Paul R. Gray is Professor Emeritus of Engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Dr. Gray worked at Fairchild Semiconductor before joining UC Berkeley EECS in 1971. There he developed a multi-decade research project on digital-analog conversion and the thermal properties of integrated circuits, which laid the foundation for digital telecommunications, scientific instrumentation, and digital representations of the analog world. He served as Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, also known as EECS (1990-93), Dean of the College of Engineering (1996-2000), and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of UC Berkeley (2000-06). He has served on the boards of several corporations and foundations, including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
In this clip, Dr. Gray talk about the importance of SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis), the first widely available open-source simulation software for integrated circuits. Developed at EECS, this program was just one of the many of UC Berkeley’s contributions to the electronics, telecommunications, and computing industries. This clip is characteristic of Dr. Gray’s habit of lifting up the work of others. To learn more about Dr. Gray’s contributions to research, innovation, and university administration, please consult his wide-ranging oral history.