Alumni Achievements

The achievements of Rensselaer alumni through the years have had important and far-reaching effect. From the bridge builders of the 19th century to the engineers of space exploration, from the inventors of the Industrial Revolution to the entrepreneurs of today’s computer technology, Rensselaer alumni have helped shape our world.

Alumni of Note

Internationally recognized expert on power semiconductor devices, best known for his invention of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)
Co-creator and director of World War II’s legendary fighting Seabees, who rapidly built docks, landing strips, and other critical facilities in every theater of operation during the war

Regarded as the founder of the American television industry who developed the first commercially practical cathode ray tube for television

Helped launch the field of microbial genomics and reported the first complete genome sequence of a free-living organism
Educator in thermodynamics and cryogenics and the first woman in the U.S. to receive a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
Manufacturers of scientific instruments
Known for his work in the fields of lasers, quantum electronics, nonlinear optics, and atomic physics, he is recognized for profoundly influential contributions to the science of light

One of the world’s foremost authorities on optical communications

Father of the microprocessor

Developed the ultraviolet absorber that became the most effective and leading sunscreen in the world

MRI technology innovator, expert in superconducting magnets
Conceived and led the design and development of the “floppy” disk and associated disk drive mechanism
Inventor of the Digital Camera
Developed the first clinically viable high-field MRI scanner and authority on MRI safety

Founder of the Electric Power Research Institute, pioneer in nuclear energy, energy production and policy, and risk analysis

Inventor of e-mail