Births on March 11

Vannevar Bush, American engineer and academic (d. 1974)

Vannevar Bush (pronounced van-NEE-var; March 11, 1890 – June 28, 1974) was a towering figure in American science and technology, an extraordinary engineer, prolific inventor, and visionary science administrator whose influence profoundly shaped the course of the 20th century. During the crucible of World War II, he famously spearheaded the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD), an organization that effectively became the nerve center for nearly all critical wartime military R&D. Under his astute leadership, the OSRD drove groundbreaking advancements in areas like radar and played an instrumental role in both the initiation and early administration of the top-secret Manhattan Project. Beyond the immediate demands of war, Bush was a fervent advocate for the crucial link between scientific research and both national security and economic prosperity, an enduring philosophy that ultimately led to the creation of the National Science Foundation, one of his most significant and lasting legacies.

Early Life, Academia, and Entrepreneurship

Born in Everett, Massachusetts, Vannevar Bush’s journey into the scientific realm began with a deep passion for electrical engineering. His academic prowess led him to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering in 1919. It wasn't long before his entrepreneurial spirit also took flight; in 1922, he co-founded what would eventually evolve into the renowned Raytheon Company, a testament to his practical ingenuity and business acumen. Bush’s star continued to rise at MIT, culminating in his appointment as Vice President and Dean of the MIT School of Engineering in 1932. His administrative talents were further recognized when he became president of the Carnegie Institution of Washington in 1938, an organization dedicated to scientific discovery, signaling his growing influence beyond purely academic circles.

Pioneering Inventions: From Analog Computers to the Memex

Throughout his illustrious career, Vannevar Bush was not merely an administrator; he was a hands-on inventor, holding a string of patents for his own ingenious creations. He is perhaps most celebrated for his foundational engineering work in the field of analog computing and for conceptualizing the groundbreaking device known as the memex.

The Differential Analyzer: A Leap in Analog Computing

Beginning in 1927, Bush embarked on constructing the differential analyzer, a sophisticated analog computer that ingeniously incorporated some digital components. This remarkable machine was capable of solving complex differential equations with an astonishing eighteen independent variables, a feat that was revolutionary for its time. This pioneering work at MIT, undertaken by Bush and his collaborators, was a critical precursor to many future developments, effectively laying some of the theoretical groundwork for modern digital circuit design.

The Visionary Memex and "As We May Think"

In the 1930s, heavily influenced by Emanuel Goldberg's "Statistical Machine" from 1928, Bush began developing the concept of the memex. This hypothetical device was envisioned as an adjustable microfilm viewer, featuring a structure strikingly analogous to what we now understand as hypertext. Bush's conceptualization of the memex, coupled with his seminal 1945 essay, "As We May Think," published in The Atlantic, profoundly impacted generations of computer scientists and technologists. His visionary ideas about how information could be stored, linked, and retrieved for human use provided immense inspiration, effectively forecasting aspects of the internet and personal computing decades before their realization.

Wartime Leadership: Steering Scientific R&D for Victory

As the shadow of World War II loomed, Vannevar Bush's exceptional organizational skills and foresight became indispensable. In 1938, he was appointed to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), swiftly rising to become its chairman. However, his most pivotal roles in the war effort began with his appointment as chairman of the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC), and later, as the director of the all-encompassing Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD). In these capacities, Bush masterfully coordinated the efforts of an astonishing six thousand leading American scientists, marshaling the nation's scientific might for wartime applications. He emerged as a well-known policymaker and influential public intellectual during the war, effectively serving as the nation's first presidential science advisor. It was through his leadership of the NDRC and OSRD that the highly secret Manhattan Project was initiated, and crucially, he ensured that this monumental undertaking received the highest priority from the uppermost echelons of government, a testament to his unique blend of scientific understanding and political acumen.

Shaping Post-War Science Policy: The National Science Foundation

Even as the war concluded, Vannevar Bush was already looking ahead to the future of American science. In his influential 1945 report to the President of the United States, titled "Science, The Endless Frontier," he passionately argued for a significant expansion of government support for scientific research. This landmark document laid out a compelling case for ongoing federal investment in basic science as essential for national health, security, and economic growth. Bush vigorously pressed for the creation of a new, independent government agency dedicated to this purpose, a vision that directly led to the establishment of the National Science Foundation. This institution continues to fund fundamental research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering, standing as a living embodiment of Bush's enduring legacy and his belief in the transformative power of organized scientific inquiry.

FAQs About Vannevar Bush

Who was Vannevar Bush?

Vannevar Bush was a prominent American engineer, inventor, and science administrator, best known for his leadership of the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) during World War II and for his conceptualization of the memex, which influenced modern computing.

What was his role in World War II?

During World War II, Vannevar Bush headed the OSRD, coordinating nearly all military R&D, including critical advancements in radar and the initiation and early oversight of the Manhattan Project. He was, in effect, the first presidential science advisor.

What is the memex?

The memex was a hypothetical device envisioned by Vannevar Bush in the 1930s, designed as an adjustable microfilm viewer with a structure analogous to modern hypertext. His essay "As We May Think" detailed this concept, inspiring generations of computer scientists.

What is the National Science Foundation, and how is Bush related?

The National Science Foundation is an independent U.S. government agency that supports fundamental research and education in science and engineering. Vannevar Bush was chiefly responsible for the movement that led to its creation, advocating for it in his 1945 report "Science, The Endless Frontier."

Did he invent the computer?

While Vannevar Bush did not invent the modern digital computer, his work on analog computers, particularly the differential analyzer in the 1920s, was groundbreaking for its time. More significantly, his theoretical work on the memex and his ideas expressed in "As We May Think" profoundly influenced the development of personal computing and information management concepts, including hypertext, laying a conceptual groundwork for future digital innovations.