Donald G. Fink
Encyclopedia
Donald Glen Fink was an American electrical engineer, a pioneer in the development of radio navigation
systems and television
standards, vice president for research of Philco
, president of the Institute of Radio Engineers
, General Manager of the IEEE, and an editor of many important publications in electrical engineering.
. As a high school student, he competed in the National Oratorical Contest on the U.S. constitution, winning first place in Bergen County, New Jersey
. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
beginning in 1929 and became editor of the undergraduate technical journal there. He graduated in 1933 with a B.Sc. in electrical communications, and spent a year as a research assistant in the MIT departments of geology and electrical engineering. From 1934 to 1941, he worked as an editor for the magazine Electronics
. During World War II
, he worked at the MIT Radiation Laboratory
and traveled overseas installing LORAN
sites. After the war, he became editor-in-chief of Electronics (1946–1952). He joined Philco
in 1952, and in 1960 became vice president for research there; in 1962, after the merger of Philco and Ford
, he became director of the Philco-Ford Scientific Laboratories.
Fink was long associated with the Institute of Radio Engineers
and its successor organization, the IEEE. He was editor-in-chief of Proceedings of the IRE (1956–1957), member of the IRE board of directors (1949–1951 and 1956–1960), president of the IRE (beginning 1958), general manager and later executive director of IEEE (1963–1974) and, after retiring in 1974, "Director Emeritus for life". At the IEEE, he played an important role in guiding the institute through its formative years and in expanding the role of the institute from the technical and scientific study of engineering to an expanded view of engineering that also encompassed its professional and societal aspects. In retirement, he continued to edit two major handbooks published by the IEEE, the Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers and the Electronics Engineers' Handbook. He chaired the United Nations Economic and Social Council
science programs from 1976 to 1981.
; the New York Times writes that his 1940 textbook, Principles of TV Engineering, "became a standard text for people working in television development". He chaired the IRE Television System Committee, and was a member of the NTSC
committee in the early 1950s; the 525-line resolution of NTSC television was his proposal. He also wrote two more books on television, Television Engineering and Physics of Television, and edited Television Standards and Practice, Color Television Standards, and the Television Engineering Handbook.
(1948). He became a Fellow
of the IRE in 1947 "in recognition of his espousal of high standards of technical publishing and for his wartime contributions in the field of electronic aids to navigation"; he was also elected as a fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
in 1951 and of the National Academy of Engineering
in 1969. In 1972, the U.S. Army gave him their Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. He received the IEEE Founders Medal
in 1977, and the IEEE Centennial Medal
in 1984. The IEEE Donald G. Fink Prize Paper Award was established in his honor in 1979, and is given annually to "the most outstanding survey, review, or tutorial paper published in the IEEE Transactions, Journals, Magazines, or in the Proceedings of the IEEE between 1 January and 31 December of the preceding year".
Radio navigation
Radio navigation or radionavigation is the application of radio frequencies to determine a position on the Earth. Like radiolocation, it is a type of radiodetermination.The basic principles are measurements from/to electric beacons, especially...
systems and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
standards, vice president for research of Philco
Philco
Philco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television...
, president of the Institute of Radio Engineers
Institute of Radio Engineers
The Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
, General Manager of the IEEE, and an editor of many important publications in electrical engineering.
Biography
Fink was born on November 8, 1911 in Englewood, New JerseyEnglewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
. As a high school student, he competed in the National Oratorical Contest on the U.S. constitution, winning first place in Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
beginning in 1929 and became editor of the undergraduate technical journal there. He graduated in 1933 with a B.Sc. in electrical communications, and spent a year as a research assistant in the MIT departments of geology and electrical engineering. From 1934 to 1941, he worked as an editor for the magazine Electronics
Electronics (magazine)
Electronics was an American trade journal that covered the radio industry and its later spin-offs in the mid to late 1900s. Published by McGraw-Hill and Penton Publishing , its first issue was dated in April 1930....
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he worked at the MIT Radiation Laboratory
Radiation Laboratory
The Radiation Laboratory, commonly called the Rad Lab, was located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts and functioned from October 1940 until December 31, 1945...
and traveled overseas installing LORAN
LORAN
LORAN is a terrestrial radio navigation system using low frequency radio transmitters in multiple deployment to determine the location and speed of the receiver....
sites. After the war, he became editor-in-chief of Electronics (1946–1952). He joined Philco
Philco
Philco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television...
in 1952, and in 1960 became vice president for research there; in 1962, after the merger of Philco and Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, he became director of the Philco-Ford Scientific Laboratories.
