Irwin M. Jacobs
Irwin Mark Jacobs | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 18, 1933 New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Electrical engineer, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Co-founder and former chairman of Qualcomm; Chair of the board of trustees at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies |
| Notable work | Principles of Communication Engineering (co-author) |
Irwin Mark Jacobs (born October 18, 1933) is an American electrical engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder and former chairman of Qualcomm. He also serves as the chair of the board of trustees at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. As of 2019, his net worth is estimated to be approximately $1.2 billion.
Early life and education
Born into a Jewish family in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Jacobs completed his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering at Cornell University in 1956. He then pursued graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earning a Master of Science in 1957 and a Doctor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science in 1959 under the mentorship of Edward Arthurs. Jacobs is affiliated with the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity.
Career
Jacobs began his academic career at MIT, holding positions as assistant and associate professor of electrical engineering from 1959 until 1966. He then joined the faculty at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) as a professor specializing in computer science and engineering from 1966 to 1972. During this period, he co-authored the influential textbook Principles of Communication Engineering (1965) alongside John Wozencraft. The Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD bears the name of Jacobs and his wife.
In 1968, Jacobs partnered with Andrew Viterbi to establish Linkabit Corporation, focusing on satellite encryption technology. This company later merged with M/A-COM, Inc. in 1980, forming M/A-COM Linkabit.
Jacobs co-founded Qualcomm Inc. in 1985 with Viterbi and others, where they developed OmniTRACS, a prominent two-way mobile satellite communication and tracking system. He was instrumental in advancing Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), a technology that efficiently utilizes communication bandwidth and became a foundational digital cellular standard in North America alongside GSM. In March 2009, Jacobs resigned as Qualcomm chairman, passing leadership to his son, Paul E. Jacobs.
Affiliations
In recognition of his innovations in communication theory and leadership in high-tech product development, Jacobs was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 1982. He holds Fellow status with IEEE and participates as a member of the Inter-American Dialogue. Additionally, he chairs the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and contributes to advisory boards for institutions such as the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management, and the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Awards and honors
Jacobs has been honored extensively for his contributions to telecommunications and business leadership:
- 1980: Co-recipient with Andrew Viterbi of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics biannual award
- 1992: Institute of American Entrepreneurs' Entrepreneur of the Year Award in High Technology
- 1993: American Electronics Association's "Inventing America's Future" accolade
- 1994: National Medal of Technology and Innovation recognizing CDMA development; also named Cornell University Entrepreneur of the Year
- 1995: IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal for significant telecommunications achievements
- 2000: Induction into the Wireless Hall of Fame
- 2001: The Franklin Institute's Bower Award for Business Leadership
- 2004: Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship for advancing public arts and education in San Diego
- 2007: IEEE/RSE Wolfson James Clerk Maxwell Award shared with Viterbi for wireless telecommunications breakthroughs
- 2009: Elected Fellow of AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
- 2011: Marconi Prize and Fellowship alongside Jack Wolf; entry into International Air & Space Hall of Fame
- 2012: Executive of the Year by W. P. Carey School of Business Dean's Council
- 2013: Inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame; awarded IEEE Medal of Honor for translating innovations into commercial applications; elected to American Philosophical Society; appointed Distinguished Honor Chair Professor at National Tsing Hua University
- 2014: Received honorary doctorates from National Tsing Hua University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University; named Fellow of Computer History Museum
- 2015: Recipient of Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
- 2017: Earned honorary doctorate from Yale University; jointly awarded IEEE Milestone Award with Viterbi for CDMA’s role in mobile industry expansion
- 2018: Appointed honorary advisor to president at National Tsing Hua University; honored with IMEC Lifetime Innovation Award
- 2019: Awarded honorary doctorate by University of York; received IET Mountbatten Medal in London
These distinctions highlight Jacobs' pioneering influence on digital mobile telephony, data communications, and technology commercialization efforts.
Philanthropy
As the co-founder and chairman of Qualcomm, Jacobs has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to educational causes, with a particular emphasis on scholarships and fellowships in engineering, computer science, and the arts, mainly within the San Diego area. In 2011, The San Diego Union-Tribune dubbed him the "Philanthropist in Chief."
By September 2009, Jacobs had donated $31 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, over $125 million to the University of California, San Diego—where he also served as a professor in computer science and engineering—and a total of $62 million to organizations including the American Society for Technion, Cornell University, and KPBS Radio/Television. His $1 million gift to KPBS has supported local news coverage and collaboration with NPR, with Jacobs funding the station’s studios and sustaining its operations for many years. In 2010, he financed an engineering study aimed at eliminating vehicle traffic from San Diego's Balboa Park Plaza de Panama and led a committee to secure private funding for this initiative.
In 2002, Irwin and Joan Jacobs donated $5 million to refurbish the former train station baggage building downtown that now houses the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, which was subsequently named in their honor.
Jacobs committed $120 million to the San Diego Symphony, an equivalent amount to UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering, $100 million toward UCSD’s forthcoming specialty hospital, and $20 million for replacing the central library in downtown San Diego. The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center at the La Jolla Playhouse bears their name in recognition of their philanthropic contributions. In April 2013, they provided $133 million for the development of the joint Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
Additionally, he founded the Joan and Irwin Jacobs TIX Institute at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, which fosters innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives.
In January 2022, following a $20 million donation—the largest single endowment in its history—the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation renamed its list of pending U.S. Supreme Court cases as the "Joan and Irwin Jacobs Supreme Court Docket."
The Giving Pledge
Irwin and Joan Jacobs joined the Giving Pledge in August 2010, committing to allocate the majority of their wealth toward philanthropic efforts.
Personal life
Jacobs wed Joan Klein, a dietitian from New York City and fellow Cornell alumna, in 1954. Joan passed away on May 6, 2024, at age 91 after a prolonged illness; a public memorial service was held at The Rady Shell. The couple resided in La Jolla, California and had four sons. Their son Paul E. Jacobs took over as Qualcomm CEO before stepping down in March 2014. Jeff Jacobs held the position of chief marketing officer at Qualcomm. Hal Jacobs, their second oldest son, played volleyball for the USA at the 1985 Maccabiah Games and co-produced the musical Jersey Boys. The eldest son, Gary E. Jacobs, chairs the board of the Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High Charter School. Their granddaughter, Sara Jacobs, serves as a Democratic representative for California's 53rd congressional district, receiving substantial campaign support from her grandfather during her political endeavors.