Alfred Norton Goldsmith

Alfred Norton Goldsmith (1888 to 1974) was an American radio engineer and research director, born in New York City. He took his first degree at the College of the City of New York, a doctorate at Columbia under Michael Pupin, and kept a lifetime associate professorship in electrical engineering at the college. He became director of research for the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America and then for the Radio Corporation of America, rising to vice president and general manager before leaving in 1931 to consult independently. His work at RCA helped make possible the first commercial radio with two control knobs and a built-in speaker and the first commercial radio-phonograph, and he developed the basic idea behind the shadow-mask colour picture tube. He held 122 US patents, helped found the Institute of Radio Engineers in 1912, edited its Proceedings for 42 years and served as its president in 1928.