Fink was long associated with the Institute of Radio Engineers
Institute of Radio Engineers
The Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
and its successor organization, the IEEE. He was editor-in-chief of Proceedings of the IRE (1956–1957), member of the IRE board of directors (1949–1951 and 1956–1960), president of the IRE (beginning 1958), general manager and later executive director of IEEE (1963–1974) and, after retiring in 1974, "Director Emeritus for life". At the IEEE, he played an important role in guiding the institute through its formative years and in expanding the role of the institute from the technical and scientific study of engineering to an expanded view of engineering that also encompassed its professional and societal aspects. In retirement, he continued to edit two major handbooks published by the IEEE, the Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers and the Electronics Engineers' Handbook. He chaired the United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
science programs from 1976 to 1981.
Contributions to television
Fink was a pioneer in the development of televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
; the New York Times writes that his 1940 textbook, Principles of TV Engineering, "became a standard text for people working in television development". He chaired the IRE Television System Committee, and was a member of the NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
committee in the early 1950s; the 525-line resolution of NTSC television was his proposal. He also wrote two more books on television, Television Engineering and Physics of Television, and edited Television Standards and Practice, Color Television Standards, and the Television Engineering Handbook.
Awards and honors
Fink was honored for his wartime service by the Medal of Freedom (1946) and a President's Certificate of MeritPresident's Certificate of Merit
The President's Certificate of Merit was created June 6, 1946 by Executive Order 9734 signed by US President Harry Truman, "for award by the President or at his direction to any civilian who on or after December 7, 1941 , has performed a meritorious act or service which has aided the United States...
(1948). He became a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the IRE in 1947 "in recognition of his espousal of high standards of technical publishing and for his wartime contributions in the field of electronic aids to navigation"; he was also elected as a fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
American Institute of Electrical Engineers
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
in 1951 and of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 1969. In 1972, the U.S. Army gave him their Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. He received the IEEE Founders Medal
IEEE Founders Medal
The IEEE Founders Medal is an award is presented for outstanding contributions in the leadership, planning, and administration of affairs of great value to the electrical and electronics engineering profession. It may be presented to an individual or team up to three in number...
in 1977, and the IEEE Centennial Medal
IEEE Centennial Medal
The IEEE Centennial Medal was a medal minted and awarded in 1984 to celebrate the Centennial of the founding of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 1884.The medal obverse shows 1884 in calligraphic writing and 1984 in an LCD font...
in 1984. The IEEE Donald G. Fink Prize Paper Award was established in his honor in 1979, and is given annually to "the most outstanding survey, review, or tutorial paper published in the IEEE Transactions, Journals, Magazines, or in the Proceedings of the IEEE between 1 January and 31 December of the preceding year".
Books
Fink wrote or co-authored the following books:- The Prediction of Amplitude of Oscillation in Vacuum Tube Oscillating Circuits. Senior thesis, MIT, 1933.
- Neon Signs: Manufacture, Installation, Maintenance (with Samuel C. Miller). McGraw Hill, 1935.
- Engineering Electronics. McGraw Hill, 1938.
- Principles of Television Engineering. McGraw Hill, 1940.
- Microwave Radar. Radiation Laboratory, 1942.
- Radar Engineering. McGraw Hill, 1947. Spanish edition, Nigar, 1949.
- Théorie et applications des tubes électroniques (in French). Dunod, 1948.
- Television Engineering. McGraw Hill, 1952. Japanese edition, Kindai Kagakusha, 1954.
- Color Television: Simplified Theory and Service Techniques. Philco, 1954.
- Television Engineering Handbook. McGraw Hill, 1957.
- The Physics of Television (with David M. Luytens). Anchor, 1960. Translated into Afrikaans, Chinese, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish.
- Computers and the Human Mind: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence. Heinemann Educational, 1968.
- Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers, 10th ed. (with John M. Carroll). McGraw Hill, 1968. The 11th-15th editions removed Carroll's name and added that of H. Wayne Beaty.
- Electronics Engineers' Handbook (with Alexander A. McKenzie). McGraw Hill, 1975. The 1989 edition removed McKenzie's name and added that of Donald Christiansen.
- Engineers and Electrons: A Century of Electrical Progress (with John D. Ryder). IEEE Press, 1983.
- HDTV: Advanced Television for the 1990s (with K. Blair Benson). McGraw Hill, 1991.