Frederick Emmons Terman

"The Father of Silicon Valley"

Early Life & Education

Frederick Emmons Terman (1900-1982) was born in English, Indiana, and grew up in Palo Alto, California. His father, Lewis Terman, was a psychology professor at Stanford University who developed the Stanford-Binet IQ test.

Fred Terman earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry and his master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. He then went on to receive his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from MIT in 1924.

Contributions to Stanford

As Dean of the School of Engineering and later as Provost of Stanford University, Terman was instrumental in transforming Stanford into a world-class research institution. He encouraged faculty and students to start their own companies and fostered strong relationships between the university and industry.

Under his leadership, Stanford established the Stanford Industrial Park (now Stanford Research Park) in 1951, which became a model for university-industry collaboration and helped launch the modern Silicon Valley.

Silicon Valley Legacy

Terman's vision and policies directly contributed to the creation of Silicon Valley. He encouraged his students, including William Hewlett and David Packard, to start their own companies. Hewlett-Packard, founded in a garage in Palo Alto, became one of the first and most successful companies in what would become Silicon Valley.

His philosophy of "steeples of excellence" - focusing resources on areas where Stanford could be world-class - helped establish Stanford as a leading research university.

Research & Innovation

Terman was a pioneer in radio engineering and electronics. His textbook "Radio Engineering" (1932) became a standard reference in the field. During World War II, he led the Radio Research Laboratory at Harvard, developing electronic countermeasures for radar systems.

His research contributions and his ability to bridge the gap between academia and industry made him one of the most influential figures in the development of modern technology.

Honors & Recognition

Fred Terman received numerous honors throughout his career, including the IEEE Medal of Honor, the National Medal of Science, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Terman Engineering Center at Stanford is named in his honor.

His legacy continues to inspire generations of engineers, entrepreneurs, and researchers who follow in his footsteps at Stanford and beyond.