Herbert Reuben John Grosch (September 13, 1918 – January 18, 2010)[1] was an early computer scientist, perhaps best known for Grosch's law, which he formulated in 1950. Grosch's Law is an aphorism that states "economy is as the square root of the speed."
Grosch moved to the United States where he received his B.S. and PhD in astronomy from the University of Michigan in 1942. In 1945, he was hired by IBM to do backup calculations for the Manhattan Project working at Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory at Columbia University. According to an IBM history, he had been previously employed as an optical engineer in defense industry and was eager to return to research.[3] In 1951, he went on to work on Project Whirlwind at MIT, and on other early computer projects at General Electric. Back at IBM, he served as their first space program manager in 1958-1959.
Grosch received the Association for Computing Machinery Fellows Award in 1995, and the citation that accompanied it read, "A computer pioneer who managed important space and technology projects, Grosch is respected for discovering and describing the relationship between speed and cost of computers."
He was the second scientist hired by IBM (after Wallace J. Eckert) and the first employee at that company with facial hair, at a time when beards were prohibited by IBM.
On Grosch's religious views, he was an atheist.[4]
Elements and Ephemeris of Delaporte Object 1936 CA, with Maxwell, Allan D, Publications of the Observatory of the University of Michigan, Vol.6, No.11 (1937).
Integration Orbit and Mean Elements of Jupiter's Eighth Satellite, Ph. D. dissertation, University of Michigan (April 1942).
Positions of Pluto, with J.E. Willis, Astronomical Journal, Vol.50, No.14 (June 1942), pp. 14–15.
Ray Tracing on IBM Punched Card Equipment, Journal of the Optical Society of America, Vol.35, 803A (1945).
Bibliography on the Use of IBM Machines in Scientific Research, Statistics, and Education, IBM (1945).
Harmonic Analysis by the Use of Progressive Digiting, Proceedings of the 1946 Research Forum, IBM (1946).
The Orbit of the Eighth Satellite of Jupiter, Astronomical Journal, Vol.53, No.180 (1948) (a condensed published form of Grosch's 1942 Ph. D. thesis).
Ray Tracing with the IBM Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator, Journal of the Optical Society of America, Vol.39, 1059A (1949).
Multiplication of Small Matrices, IBM, New York (1 Jun 1949).
Proceedings of the 1948 Scientific Computation Forum (ed.), IBM (1950).
The Use of Optimum Interval Mathematical Tables, Proceedings of the 1948 Scientific Computation Forum, IBM (1950).
Bibliography on Chebyshev Polynomials and Their Use as Optimum Approximation Functions, Proeceedings of the 1949 Scientific Computation Seminar, IBM (1951).
A New Level of Instruction in Celestial Mechanics, Astronomical Journal, Vol.63 (1958).
Computer: Bit Slices From a Life. Third Millennium Books. 1991. ISBN0-88733-085-1. (Third edition online in 2003)
Referencesedit
^"Computing Pioneer Herbert Grosch, Dead at 91". ACM. January 29, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
^ abMertz, Richard R. (July 15, 1970). "Herbert R. Grosch Oral History Interview, Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977" (PDF). Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. (PDF) from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
^Brennan, Jean Ford, The IBM Watson Laboratory at Columbia University: A History, IBM, Armonk, New York, February 18, 1971
^Grosch, Herbert (July 15, 1970). "Smithsonian National Museum of American History - Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 - Interview with Herbert R. Grosch" (PDF). Retrieved 12 April 2012. I made them quit essentially. When I was nine years old I decided that I was an atheist. So I told them, "Well you shouldn't go to church anymore, it's silly." Well, apparently they'd been going to church primarily for my benefit. So after I refused to go, they quit going too.
