Trio of April Events Celebrates Innovation at Illinois

On April 23-24, 2010, one hundred and forty years of engineering innovation will be celebrated with a trio of special events themed “Transforming the World, One Generation at a Time.” Special events include the inaugural Engineering at Illinois Dean’s Distinguished Leadership Lecture, featuring alumnus Thomas Siebel, induction of the initial class of the College of Engineering Hall of Fame, and the TEC TEN Symposium.

“The Dean’s Distinguished Leadership Lecture brings eminent leaders and foremost experts to the campus to share knowledge and facilitate discussions among students, faculty, alumni, and the community on important challenges impacting the global society,” said Ilesanmi Adesida, dean of the College of Engineering. “We are honored to have Tom Siebel as our first distinguished lecturer.  His professional accomplishments exemplify the excellence associated with Engineering at Illinois.  His personal contributions as a member of the College of Engineering Board of Visitors are invaluable.” 

On Friday, April 23, the Dean’s Distinguished Leadership Lecture will feature Illinois alumnus Thomas Siebel at 4 p.m. in 1404 Siebel Center for Computer Science. In his presentation, “IT to ET: The Dynamics of Innovation and Opportunity,” Siebel will discuss global demographic, technology, and geopolitical dynamics in an attempt to infer trends in the nature of prospective economic and technological opportunity.

Thomas Siebel is the chairman of First Virtual Group, a diversified holding company with interests in commercial real estate, agribusiness, global investment management, and philanthropy. He also is the founder and chairman of C3, an energy and emissions management company. An active philanthropist, Siebel is the founder and chairman of the Siebel Scholars Foundation and the Meth Project Foundation, initiatives of the Siebel Foundation.

As a cornerstone of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Weekend, the College of Engineering has established a Hall of Fame, which recognizes Illinois engineering alumni, and others affiliated with the college, who have significant achievements in leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation of great impact to society. The Engineering at Illinois Hall of Fame creates a timeless tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit and societal impact embodied in engineering education at Illinois.

Following Siebel’s presentation, at 5:15 p.m., will be the inauguration of the 2010 Engineering at Illinois Hall of Fame. Initial honorees include:

• John Bardeen, co-inventor of the transistor and co-creator of the fundamental theory of superconductivity, known as the BCS theory. The late U of I professor is the only two-time winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics (1956 and 1972). 
• William W. Grainger (BS Electrical Engineering), entrepreneurship and innovation pioneer, founder and chief executive of W. W. Grainger, Inc.
•  Jack S. Kilby (BS Electrical Engineering), co-inventor of the integrated circuit, the hand-held calculator, and the thermal printer used in portable data terminals; won the Nobel Prize in Physics (2000).
• Harlan E. Anderson (BS Engineering Physics, MS Physics), computer pioneer and co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, the world’s first minicomputer company.
• Marc L. Andreessen (BS Computer Science), co-author of Mosaic, the first widely used web browser that transformed the exchange of information; co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation, which produced the Netscape Navigator web browser.
• Eric J. Bina (BS, MS Computer Science), co-author of Mosaic, the first widely used web browser that transformed the exchange of information; co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation, which produced the Netscape Navigator web browser.
• Donald L. Bitzer (BS, MS, PhD Electrical Engineering, ), inventor of the plasma display monitor--forerunner of the modern flat panel television screen-- and co-developer of PLATO, the first computer-based interactive educational network and home of the first online community.
• George M. C. Fisher (BS Civil Engineering), worldwide entrepreneurial leader, former president and CEO of Motorola, and retired CEO of Eastman Kodak Company.
• Nick Holonyak, Jr.(BS, MS, PhD Electrical Engineering), inventor of the light emitting diode (LED) and a contributor to the first practical quantum well laser, which enabled modern fiber optics communication.
• Shahid R. Khan, (BS Industrial Engineering), global entrepreneur and innovator forging new applications of technology as president of Flex-N-Gate Corporation, a global automobile parts manufacturer.
• Gerald E. McGinnis (BS Mechanical Engineering), international business leader and chairman of the board of Respironics, Inc. leading the company in the production of the first CPAP machine.
• Walter J. (Jerry) Sanders, III (BS Electrical Engineering), international entrepreneur, co-founder and retired CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. a multinational semiconductor manufacturer that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer products.
• Thomas M. Siebel (MS Computer Science), technology entrepreneur, founder, chairman, and CEO of Siebel Systems, a global leader in application software and recognized as one of the world’s preeminent software companies.

The Engineering at Illinois Dean’s Distinguished Leadership Lecture and Hall of Fame Ceremony are free and open to those who register to attend at www.engineering.illinois.edu/halloffame.

On Saturday, April 24, the Technology Entrepreneur Center (TEC) will hold its TEC TEN Symposium, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the iHotel and Conference Center.

"The symposium brings together Illinois alumni and students and the technology community,” explained TEC director Andrew C. Singer. “Our goal is to connect innovative thinkers, showcase best practices in entrepreneurship, and encourage the creation of unique and transformative ideas.”

The symposium presentations and discussions will be led by Illinois’ alumni and friends who are entrepreneurial leaders in their fields. The agenda includes topics such as: opportunity recognition, funding a venture in various geographic regions, understanding how customers influence new products and ventures, and what the future holds for technology innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Cost for the TEC Ten Symposium: $25 Students; $40 University of Illinois faculty, staff, and alumni; and $75 business community/other. Further information and registration: http://tec.illinois.edu/tecten.

Celebrating 10 years, TEC provides extraordinary support through education, experience, and resources, to students pursuing entrepreneurship and technology commercialization, with a concentration on engineering and science students just beginning their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Photo of the Engineering Quad by Phantasm.