The Life of Robert Noyce

The person nicknamed "Mayor associated with Silicon Valley", Robert Norton Noyce aided to construct any technological innovation that could eventually change the facial skin of electronic devices.

The man nicknamed "Mayor of Silicon Valley", robert noyce helped to build a technology that would ultimately change the face of electronics.

The child of a congregational minister, Robert was born on the 12th of December 1927 in Burlington, Iowa and spent his childhood days in Grinell of the same State. He attended Grinell College and got a degree with Physics as his major. He was a born leader, exhibiting extraordinary confidence in everything he did. Grant Gale, Noyces Physics professor in college, obtained two of the earliest transistors produced by Bell Labs. Gale showed these transistors to his class and Noyce became immediately interested in them. This event would eventually lead to the creation of the silicon chip or what we now call the microchip.

However, Shockley and Noyce were not meant to be together for long as their scientific ideas and personalities collided. Unhappy with the company, Noyce and seven of his fellow researchers left in 1957 to establish their own company, Fairchild Semiconductor. Being the director for research and development of their newly established company, Noyce focused on methods to develop the compound circuit interconnections needed for advanced electronic devices. In 1959, he was able to merge all the components in one small block of silicon thus producing his own version of the integrated circuit. He consequently filed for a patent later that year but a lengthy legal battle with Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments soon followed. Kilby was the first to invent an integrated circuit; however, it was Noyce who eventually got the patent in 1969. During that time, the electronics business was young and the invention of integrated circuits revolutionized the industry. Fairchild Semiconductor manufactured more integrated circuits than any other company. As Noyce had once done with Shockley, he left Fairchild in 1968 and brought along Gordon Moore and Andrew Grove to establish Intel Corporation. They concentrated their efforts in developing and producing silicon chips and microprocessors. Intel ultimately became the largest manufacturer of microchips in the world. It still is today. In the latter part of 1970s, Noyce initiated some moves to uphold the electronics industry. He was at the forefront of setting up organizations such as Sematech - a group of fourteen semiconductor corporations with the goal of reinforcing the electronics industry to face foreign rivals. Robert Noyce died of a heart attack at the age of 62 in Austin, Texas. But his legacy will forever be etched on the face of microchips, not only in Silicon Valley but all over the world. A remarkable man.

Robert Noyce’s Education Noyce grew up and attended his schooling mostly in Iowa particularly in Grinnell. During high school he exhibited his talent in Science and Mathematics. When he was in senior year, he took up the course of freshman physics in Grinnell College. In 1945, he graduated high school and eventually went to Grinnell College at the end of the year. Noyce was the 1947 star diver of the swim team of Championship in Midwest Conference. Noyce also exhibit his talent in singing, acting and played oboe when he was in Grinnell College. In 1949, he graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa member, with BA in Mathematics and Physics. He also had an award from his proud classmates which is the signal honour; that is recognized as the man who gets the best and highest grade with minimal work also known as the prize of Brown Derby.

While he was an undergraduate, he attended physics course under Professor Gale. He was fascinated in the physics. Robert was hooked when his professor showed them the first two transistors that ever came out from the Bell Labs. He finished his doctorate degree in MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Robert Noyce’s Career After he graduated in MIT, he had his very first job in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Philco Corporation as research engineer. After a short experience in making transistor, he then decided to work at Shockley Semiconductor. Noyce’s and Shockleys egos and scientific vision clashed. When some of Shockley’s Semiconductor leaves the company, they realize that they really need a leader. And Noyce was their natural choice because of his confidence at the age of 29. But he also decided to leave Shockley in the year 1957 and found his own Fairchild Semiconductor.

He was the company’s general manager and invented the silicon chip with lots of transistors. According to Fairchild Sherman, the reason for Fairchild to agree and create the eight semiconductor division was Robert’s vision and passionate presentation.

Family and Marriage Elizabeth “Betty” Bottomley became his wife in 1953. Bottomley was born in Auburn, Massachusetts on October 7th, 1930. She is Helen McLaren and Frank Bottomley’s daughter. She passed away on September 18th, 1996 at Lincoln Country. She was also a Tufts University graduate of the year 1951. After their marriage, in 1976 she decided to move in Maine and eventually settled there. She has assets that his parents have. She became the art collector and leading philanthropist in Maine. They had 4 children together. Ann Schmeltz Browsers became Noyce’s second wife. He marries her on November 27th, 1974. She is a Cornell University 1959 graduate. And she was also awarded an honorary in Ph. D in University of Santa Clara. She became a deputy for almost 20 years and was Intel Corporation’s first Director Personnel and the Apple Inc.’s first Human resources Vice President. Currently, she is Noyce’s foundation trustee and serves as the Chairman of the Board.