Name: John Vincent Atanasoff

Born: October 4, 1903, Hamilton, New York

Death: June 15, 1995 (Age: 91)

  • Inventor of the first digital computer, the ABC (Atanasoff-Berry Computer). The computer was first conceived in 1937 and first tested in 1942.

Honors and awards

  • United States National Medal of Technology in 1990.
  • Coors American Ingenuity Award in 1986.
  • Holley Medal, American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1985.
  • Computing Appreciation Award, EDUCOM in 1985.
  • Computer Pioneer Medal from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 1981.
  • Iowa Inventors Hall of Fame in 1978
  • Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius, First Class, Bulgaria’s highest scientific honor in 1970.
  • The asteroid 3546 Atanasoff is named in his honor.