Paul Edward Gray (February 7, 1932 – September 18, 2017) was the 14th president of the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of th ...

. He is known for his accomplishments in promoting engineering education, practice, and leadership at MIT and in the world at large.

Early life and education

Born in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...

in 1932, Gray graduated from MIT in 1954 with a SB in electrical engineering, and was a member of the

Phi Sigma Kappa Phi Sigma Kappa (), colloquially known as Phi Sig or PSK, is a men's social and academic Fraternities and sororities, fraternity with approximately 74 List of Phi Sigma Kappa chapters#List of Chapters, active chapters and provisional chapters in ...

fraternity. He subsequently obtained an SM and ScD from MIT in 1955 and 1960, both in electrical engineering, and served as an electronics instructor in the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

from 1955-1957.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

As an MIT professor, Gray specialized in researching and teaching

semiconductor electronics A semiconductor device is an electronic component that relies on the electronic properties of a semiconductor material (primarily silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as organic semiconductors) for its function. Its conductivity li ...

and

circuit theory Circuit may refer to: Science and technology Electrical engineering * Electrical circuit, a complete electrical network with a closed-loop giving a return path for current ** Analog circuit, uses continuous signal levels ** Balanced circui ...

. In 1969, he co-authored ''Electronic principles: Physics, models, and circuits'', which became a standard textbook on fundamental principles of solid-state electronics technology. Gray rapidly rose through the MIT administration, serving as associate dean for student affairs (1965-1967), associate provost (1969-1970), and then dean of the

School of Engineering Engineering education is the activity of teaching knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering. It includes an initial education (bachelor's and/or master's degree), and any advanced education and specializations that ...

(1970-1971). Under MIT president

Jerome Wiesner Jerome Bert Wiesner (May 30, 1915 – October 21, 1994) was a professor of electrical engineering, chosen by President John F. Kennedy as chairman of his Science Advisory Committee (PSAC). Educated at the University of Michigan, Wiesner was asso ...

, Gray served as chancellor (1971-1980). From 1980-1990, he served as president of MIT, and then as chairman of the MIT Corporation (1990-1997). At MIT, Gray is credited with helping to establish the

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program An Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program provides funding and/or credit to undergraduate students who volunteer for faculty-mentored research projects pertaining to all academic disciplines. Participating universities Universities involve ...

(UROP), the Leaders for Manufacturing program, and the ongoing affiliation with the

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a non-profit research institute located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States that is dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research. It was founded as a fiscally indepen ...

. He led the Task Force on Educational Opportunity (1968-1973), and encouraged undergraduate curriculum reforms in the 1980s that strengthened the humanities, social sciences, and biology. He broadened MIT's traditional engineering programs to also encourage development of management skills. In 1982, Gray became an inaugural member of Ronald Reagan's White House Science Council, where he served for four years. He was a member of the Council's Panel on the Health of Universities, and was also vice chairman of the Council on Competitiveness. After retiring from chairmanship of MIT, Gray returned to teaching and advising undergraduate students. He was a professor of electrical engineering and president emeritus of MIT, and a life fellow of the

IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a 501(c)(3) professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering (and associated disciplines) with its corporate office in New York City and its operati ...

. Gray died on September 18, 2017 in

Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is near where the co ...

from complications of

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As ...

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Paul Edward 1932 births 2017 deaths MIT School of Engineering faculty Presidents of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology American electrical engineers Fellow Members of the IEEE Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering Neurological disease deaths in Massachusetts Deaths from Alzheimer's disease