=1997|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=0-471-04885-2|url=https://archive.org/details/supermenstory00murr|url-access=registration}}
- {{cite news|title=H. T. Engstrom, Scientist, Was 59: One of the Developers of Univac Computer Dies|work=New York Times|date=10 March 1962|page=21|ref = {{harvid|New York Times|1962}}
}}
- {{cite news|title=Remington Rand Univac Names a Vice President|work=New York Times|date=4 August 1958|page=31|ref={{harvid|New York Times|1958}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Deputy DIRNSA}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Engstrom, Howard}}
Category:Scientists from Boston
Category:20th-century American mathematicians
Category:American computer scientists
Category:United States Navy officers