One of his most notable contributions to the world, and history, was his formulation of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation. His most notable achievements include Voyager (the first plane to fly non-stop around the world) and SpaceShipOne (the first privately funded spacecraft). Definitely an engineering legend in our eyes. Also see: Edison patents Kinetoscope, August 31, 1897; Edison’s 1st test of electric railway, May 13, 1880; War of currents: Tesla vs Edison Ada Lovelace. Commission. These, fuelled by petroleum gas, resulted in the creation of the modern internal combustion engine. Another of the world's greatest engineers is James Clerk Maxwell. List Rules The person does not necessarily have to be a perfect saint. Who would you vote for as the greatest “engineer” of all time? This was through his use of factory production lines and the rest as they say is history. It is difficult to exaggerate Brunel's impact on the infrastructure of the U.K. His memory is also honored by giving his name to a University, Brunel. Greatest Scientists Engineering is fundamentally different from science – science can exist without engineering, but engineering can never be formed without science. Robert built on the achievements of his father with a prolific expansion of the railway network in the UK. They were not the first to build experimental aircraft but were the first to build a working model. Steve Wozniak 8. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), an Italian painter, sculptor and inventor. For his work in the field of radio communications, Marconi would become a household name as well as a Nobel Prize-winning inventor. George was also one of the all-time greatest engineers in his own right. We thought of remembering some of the greatest minds of the world – the famous engineers known for changing the world for the better. Nikolaus Otto was a German-born engineer whose labors have led to the creation of compressed charge internal combustion engines. Burt Rutan 7. Bell is credited with inventing and patenting the world’s first practical phone. Tags. Some still seem a little "magical" today. We start off with the famous Greek legend Archimedes. Henry Ford 5. Soichiro Honda is yet another of the greatest engineers of all time. Wozniak, famously, developed the two alone and was likely the driving technical mind behind Job's, and Apple's, success. His more notable projects included The Rocket, London and Birmingham Railway, High-Level Bridge, Royal Border Bridge, Britannia Bridge, and Victoria Bridge (Montreal) to name but a few. Best known for being the first man to set foot on the Moon, he would later dedicated his life to academic and professional work after retiring from NASA in the early-1970s. 22 Jun 2020 . He also came up with the concepts of horsepower and the unit of power ‘watt’ was named after him. Many of his inventions were never actually realized, but have been preserved for all time in his surviving journals. It would be impossible to start this list without referring to Leonardo da Vinci. While some would consider him more of a businessman than an engineer, per se, his drive to innovate and develop new technologies have earned him his place in history. These include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Kilby would also go on to co-invent the handheld calculator and thermal printer as well as other inventions. He gained his first patent at the tender age of 19. Roy Hinkley: This is the professor from the Gilligan’s Island, a comic sitcom that was on TV for 3 years between 1964 and 1967. We thank the engineers all around the world for their contributions. Highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, Alan Turing is widely believed to be responsible for the creation of the world’s first computer. Thanks to his groundbreaking work on the personal computer, many of his achievements are now universally used around the world. RELATED: 15 OF MANKIND’S GREATEST ENGINEERING MARVELS. Throughout history there has been many contributions to engineering as we know it. Another of the greatest engineers of all time was Neil Armstrong. Imagine a world in which the phone doesn’t exist…. Inventing things such as the phonograph, motion picture camera and light bulb it is clear to see the impact Thomas Edison had upon the modern world. His aircraft designs are often peculiar but have been proven light, strong, and efficient. Soichiro Honda (left) and Takeo Fujisawa (right). Among his other achievements was the creation of the first successful personal computers in the 1970s -- The Apple I and II. His discoveries and inventions at the time were unfathomable to his contemporaries. George gets the nod however, for doing it all first – he built the first public inter-city railway line between Liverpool and Manchester in 1830. News of the day. The All-Time Greatest People in History. This approach truly paid off, allowing them to develop the initial shape which is now the modern airline wing. As far as most intelligent engineer of all time, the vote goes to Willard Gibbs (America’s first PhD engineer) who unified mechanical, chemical, and electrical into one field, but as to who is the greatest, it’s a tricky question. Paul Ratner. Thanks to the Englishman Thomas Saint (1790) man can dress up in proper clothes today. Flower designed Colossus, the world's first programmable electronic computer. Throughout the history of mankind there have been many pioneers of engineering. His gifts to the American people include the Willis Tower and John Hancock Centre. This Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and physicist had to be included on our list. Steve Wozniak 1950 7. There is also a range of other inventions that can be attributed to Alexander Graham Bell including optical telecommunications, hydrofoils and aeronautics. But his downing a mindboggling 352 enemy aircraft and earning the title of the