Mervin Kelly


Mervin Joe Kelly was an American physicist and engineer, and president of Bell Labs from 1951 to 1959. His parents were Joseph Fenimore and Mary Etta Kelly. He married Katherine Milsted in 1915.

Life

Mervin Kelly received his B.S. in Physics from the Missouri School of Mines in 1914, his M.S. degree in Mathematics from University of Kentucky in 1915, and his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1918. His PhD advisor was Robert A. Millikan. He worked at Western Electric Company, from 1918 to 1925.
He was a long time researcher at Bell Labs; he was Director of Research for 1936–1944, Executive Vice-President for 1944–1951, and President for 1951–1959.
He formed the research group which developed the transistor, led by William Shockley.
In 1961, he advised NASA Administrator James E. Webb.
His work for the World War II effort was classified. He was asked several times to take government positions, but always refused.
He traveled overseas to Europe to promote the work Bell Labs was doing. He had a regimented day, that began with tulip gardening at 5 am, having his driver drive at top speed to work, and after work reading until 12. After he retired, he worked for IBM as a consultant.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Kelly became a fellow of American Institute of Electrical Engineers in 1931, a fellow of Institute of Radio Engineers in 1938, and a fellow of the American Physical Society in 1935. He became a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1945 and received the Presidential Certificate of Merit in 1947. He was recognized as an Eminent Member by Eta Kappa Nu in 1954. The Mervin J. Kelly Award in Telecommunication was instituted in 1960 by AIEE. Mervin Kelly was the first recipient. The award was given by AIEE and IEEE during 1960–1975.
Other awards include: