Ralph J. Slutz

Background

Ralph J. Slutz (1917-2005) was a physicist and computer pioneer who made critical contributions to two milestones in computing history. Dr. Slutz was among the first four principal engineers working with John von Neumann to build a computer with a central memory to store and modify data and instructions (the well-known Electronic Computer Project, also called the IAS computer) at the Institute for Advanced Study (1946-1948), in Princeton, New Jersey. He later became the chief architect working with Samuel N. Alexander, Director of the Electronic Computer Laboratory of the National Bureau of Standards (the NIST now), to build the SEAC computer, which was the first computer with an internally stored program in the US government, and the first operational machine of this kind in the US (1948-1950)

More information can be found at http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~zhang/R_J_Slutz.html