Greatest Ace of All Time, No Kidding, places him on this list fair and square. The 10 Greatest Scientists of All Time Get to know the scientists that changed the world as we know it though their contributions and discoveries. By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Elon Musk 1971 10. Do you agree? He was listed on Time magazine's 2007 and 2008 issues as part of their 100 list of the most influential people in the world. She would have a very successful career on the silver screen too. Preferring to stay out of the limelight, Armstrong became the professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati for many years. Events. Austrian by birth, Lamarr helped developed an early technique for spread spectrum communications. Without a great many of these inventions life today as we know it would certainly be rather different. Whether true or not, Tesla soon fell out with Edison and left his company to pursue his own interests. Council. One of his greatest achievements was the Great Western Railway, which still operates today. His most notable achievements include the Garabit Viaduct and work on the Statue of Liberty. He is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. Here today we have compiled a list of 15 greatest engineering inventions of all time that literally laid the foundation of the modern world that we live in today: 15. Armstrong is a very well-known figure in the history of aerospace engineering. In our opinion very worthy of being on the list of the greatest engineers of all time. Hedy Lamarr might not be a name you would associate with engineering, but as it turns out she was a pretty, literally, and figuratively. Industry. 1. EU News for engineers. So there you have it, our list of the greatest engineers of all time. It can be argued that without Tommy Flowers' labors during WW2 the world would look very different today. Oliver Heaviside is yet another of the greatest engineers of all time. Charles Babbage was an English polymath. Engineer history innovation. Top 20 greatest inventions of all time The most impactful technology inventions in history are ranked. As a mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer he was an extremely talented person. Personally, Tesla was very quirky, to say the least. While experimenting with electronics in his father's country estate at Pontecchio, he successfully managed to send wireless signals over a distance of one and a half miles. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development. Source: WordPress Desiderius Erasmus – … He was a pioneer in the development of sound-on-film recording used for motion pictures. Self-described as the "Father of Radio", de Forest was an American inventor. Join us as we explore some of the 20+ greatest engineers. Pollution effects aside, this technology has been one of the most important technologies for humanity. A range of theorems have been attributed to him including how to figure the area of a circle and the volume of a sphere. The Greatest Engineers of all Time 2 May 2018 . Fazlur Khan 9. Born in Bologna, Italy, Marconi would take an interest in physical and electrical science from a young age. George Stephenson (1781–1848) We could've easily included on this list George Stephenson’s son Robert, known as one of the greatest engineers of the 19th century. His innovation of tubular design has allowed easier construction of high rises. A highly accomplished electronics engineer, Wozniak would be one of the main reasons for Apple's stellar success over the years. Edison developed many devices that have influenced life all over the world. I'm sure it is. He later took his experimental apparatus to England in 1896 and was soon granted the first patent for wireless telegraphy. The labors and achievements of the following engineers have made enormous impacts on society and the world we live in today. He was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who also happened to be the first person to walk on the moon. Tesla also made significant contributions to modern radio, X-ray, and the induction motor. This device helped to decrypt German messages during the war and ultimately saved countless lives. FEANI news for engineers. Tesla's prolific technical mind helped him further many technologies in his day -- much to our benefit. Technology is a core component of … Considered by many as the greatest inventor America has produced. Pythagoras:He belonged to Samos. Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the greatest hackers of all time. Famed for his masterpieces, namely David, Pieta, Sistine Chapel, The Last Judgment, and The Creation of Adam. However, one of these, a hang glider, was actually practically developed in his time. Believed to always have had an avid interest in the power of steam his contribution to society as we know it cannot be underestimated. Another engineering legend on our list has to be that of Leonardo da Vinci. Westinghouse Jr. was an American entrepreneur and engineer who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry. Not content with being a great artist Da Vinci turned his hand at architecture, science, music, maths, engineering, and much more. Most were alien concepts at the time but are common practice today. Burt Rutan Voyager 1943 HELLO, EVERYONE CONTENT SpaceShipOne 10. Here at MNB Precision we have tried to compile a list of the greatest engineers of all time in our humble opinion. Maybe not a tattoo but at least have a picture of him hanging in their office. Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle is credited with single-handedly inventing the turbojet engine. [Editor's note - this is author's personal selection and doesn't represent the view of Engineers Ireland. A true pioneer and legend indeed. The 20+ Greatest Engineers of All Time. Arthur D. Little was a drop-out, who laid the foundations for unit operations. Engineering has been transforming our world and bringing innovation to our lives, and here are some of the greatest engineers and their contributions. Mr. Stephenson's son, Robert, carries the honorific of the greatest engineers of the 19th Century. The potential of his ambitious projects, once achieved, will be of great importance for the future of our species. He also designed a great many machines including screw pumps, pulley systems and defensive war machines to protect his home island of Syracuse. Yet another of the greatest engineers of all time is Steve Wozniak. Kahn was a classically trained structural engineer and architect who would later create designs for buildings that allowed for easier construction of taller and taller buildings. Best known for his work at the Ford Motor Company, Ford also helped develop some other important engineering feats like the modern assembly line. But what exactly makes for a great master recording? And finally, Orville and Wilbur Wright deserve their place in the annals of the greatest engineers of all time. The need to invent new technologies is as old as humanity itself. We thank you. The son of a blacksmith, he would overcome the devastation of war and natural disaster to become a self-made man. Now, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad are the engines of growth that have pushed Apple past the once unassailable Microsoft. He is considered by many as the greatest mathematician of all time. The 20 Greatest Engineers of All Time Rajil Tl August 25, 2019. A self-taught electrical engineer, mathematician, and physicist he would go on to make some very important advancements in various fields. A Japanese engineer and industrialist, he would establish the Honda Motor Company jut after the end of the Second World War. The labors and achievements of the following engineers have made enormous impacts on society and the world we live in today. South African born, Canadian engineer, businessman, and inventor Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, Tesla Motors, and SolarCity. He is also widely considered to be the founder of modern electrical engineering. Alan Smithee. Due to deafness in his family he always had an interest in hearing and speech issues. ... What saved him were dive-recovery flaps that engineers had just installed to prevent this very problem. So there you go, our suggestion of the 20 greatest engineers of all time. I have read and understood this websites Privacy Policy. A great many of his inventions also had a large impact upon the modern industrialised world. Referred to by some as the ‘father of railways’, George Stephenson certainly left an impression. Burt is also honored at the National Air and Space Museum. First and foremost the great Archimedes. 10) Jonathan James. You may unsubscribe at any time. Updated July 7, 2020 292.7k votes 11.8k voters 84.8k views458 items. His contributions to the design of modern AC electrical supply has made an enormous impact on all humanity. Rather than focussing on propulsion, as most of their contemporaries did, the brothers focussed on the aerodynamic design instead. Soichiro Honda is yet another of the greatest engineers of all time. Mr. Tesla's achievements are without doubt. The Stephenson railway gauge is still widely used around the world. The famous tower in Paris is named in honor of his company, who designed and built it. This often meant that many of his coworkers and peers considered him to be a little crazy and obsessive. Some of the people on this list did controversial things (Thomas Edison, LBJ, George Washington, etc.). He spent some of his life working for Thomas Edison who is widely lambasted for stealing many of his subordinate's inventions and claiming credit for himself. Well, thanks for the question as I too got to enhance my knowledge. While both relate descriptive models to physical systems, the way they deal with such are not the same. He was a civil and mechanical engineer and pioneer of rail transport. Burt Rutan is one of the most original modern engineers. Leonardo da Vinci. Scottish by birth, Maxwell would become a leading figure in mathematical physics. The need for man to invent new technologies is as old as humanity itself. You may not completely agree with our choices but they will give you some food for thought. By Mark Barna , Gemma Tarlach , and Nathaniel Scharping April 11, 2017 5:00 PM Said commenter RealScience: “The greatest human engineer of all time is probably Archimedes. News categories. At 13,000 feet, LeVier slowly regained control. Universally recognized as the greatest of all classical engineers, he has influenced the fields of mathematics, physics, engineering, and astronomy for millennia. The Scottish-born scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator Bell is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. We start off with the famous Greek legend Archimedes. Love him or hate him, Edison edged out James Watt and Charles Babbage in comments saying he was among the greatest engineers of all time, to come in fifth in our poll. Gustave Eiffel 4. develop the initial shape which is now the modern airline wing. For example, Heaviside would adapt complex numbers for the study of electrical circuits, invent solutions for differential equations, predict the existence of the Earth's ionosphere, reformulate Maxwell's field equations in terms of electric and magnetic forces and energy flux, and independently co-formulated vector analysis. Although not the inventor of automobiles his pioneering work left a long lasting and profound impression on society even to this day. 5 Greatest Mastering Engineers of All Time. His work has been described as the "second great unification in physics" after the groundbreaking work of Isaac Newton centuries prior. Read the article . Personally, Tesla was very quirky, to say the least. The labours and achievements of the following engineers have made enormous impacts on society and the world we live in today. Tesla is perhaps one of the most underrated electrical engineers, and didn’t receive credit for a lot of his inventions. Arguably at the top of the list of greatest engineers is Nikola Tesla. This video is about the top 10 engineers who changed the world as we see it today . As a mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer he was an extremely talented person. 