Jack S. Kilby

In 1959 electrical engineer Jack S. Kilby invented the monolithic integrated circuit, which is still widely used in electronic systems. Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, Kilby received a B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Illinois in 1947 and an M.S.E.E. from the University of Wisconsin in 1950.

From 1947 to 1958 he was responsible for the design and development of thick film integrated circuits at the Centralab Division of Globe Union Inc. in Milwaukee. In 1958 he joined Texas Instruments Inc. in Dallas where he was responsible for integrated circuit development and applications. Within a year he had invented the monolithic integrated circuit.

In 1970 Kilby took a leave of absence from the company to work as an individual inventor. Much of his work was directed toward the development of a novel solar energy system.

In 2000, he received the Nobel Prize in physics for his work with the integrated circuit.