External linksedit
Columbia University information on Grosch
Interview with Grosch in ACM IT magazine
January 01, 1970
herb, grosch, herbert, reuben, john, grosch, september, 1918, january, 2010, early, computer, scientist, perhaps, best, known, grosch, which, formulated, 1950, grosch, aphorism, that, states, economy, square, root, speed, contents, biography, professorships, p. Herbert Reuben John Grosch September 13 1918 January 18 2010 1 was an early computer scientist perhaps best known for Grosch s law which he formulated in 1950 Grosch s Law is an aphorism that states economy is as the square root of the speed Contents 1 Biography 2 Professorships 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksBiography editBorn September 13 1918 in Saskatoon Saskatchewan Grosch was the first baby to survive incubator 2 Grosch moved to Midland Ontario as a child then Pembroke then Chatham and later Windsor Ontario 2 Grosch moved to the United States where he received his B S and PhD in astronomy from the University of Michigan in 1942 In 1945 he was hired by IBM to do backup calculations for the Manhattan Project working at Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory at Columbia University According to an IBM history he had been previously employed as an optical engineer in defense industry and was eager to return to research 3 In 1951 he went on to work on Project Whirlwind at MIT and on other early computer projects at General Electric Back at IBM he served as their first space program manager in 1958 1959 Grosch served as editor of the journal Computerworld from 1973 to 1976 and he was the president of the American Rocket Society which became the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Association for Computing Machinery from 1976 to 1978 Grosch received the Association for Computing Machinery Fellows Award in 1995 and the citation that accompanied it read A computer pioneer who managed important space and technology projects Grosch is respected for discovering and describing the relationship between speed and cost of computers He was the second scientist hired by IBM after Wallace J Eckert and the first employee at that company with facial hair at a time when beards were prohibited by IBM On Grosch s religious views he was an atheist 4 Professorships editColumbia University 1946 1951 Arizona State College 1956 Boston University 1972 NMSU Las Cruces 1994 University of Nevada Las Vegas 2002 Distinguished Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology University of Toronto 2003 2010 Publications editElements and Ephemeris of Delaporte Object 1936 CA with Maxwell Allan D Publications of the Observatory of the University of Michigan Vol 6 No 11 1937 Integration Orbit and Mean Elements of Jupiter s Eighth Satellite Ph D dissertation University of Michigan April 1942 Positions of Pluto with J E Willis Astronomical Journal Vol 50 No 14 June 1942 pp 14 15 Ray Tracing on IBM Punched Card Equipment Journal of the Optical Society of America Vol 35 803A 1945 Bibliography on the Use of IBM Machines in Scientific Research Statistics and Education IBM 1945 Harmonic Analysis by the Use of Progressive Digiting Proceedings of the 1946 Research Forum IBM 1946 The Orbit of the Eighth Satellite of Jupiter Astronomical Journal Vol 53 No 180 1948 a condensed published form of Grosch s 1942 Ph D thesis Ray Tracing with the IBM Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator Journal of the Optical Society of America Vol 39 1059A 1949 Multiplication of Small Matrices IBM New York 1 Jun 1949 Proceedings of the 1948 Scientific Computation Forum ed IBM 1950 The Use of Optimum Interval Mathematical Tables Proceedings of the 1948 Scientific Computation Forum IBM 1950 Bibliography on Chebyshev Polynomials and Their Use as Optimum Approximation Functions Proeceedings of the 1949 Scientific Computation Seminar IBM 1951 A New Level of Instruction in Celestial Mechanics Astronomical Journal Vol 63 1958 Computer Bit Slices From a Life Third Millennium Books 1991 ISBN 0 88733 085 1 Third edition online in 2003 References edit Computing Pioneer Herbert Grosch Dead at 91 ACM January 29 2010 Retrieved February 23 2010 a b Mertz Richard R July 15 1970 Herbert R Grosch Oral History Interview Computer Oral History Collection 1969 1973 1977 PDF Archives Center National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution Archived PDF from the original on July 8 2022 Retrieved July 7 2022 Brennan Jean Ford The IBM Watson Laboratory at Columbia University A History IBM Armonk New York February 18 1971 Grosch Herbert July 15 1970 Smithsonian National Museum of American History Computer Oral History Collection 1969 1973 1977 Interview with Herbert R Grosch PDF Retrieved 12 April 2012 I made them quit essentially When I was nine years old I decided that I was an atheist So I told them Well you shouldn t go to church anymore it s silly Well apparently they d been going to church primarily for my benefit So after I refused to go they quit going too External links editColumbia University information on Grosch Paper by Grosch The Grosch papers at the Smithsonian Interview with Grosch in ACM IT magazine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Herb Grosch amp oldid 1212675323, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
