Edison Medal

The IEEE Edison Medal is presented by the IEEE "for a career of meritorious achievement in electrical science, electrical engineering or the electrical arts." It is the oldest medal in this field of engineering. The award consists of a gold medal, small gold replica, certificate and honorarium.

History

Elihu Thomson was the very first recipient of the Edison Medal, bestowed upon him in 1909 "For meritorious achievement in electrical science, engineering and arts as exemplified in his contributions thereto during the past thirty years."

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Elihu Thomson - 1909

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Frank J. Sprague was awarded the Edison Medal is 1910 for

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Frank J. Sprague - 1910

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"For meritorious achievement in electrical science, engineering and arts as exemplified in his contributions thereto."

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George Westinghouse was awarded the Edison Medal is 1911 for "For meritorious achievement in connection with the development of the alternating current system for light and power." Thomas Edison, a DC current proponent, discredited Westinghouse and Tesla, both AC current proponents, by showing that AC current was too dangerous to use, see the war of currents. He electrocuted stray dogs and cats with AC current. Edison coined the term ?to Westinghouse? for the execution of humans by AC current. In view of the above, it is remarkable that Westinghouse accepted the Edison Medal in 1911 and Tesla accepted it in 1917.

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George Westinghouse - 1911 - War of currents

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Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the Edison Medal in 1914 for "For meritorious achievement in the invention of the telephone."

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Alexander Graham Bell - 1914

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Nikola Tesla, 'The Genius who Lit the World', received the Edison Medal in 1917 "For meritorious achievement in his early original work in polyphase and high-frequency electrical currents." Tesla worked with Edison after he arrived in the US, but the two men were worlds apart and soon they went their separate ways again. The war of currents, AC (Tesla) and DC (Edison) that started a few years later brought animosity and bitterness to the two. Tesla's pioneering patents in electrical power ultimately helped Westinghouse win the war of the currents and earned Tesla huge fame. It is therefore not easy to understand why Tesla accepted the medal, 'which probably honored Edison more than the recipient'. After Tesla's death in 1943, his Edison Medal went missing http://www.teslasociety.com/missing.htm.

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Nikola Tesla - 1917 - War of currents

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Mihajlo Pupin received the Edison Medal in 1920 "For his work in mathematical physics and its application to the electric transmission of intelligence." He also received the IRE Medal of Honor in 1924 "In recognition of his fundamental contributions in the field of electrical tuning and the rectification of alternating currents used for signalling purposes," and the first person receiving both prestigious awards.

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Mihajlo Pupin - 1920 - IRE Medal of Honor

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The Nobel prize laureat Robert Millikan received the Edison Medal in 1922 "For his experimental work in electrical science."

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Nobel prize - Robert Millikan - 1922

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Frank Conrad received the Edison Medal in 1930 "For his contributions to radio broadcasting and short wave radio transmission."

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Frank Conrad - 1930

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Edwin Armstrong, the inventor of FM radio, who also invented the Regenerative circuit (patented 1914), the Super-regenerative circuit (patented 1922), and the Super Heterodyne receiver (patented 1918) received the 1942 Edison Medal "For distinguished contributions to the art of electric communication, notably the regenerative circuit, the superheterodyne, and frequency modulation". In 1917, he was the first recipient of the IRE's, now IEEE, Medal of Honor.

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Edwin Armstrong - FM - Super Heterodyne receiver - 1917 - IRE - IEEE - Medal of Honor

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Lee de Forest, 1922 IRE Medal of Honor recipient, received the Edison Medal in 1946 "For pioneering achievements in radio and for the invention of the grid-controlled vacuum tube with its profound technical and social consequences."

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Lee de Forest - IRE Medal of Honor - 1946

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Arthur Edwin Kennelly, 1932 IRE Medal of Honor, received the Edison Medal in 1933 "For meritorious achievements in electrical science, electrical engineering and the electrical arts as exemplified by his contributions to the theory of electrical transmission and to the development of international electrical standards."

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Arthur Edwin Kennelly - IRE Medal of Honor - 1933

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Vladimir Zworykin, 1951 IRE Medal of Honor recipient, received the Edison Medal in 1952 ?For his outstanding contributions to the concept and development of electronic apparatus basic to modern television, and his scientific achievements that led to fundamental advances in the application of electronics to communications, to industry and to national security."

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Vladimir Zworykin - IRE Medal of Honor - 1952

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