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Revolutionary thinking was infused in the DNA of the Stevens family, whose name is borne by the innovative university that has spawned more change and groundbreaking progress than founder Edwin A. Stevens could have envisioned when, in 1868, he bequeathed to the nation “an institute of mechanical engineering.”
The year 2010 will mark the 140th anniversary of the day the doors opened at this remarkable institution, which has stood watch since 1870 over a growing global metropolis from its 100-foot promontory above the Hudson River, encouraging the dawning of one American century, and now dedicated to educating a bold class of leaders to manage and master the global century that beckons.
With Founder’s Day, on Feb. 15, 2010, Stevens will begin a year of celebrations that will manifest the historic significance of the Stevens family’s contributions and the university they founded.
Beginning with Col. John Stevens’ friendship with General George Washington and his dedication to the Revolutionary cause, through the achievements of the Colonel’s sons in industrial engineering, steam power, shipping and railroad design, down to the Stevens alumni who proved so crucial to the development of industry in the 20th century, and on to the young entrepreneurial leaders of the future – the full glory of the Stevens narrative will be on display, and all are encouraged to participate in the celebration.
Among the commemorative activities planned to mark this milestone year include: alumni and student events; scholarly lectures and panel discussions that will bring thought-leaders in a variety of fields to the Hoboken campus; video and multimedia tributes to the founding family and the university; an update to the official Stevens history book published in 2000; and celebrations of those illustrious alumni whose impact is still being felt, at home and around the globe, by millions.
It is undeniable that the modern world would be a very different place without the likes of Frederick Winslow Taylor, Class of 1883, the visionary founder of scientific management, who, while still a student, observed prophetically: “In tomorrow’s enterprise, the knowledge worker will be freed to release creative energy that will result in an era of enormous innovation and discovery, fulfilling the potential and promise of the mind.”
Charles Stewart Mott, Class of 1897, with his co-founding of General Motors, revolutionized the individual’s freedom of mobility in an ever-expanding world of opportunity; Eugene McDermott ’19 and the co-founders of Texas Instruments could reliably be said to have set in motion the semi-conductor explosion that would characterize worldwide technological innovation from the 1970s to the present; Samuel Prescott Bush, Class of 1884, not only operated a highly successful industrial casting and railroad components giant but also gave rise to an American political dynasty.
Frederick Reines ’39, M.S. ’41, detected the subatomic world of the neutrino and was honored as a Nobel Laureate for his achievement. Aaron B. Cohen, M.S. ’58, headed NASA’s program office for the Apollo command and service modules and eventually directed the Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston during the Space Shuttle era.
In recent years, author and journalist Richard Reeves ’60 has chronicled the lives of four presidents in his renowned biographies and critical histories, and conducted research in the Stevens Department of Physics and Engineering Physics to produce a science-based biography of physicist Ernest Rutherford. His classmate, Frank Fernan-dez ’60, directed the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency at a crucial time in the post-Cold War era. Mark Crispin ’77 worked on the early incarnations of the Internet and invented the IMAP protocol that made early e-mail communication possible. Continuing a tradition that began with Louis Alan Hazeltine, Class of 1906, and the invention of the neutrodyne receiver, Nate Davis ’76 pioneered the world of satellite radio.
Where would the telecommunications industry be without the leadership of Stevens alumni who have served as giants in the field? From the Chairman of the Stevens Board of Trustees Lawrence T. Babbio, Jr. ’66, to AT&T veteran and Sprint board member Frank Ianna ’71, to AT&T’s Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer Edward Amoroso, M.S. ’86, Ph.D. ’92, and Stevens Trustees Richard Roscitt ’73 and Verizon Telecom President Virginia P. Ruesterholz ’83, this is a rich legacy that must be noted and appreciated.
And looking to the future, we are inspired by the promise of the dozens of student senior-design teams who every year display incredible ingenuity, with projects that are worthy of inclusion at professional technology expos. The examples of cooperative and experiential education students, like those who several years ago designed important functional components for the Mars Rover missions Spirit and Opportunity, and others who excel in the biomedical, pharmaceutical and aerospace fields, all show that there are major chapters yet to be written in this remarkable story of technology leadership.
Watch these pages for more details on the Stevens 140th Anniversary and its celebration in the year 2010.
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