Jun 4 2008
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has announced that Robert G. Fulks is the recipient of the 2008 IEEE Joseph F. Keithley Award in Instrumentation and Measurement. Fulks, of North Chatham, MA, is a retired vice president at GenRad, Inc. and is being recognized for pioneering developments in automated measurements. The award, sponsored by Keithley Instruments, Inc. and in memory of the company's founder Joseph F. Keithley, recognizes outstanding contributions in electrical measurement and consists of a bronze medal, a certificate, and an honorarium.
Fulks joined GenRad, Inc. in 1959 where he developed the first automatically balancing bridge for precise measurement of capacitance, an important parameter of electronic components. His work has improved the efficiency and reduced the cost of system and component manufacturing. Fulks' accomplishments made a large impact in the field of electronics test measurements and are considered to be the seeds for what are now major segments of the testing sector. Many of these systems were used by major computer companies, as well as the U.S. Navy, to test and repair circuit boards at field repair sites, on ships, and in submarines.
Fulks is also a former chairman of the IEEE committee that developed the popular HPIB (IEEE-488) instrumentation interface standard. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1959.
Criteria considered by the award's IEEE Evaluation Committee include innovation or development, social value, uniqueness of concept, other technical accomplishments, and the quality of the nomination. The award is administered through the Technical Field Awards Council of the IEEE Awards Board and is independent of Keithley Instruments.