Joseph Warren Barker (June 17, 1891 – December 10, 1975) was an American electrical and mechanical engineer, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

,"Joseph Barker, 84, Dean at Columbia" New York Times, Dec. 12, 1975 and 75th president of the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...

in the year 1956-57.

Biography

Family

His daughter was longtime

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

state representative

Betty Hall Beatrice Perin Barker Hall (March 18, 1921 – April 26, 2018) was an American politician from the state of New Hampshire. Hall served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives for a total of 28 years, serving non-consecutively from 1970 unt ...

Youth and early career

Barker was born in

Lawrence, Massachusetts Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and Nort ...

in 1891, son of Frederick Barker and Alice Ann (Alletson) Barker. He started his studies at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

in the year 1909-10. Then he moved to

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 ...

, where he obtained his BSc in

Electrical Engineering 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 ...

in 1916.''Who's who in Commerce and Industry.'' Volume 8. 1953. p. 102 After his graduation in 1916 he enlisted in the U.S Navy, where he served

United States Army Coast Artillery Corps The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an administrative corps responsible for coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft defense of the United States and its possessions between 1901 and 1950. The CAC also operated heavy and railway artillery d ...

in 1916-17 and 1923-24. He resigned as Army officer in 1925, and got appointed associate professor of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Next at the Lehigh University he was professor of electrical engineering.

Further career and honours

From 1930 to 1946 Barker served as Dean of Engineering at

. In World War II he was special assistant to Secretary of the Navy

Frank Knox William Franklin Knox (January 1, 1874 – April 28, 1944) was an American politician, newspaper editor and publisher. He was also the Republican vice presidential candidate in 1936, and Secretary of the Navy under Franklin D. Roosevelt during ...

in Washington. As chief of the Division of Training Liaison Coordination he reorganizing the training and education program for the U.S. Navy. Afterwards he was awarded the

Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award {{infobox military award , name = , image = DON Distinguished Civilian Service.png , image_size = 100px , caption = Department of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Medal , presenter = Departm ...

. Barker retired from Columbia in 1946, and next until 1974 served as president and board chairman of the Research Corporation, a science advancement foundation. In the year 1956-57 he also served as president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Barker was awarded an honorary doctorate from

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...

in 1940; an LL.D. from Bucknell University also in 1940; and an honorary doctorate of engineering from Case School of Applied Science, now Case School of Engineering.John W. Leonard, Winfield Scott Downs, M. M. Lewis. ''Who's who in Engineering,'' Volume 8. 1959. p. 117

Selected publications

* Joseph Warren Barker, ''Technique of economic studies of lighting in industry,'' 1927. * Joseph Warren Barker, ''Research Corporation (1912–1952): Dedicated to Progress in Education and Science.'' New York: Newcomen Society in North America, 1952

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Joseph Warren 1891 births 1975 deaths American electrical engineers American mechanical engineers MIT School of Engineering alumni MIT School of Engineering faculty Lehigh University faculty Columbia University faculty People from Lawrence, Massachusetts Presidents of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 20th-century American engineers American university and college faculty deans Electrical engineering academics United States Army Coast Artillery Corps personnel Military personnel from Massachusetts University of Chicago alumni 20th-century American academics