Edward Emil "Ed" David Jr. (January 25, 1925 – February 13, 2017) was an American

electrical engineer Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

who served as science advisor to President

Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...

and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology from 1970 to 1973.

Early life and education

David was born in

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

on January 25, 1925. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

, followed by a Master of Science and Doctor of Science in electrical engineering from the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

in 1947.

Career

He took a job with

Bell Telephone Laboratories Nokia Bell Labs, originally named Bell Telephone Laboratories (1925–1984), then AT&T Bell Laboratories (1984–1996) and Bell Labs Innovations (1996–2007), is an American industrial research and scientific development company owned by mul ...

and worked there from 1950 to 1970, eventually becoming executive director for communications research. Following the resignation of

Lee A. DuBridge Lee Alvin DuBridge () was an American educator and physicist, best known as president of the California Institute of Technology from 1946–1969. Background Lee Alvin DuBridge was born on , in Terre Haute, Indiana. His father was Fred DuBridge, ...

, David was appointed as

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

's science advisor.Lyons, Richard D. (August 20, 1970). DuBridge Resigns as Nixon's Science Adviser; Computer Expert Named. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' David resigned in 1973, citing "disappointment that his advice had not been heeded."Lyons, Richard D. (January 3, 1973). Science Adviser to Nixon Leaving for Industry Job. ''The New York Times'' He then took a position as executive vice president of R&D and planning at

Gould Electronics Gould Electronics Inc. was a manufacturer of electronics and batteries that branched into other fields before being partially absorbed in 1988 by Nippon Mining (now JX Holdings) and closed by them in 2014. History Gould was founded in 1928 a ...

from 1973 to 1977. He founded consulting group EED, Inc. in 1977, advising industry, government, and universities on technology, research, and innovation management. He was the president of research and engineering at

Exxon ExxonMobil Corporation (commonly shortened to Exxon) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, and was formed on November 30, ...

from 1977 to 1986.

National Academies Press The US National Academies Press (NAP) was created to publish the reports issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Research C ...

(2006). ''Science and Technology in the National Interest'', page 57. In 1983, he was awarded the

IRI Medal The IRI Medal, established by the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) in 1946, recognizes and honors leaders of technology for their outstanding accomplishments in technological innovation which contribute broadly to the development of industry and ...

from the

Industrial Research Institute Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) is a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, a nonprofit association based in Washington, D. C., United States. IRI was founded as a private non-profit in 1938 and merged with the NAM in 2022. IR ...

in recognition for his leadership contributions. He joined the Washington Advisory Group in 1997, serving as treasurer until 2004. He also served as director of Ronson. David was elected to both the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...

and the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

in 1966. In 1970 he was elected to the United States

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

. In 1974, he was elected to the

MIT Corporation The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...

and as a life member. He was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

in 1979. He was awarded The Delmer S. Fahrney Medal in 1985. David was also active in public service to his adopted state, serving on the board of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology (NJCST) alongside William O. Baker, his former vice president at Bell Labs. In 1982, while still at Exxon, David was appointed by Governor

Thomas Kean Thomas Howard Kean ( ; born April 21, 1935) is an American businessman, academic administrator and politician. A member of the Republican Party, Kean served as the 48th governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Following his tenure as governor, ...

to the governor's study commission that led to formation of the NJCST. Once the NJCST became a statutory agency with responsibility for the state's programs in science & technology-based economic development in 1985, David was re-appointed to its board and served as chair of its budget committee. During this period, he also chaired the Governor's Roundtable on (High-Temperature) Superconductivity, which was staffed by the NJCST. He left the NJCST board in 1990."Annual Report of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, Covering Fiscal Year Ending July 1, 1990." February 15, 1991. In 2012, David was a co-signatory of an op-ed in ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' questioning the scientific consensus on

global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

.No Need to Panic About Global Warming
January 27, 2012

Death

David died at his home in

Bedminster, New Jersey Bedminster is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 8,165, reflecting a decline of 137 (−1.7%) from the 8,302 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in t ...

on February 13, 2017, aged 92.

References

External links

Edward E. David
via Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
Dr. Edward E. David, Jr.
via Center for Science and Technology Policy Research

via

Biography of Edward E. David Jr.
from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) {{DEFAULTSORT:David, Edward E. Jr. 1925 births 2017 deaths American electrical engineers Engineers from New Jersey Engineers from North Carolina Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering Nixon administration personnel Office of Science and Technology Policy officials People from Bedminster, New Jersey People from Wilmington, North Carolina Members of the American Philosophical Society