The 2001 Bower Award & prize for achievement in science presented to Paul Baran

Abstract

The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania awarded the 2001 Bower Award and prize to Paul Baran for his efforts to advance our knowledge of physical science or its application for his seminal invention of packet switching—the foundation of modern communications networks and, in particular, the Internet. Simply stated the technology of packet-switching, allows pieces of information to be divided into small packets or “envelopes” of information that are addressed, sent using multiple available routes to a specific destination, then reassembled. This technology—a post office-like system—revolutionized the telecommunications industry. Originally devised during the cold war for a military communications system survivable in the event of nuclear attack, packet switching became the foundation of computer networks including the Internet and truly has altered the world in which we live.