Born: February 21, 1924 (New York City)
Died: February 15, 2014
Biography:
Thelma Estrin (née Austern; February 21, 1924 – February 15, 2014) was an American computer scientist and engineer who made significant contributions in the fields of expert systems and biomedical engineering. Throughout her career, she pioneered the application of computer technology in healthcare and medical research, leaving a lasting impact on the field.
Thelma Austern was born in New York City in 1924 and attended public schools in the city. Demonstrating a remarkable aptitude for mathematics at an early age, she began her higher education at the City College of New York (CCNY) in 1941. It was during her time at CCNY that she met Gerald Estrin, her future husband. They got married when she was only 17 years old.
In 1942, while Gerald entered the Army during World War II, Thelma took a three-month engineering assistant course at Stevens Institute of Technology. This experience sparked her interest in engineering, and soon after, she secured a job at Radio Receptor Company, where she gained practical experience in building electronic devices.
In 1946, Thelma and Gerald moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to pursue their undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW). Thelma excelled in her studies and, in 1948, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from UW. She went on to earn her Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in electrical engineering in 1949 and 1951, respectively.
The couple then moved to Princeton, New Jersey, in the early 1950s, where Gerald joined the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and became associated with a group centered around the renowned mathematician John von Neumann. Thelma secured a research position in the Electroencephalograph Department of the Neurological Institute of New York at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. It was during this time that she developed a deep interest in biomedical engineering.
In 1953, Gerald obtained a teaching position at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the couple relocated to Los Angeles. However, due to nepotism policies, Thelma was not able to work at UCLA. Instead, she taught drafting at Los Angeles Valley College in the San Fernando Valley. Around this time, Thelma and Gerald also traveled to Israel, where they played an instrumental role in building the Weizmann Automatic Computer (WEIZAC), the first computer in Israel and the Middle East. This achievement was later recognized as an IEEE Milestone in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
In 1960, Thelma became associated with the Brain Research Institute at UCLA, where she organized the Institute’s Data Processing Laboratory in 1961. From 1970 to [year], she served as the director of the Data Processing Laboratory, furthering her contributions to the field of biomedical engineering.
Thelma Estrin’s innovative work in applying computer technology to healthcare and medical research paved the way for advancements in the field. Her expertise in expert systems and biomedical engineering made her a respected figure in both academia and industry. Thelma Estrin’s contributions continue to influence the intersection of computer science and medicine, leaving a lasting legacy in the field.
Awards:
– List of awards and recognitions received by Thelma Estrin