EE Founder Honored by ESD AssociationEE Founder Honored by ESD Association

The ESD Association’s prestigious Industry Pioneer Recognition Award was presented to A. Verner Nelson, founder, first editor, and now group publisher of EE-Evaluation Engineering, at the 21st annual EOS/ESD Symposium held recently in Orlando. The plaque reads, “Thank you for your unselfish devotion to advancing the awareness of EOS/ESD throughout the world and for the significant contributions you have made to our association,” and was signed by David E. Swanson, president of the association.

To learn more of the story behind this award, we asked Vern to share the history of EE’s early work in spreading the word about ESD and his contribution to the founding of the ESD Association, then known as the EOS/ESD Association.

“Our first series of four articles on ESD began in July/August, 1977,” Vern recalled. “We started publishing the subject because the late Dan Anderson of Richmond Technology showed me some of the problems caused by static electricity and suggested that we do a series of articles on this subject.

“When we started the series, known then as Coping With Static Electricity, readers who realized there was a problem really appreciated our articles. They wanted reprints or permission to copy the articles,” he said.

“But others were not convinced yet. They told me the articles were not needed because everything you need to know about static electricity you learned in your high school physics class. It took years for some people to realize that there really was a problem. We helped to educate the world about this silent killer,” the ESD pioneer explained.

“We were at the forefront of identifying the need for an exchange of information in the electronics industry,” Vern continued. “EE was the only publication represented on the original committee that met at the Illinois Institute of Technology more than 20 years ago to plan the first symposium held in Denver. It brought together a nucleus of ESD professionals, several of whom were active in launching the association.

“Looking into the new millennium, I see a continuing and urgent need for Coping With ESD as the series now is called. Contract manufacturing is expanding rapidly, and ESD control has to be monitored at those facilities. EE will continue to be an information transfer vehicle for ESD control information, both in print and on the web,” he promised.

“The ESD Association is doing a great job, and we support them in their endeavors. They’re making inroads into the academic community to promote ESD studies at several key universities. You couldn’t find a more dedicated group of people than those who work on the ESD Association committees,” Vern said. “They do a fantastic job. I am glad that EE is an important part of what they are doing to help spread the word.”

November 1999