Ralph M. Showers, Ph.D., of Havertown, Penn passed away at his home on Sunday, September 8, 2013. The IEEE EMC Society founder was 95.
Born in Plainfield, N.J., he received his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of Pennsylvania before becoming a professor at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. He was named emeritus professor of electrical engineering in 1989.
Showers showed life-long commitment to improving electronic communications by controlling electromagnetic interference through his active roles in research on measurement of noise, weapons systems communications, aerospace microwave technology, space shuttle radio frequency experiments, stabilization of cable radiation characteristics, and cable coupling models.
Showers served as vice president of the U.S. National Committee (USNC) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and as a member of its Executive Committee. He also served as technical advisor for the USNC Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) for IEC Technical Committee (TC) 1, Terminology, IEC TC 77, Electromagnetic Compatibility (as well as Subcommittee 77A and 77B); and the International Special Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR). He also served as chairman of ANSI-accredited committee C63 on Radio-Electrical Coordination, and supervised 38 master theses and 10 Ph.D. dissertations. Among numerous other accomplishments, Showers worked for NASA, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and IBM.
A memorial service for Showers will be held in October 2013.
As a tribute to Ralph Showers and his wife Bea, their daughters are establishing an endowed scholarship fund in their names at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. Contributions to the Ralph M. and Beatrice C. Showers Endowed Scholarship Fund can be made to the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science, ATTN: Devon Herrick, 123 Towne Building, 220 S. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104. Checks should be made payable to “Penn Engineering.” On the memo line, write: “In memory of Ralph Showers.”
Condolences and remembrances can be made online, to the family via email, or to Bea and her family at 223 Oxford Road, Havertown, PA 19083.
Click here for an interview with Ralph Showers conducted by Frederik Nebeker of the IEEE History Center.
