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 on January 25, 1925. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the Georgia Tech, followed by a Master of Science and Doctor of Science in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1947.

Career

He took a job with Bell Telephone Laboratories 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's science advisor.Lyons, Richard D. (August 20, 1970). DuBridge Resigns as Nixon's Science Adviser; Computer Expert Named. '' The New York Times'' 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 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 from the Industrial Research Institute 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 Ronson may refer to: People * Barbara Ronson (1942–2018), British Liberal Democrat politician * Billy Ronson (1957–2015), English footballer * Charlotte Ronson (born 1977), English fashion designer in New York * Gail Ronson (born 1946), British ...

. David was elected to both the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 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 and as a life member. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society 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 William Oliver Baker (July 15, 1915 – October 31, 2005) was president of Bell Labs from 1973 to 1979 and advisor on scientific matters to five United States presidents. Biography He was born on July 15, 1915 in Chestertown, Maryland. He receive ...

, his former vice president at Bell Labs. In 1982, while still at Exxon, David was appointed by Governor Thomas Kean 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'' questioning the scientific consensus on global warming.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 The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and burial site of Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th president of the United States (1969–1974), and his wife Pat Nixon. Located in Yorba Linda, California, on land t ...

Dr. Edward E. David, Jr.
via Center for Science and Technology Policy Research

via MIT Corporation
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