William B. Kouwenhoven
Encyclopedia
William Bennett Kouwenhoven (13 January 1886 – 10 November 1975), was an electrical engineer who developed closed-chest cardiac massage, part of CPR and also invented the first cardiac defibrillator.
, and received his B.E. from Brooklyn Polytechnic in New York, and his Ph.D. from the Karlsruhe Technische Hochschule in Germany
in 1913. Kouwenhoven was an IEEE Fellow
, recipient of the IEEE Edison Medal in 1961. He also received the Power Life Award and the Albert Lasker
Medical Research Award.
He researched the electrophysiology of the heart and discovered the effects of electricity on the heart including defibrillation.
While a student at Brooklyn Polytech, Dr. Kouwenhoven joined Pi Kappa Phi
fraternity on February 25, 1929.
Biography
He was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, and received his B.E. from Brooklyn Polytechnic in New York, and his Ph.D. from the Karlsruhe Technische Hochschule in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1913. Kouwenhoven was an IEEE Fellow
IEEE Fellow
An IEEE member is elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow for "unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred by the Board of Directors upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest"...
, recipient of the IEEE Edison Medal in 1961. He also received the Power Life Award and the Albert Lasker
Lasker Award
The Lasker Awards have been awarded annually since 1946 to living persons who have made major contributions to medical science or who have performed public service on behalf of medicine. They are administered by the Lasker Foundation, founded by advertising pioneer Albert Lasker and his wife Mary...
Medical Research Award.
He researched the electrophysiology of the heart and discovered the effects of electricity on the heart including defibrillation.
While a student at Brooklyn Polytech, Dr. Kouwenhoven joined Pi Kappa Phi
Pi Kappa Phi
Pi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina...
fraternity on February 25, 1929.