10. His achievements are impressive and qualify him on our list of greatest engineers. Since we've mentioned George Westinghouse and Tesla we would be negligent not to mention Thomas Alva Edison. Can Video Games Inspire the Next-Gen of Engineers. Again, the entry of another notable Brit is purely coincidental, honest. His work would prove revolutionary for telecommunications, mathematics, and science in general for years to come. Fazlur Rahman Khan The Willis Tower The John Hancock Centre 8. There are a great deal more we could have added to the list but unfortunately we only have room for the top ten! 9. Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer, and industrialist born in Schorndorf, in what is now Germany. Here at MNB Precision we provide manufacturing and precision engineering services to many sector leading companies. Gustave Eiffel was a French-born civil engineer and architect. Coupled with his founding of the minors safety lamp he left a long and lasting impression upon British society as we know it today. A mathematician from Greece he is recognized as one of the pioneers in his field. He was a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist who improved on Thomas Newcomen's 1712 Newcomen steam engine. Called the "Father of the Railway", he built the first public inter-city railway line between Liverpool and Manchester in 1830. Please, Internet Archive Book Images/Wikimedia Commons, 11 Cameras Ranked From Biggest to Smallest of All Time, 13 Engineering Apps That Are a Must for All Engineers, YouTuber Engineers All-Terrain Skateboard, Takes It On A Ride. Last, but by no means least, James Watt is definitely one of the greatest engineers of all time. His innovations in assembly and mass production brought the automobile to the masses rather than the exclusive of the well off. Link: read more . Join me as I explore the some of the 20 greatest engineers. Personally, the legend I admire the most, is Nikola Tesla - Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived - The Oatmeal List of Famous Electrical Engineers Who would you include? Some of his lesser know innovation include the introduction of an above-market wage for his workers as well as reducing the work week for his staff. She would spend the later years of her life as a recluse. There’s no doubt that he had a huge influence on society, though. Despite this, Ford remains one of the most beloved and sometimes controversial engineers of the last century. Many experts even argued he is the greatest artist of all time, a subjective account yet not without substance considering his contributions to the High Renaissance art. Her work on spread-spectrum communications would provide the key to many wireless communications we use today. Thanks, de Forest. A Japanese engineer and industrialist, he would establish the Honda Motor Company jut after the end of the Second World War. Brunel is responsible for numerous dockyards, steamships, bridges, tunnels and the Great Western Railway. MNB Precision Ltd, Units 3-5 Binns Close, Torrington Avenue, Coventry, CV4 9TB, © 2019 MNB Precision Ltd | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Sitemap. We all know Arthur D. Little is the famous international consultancy firm, but, the man behind it is a famed Chemical Engineer. Widely credited with the invention of the parachute, helicopter and tank he epitomised the Renaissance era of invention and imagination. Tesla’s inventions make him arguably the greatest electrical engineer of all time. Education. modern radio, X-ray, and the induction motor. Greatest Mathematicians of all Time. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor, and mechanical engineer. This was applied to all the basic industrial processes and basically helped in defining the discipline. Nikola Tesla. His contribution to engineering is profound. Sewing Machine. It’s not often that a person makes their mark as one of the most important artists of all time AND one of the greatest engineers of all … A range of theorems have been attributed to him including how to figure the area of a circle and the volume of a sphere. 30 October, 2016. George Stephenson Since we've included his father it would be rude not to mention Robert Stephenson. Public transport as we know it was revolutionised by Brunel. Just enter your email and we’ll take care of the rest: © Copyright 2020 | Interesting Engineering, Inc. | All Rights Reserved, We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The labors and achievements of the following engineers have made enormous impacts on society and the world we live in today. Although not strictly a single engineer we found it impossible to leave out the Wright Brothers. Audio mastering is one of the dark arts – equal parts critical listening, esoteric sound science, and magic touches made with high-end equipment and software. The Rocket, though not the first steam locomotive, was the first to bring together several innovations to produce the most advanced locomotive of its day. If you talk about the living ones There is absolutely no one who can compete with ELON MUSK . Considered by many as the greatest painter of all time he is also legendary in his inventiveness. Every electrical engineer should have a picture of Nikola tattooed somewhere on their bodies. He was an American inventor and businessman, who has been described as America’s greatest inventor. Soon after, Apple would experience a meteoric rise around the world and managed to raise over a whopping $1 Billion in