Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Great Iowa State ECpE Innovators

Since 1914 when Iowa State University electrical engineering alumnus Paul Spencer Clapp served as an engineer on the first transcontinental telephone line, Iowa State electrical and computer engineering alumni across the world have spent their careers developing and implementing technological innovations that greatly impact industry and society.

Below are just a small few of the great innovators to graduate from Iowa State's electrical and computer engineering programs.

Great Innovators from ECpE


Howard O. Lorenzen (BSEE '35), "Father of Electronic Warfare"


David R. Ditzel (BSEE '78), Coauthor of "The Case for the Reduced Instruction Set Computer" and founder of Transmeta Corp.


David L. Carlson (MSEE '61; PhDEE '64),
Inventor of Infant Respiratory Augmentor



Donald Linder (BSEE '65), Leader of Motorola Team that Developed World's First Portable Phone





For more information on great innovators, see our Research Innovations timeline.