investment when it went public in 1980. Jonathan James was the first juvenile to be imprisoned for a computer crime. accomplished inventor. He also did important work in communication for the deaf and held more than 18 patents. I am a little biased, being a Brit, but the Isambard Kingdom Brunel's addition here is well-founded. An American electrical engineer, his greatest achievement was the creation of the first working integrated circuit while working at Texas Instruments in the 1950s. There was a time man had to dress up in leaves and animal skin. Although he is not as accomplished as many other engineers on the list, his ingenuity and creativity rank him as one of the most popular technical and artistic minds. Little is known about the details of his life, but his discoveries and inventions are still well-known to this day. Henry Ford allowed automobiles to be affordable to American citizens. A pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, James Watt improved upon the idea of steam engines and created the Watt steam engine. Heaviside's work would later lead to the development of the coaxial cable, among other things. His Watt steam engine was fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world. Starting out in a wooden shack making bicycle motors, Honda would help grow the company into a global phenomenon in the automobile and motorcycle industries. They are largely credited with inventing, building and flying the world’s first working airplane. edy Lamarr was an actress and an engineer. John H. Perry . From his screw pump to compound pulley systems and defensive mechanisms for his home island of Syracuse, Archimedes is truly one of the greatest engineers. Get in contact today to see what we can do for you. Greatest Aerospace Engineers Of All Time Neil Armstrong Neil Armstrong. Was the first time electricity, magnetism, and the light was brought together in a unified explanation. He graduated from Ecole Centrale Paris and cut his teeth on the French Railway Network. Founder of the Ford Motor Company and sponsoring the creation of modern assembly lines allowing mass production, Henry Ford revolutionised factory production. Kilby would die on the 20th of June 2005. For this work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2000. Jack St. Clair Kilby, Jack Kilby for short, is another of the greatest engineers of all time. The 20+ Greatest Engineers of All Time . Despite all this, Tesla's achievements have done more for modern society than many other engineers every. Boasting over 1000 patents to his name it is easy to see why many considered him a truly great engineer. This often meant that many of his coworkers and peers considered him to be a little crazy and obsessive. Another of the greatest engineers of all time was the one and only Henry Ford. He invented and engineered concentrating solar thermal, the Archimedes screw (still used today for lifting water), and the antihythera mechanism (a brass computer from shortly after his time that predicts the motion and eclipses of the moon) uses the script from Archimedes’ hometown. His inventions included flying machines, armored vehicles, concentrated solar power, the adding machine, and a double hull. He is also known for his involvement in the Panama Canal scandal. The need for man to invent new technologies is as old as humanity itself. He was Serbian, and moved to America at the age of 28 to work with Thomas Edison. Marconi would further refine the technology over time. Elon Musk 6. He also became the director of various companies, including Computing Technologies for Aviation from the 1980s to 1990s. Parliament. Name sound familiar? Steering Committee. Guglielmo Marconi is yet another of the greatest engineers of all time. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. " Thee Greatest Engineer's Of All Time "National Instruments decided to respect the National Engineers Week by an attempt to this honorable list. They also pioneered a three-axis control system for steering in flight -- a truly revolutionary concept. Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh when it was under British rule, Fazlur can claim the title of father of the modern skyscraper. The pair developed a fascination with flight from an early age and would pursue their childhood interests to change the world forever. 8. Here’s a link to EngineeringDaily.net’s top ten, to get the ball rolling. The 20+ Greatest Engineers of All Time The need for man to invent new technologies is as old as humanity itself. Profession. Babbage is best known for his concept of a programmable computer. FEANI in the press. Considered by some as one of the most prolific figures in engineering history, Isembard Kingdom Brunel has created quite a legacy. This led to huge technological advances in the 19th century and was crucial in the Industrial Revolution. The guy started with an internet company - zip2 and PayPal . Imhotep ... It’s Time To Start Using It He was one of the first structural engineers and architects to use CAD. Wozniak, famously, developed the two alone and was likely the driving technical mind behind Job's, and Apple's, success. Join us as we explore some of the 20 greatest engineers. So without further ado, here we present the 12 greatest programmers of all time: 12. Described as one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history and one of the engineering giants of the 19th century. Like Archimedes before him he had a great interest in many things including inventing, painting, sculpting, architecture, mathematics and engineering amongst others. In developing the Enigma machine, a machine used during the Second World War to crack German ciphers, it is believed he shortened the war by up to two years and saved over 14 million lives. He was an English Air Force engineer air officer and one of the greatest engineers. He is considered by many as the greatest mathematician of all time.