The International Society of Automation (ISA) has created a named scholarship fund in honor of
Dick Morley, a longtime ISA supporter, founder of Modicon (now part of Schneider Electric) and the initial designer of the first Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)—a primary component in modern-day automation. Morley, 84, passed away on 17 October. An obituary published in The Los Angeles Times may be found
here.
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| Dick Morley - 1932 - 2017 |
Morley was an engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, consultant and author who contributed significantly to a wide range of revolutionary, high-technology advancements over more than four decades. An internationally recognized visionary and expert in computer design, artificial intelligence, automation and factories of the future, Morley held more than 20 US and foreign patents.
The scholarship fund, named the
Richard E. “Dick” Morley Innovation Scholarship, will be funded by ISA with a $50,000 endowment. ISA has also pledged to match the next $50,000 of donations. Those who wish to partcipate in increasing the value of this scholarship and honouring a true automation pioneer may
do so here.
“Dick Morley wasn’t just the inventor of modern-day automation—he was also a mentor and a friend to many of our members and leaders around the world,” said ISA President
Steve Pflantz.
“He was a one-of-a-kind person, someone you could never forget. His humor and wit, along with his incredibly creative way of looking at life, made him a force for good in our industry, our society, and the world. He will be missed.” Morley is best known for developing the programmable logic controller (PLC), a breakthrough in the growth and advancement in industrial automation. PLCs are integral to factory automation and industrial processes, controlling a wide array of applications from lighting functions to environmental systems to chemical processing plants. His initial PLC—which he designed for continuous processing applications—was demonstrated at GM in 1969 as Bedford Associates Modicon 084 solid-state sequential logic solver. Driven by his inventiveness and ingenuity, Morley founded numerous technology companies. His breakthroughs in research and development blazed a pathway for ongoing discoveries and innovations. For many years, Morley hosted the annual
“Geek Pride Day” festival in New Hampshire, where he lived with his late wife, Shirley. Morley and his wife had three biological children and 27 foster children. There is a move among his friends to continue the Geek Pride Celebration next year - watch this space.
“We know that one of the most important parts of Morley’s life was his work with young people,” commented Pflantz.
“He was passionate about giving kids a chance to innovate, to redefine their lives, and to make a difference in the world. We intend to make sure that this scholarship fund continues that legacy in some small way.” ISA will announce more details about the application process for the scholarship fund in the coming weeks. To make an individual or corporate donation, visit the
Richard E. “Dick” Morley Innovation Scholarship fund page.
• For questions, contact ISA’s Director of Marketing & Communications, Jennifer Halsey, at jhalsey@isa.org or +1 (919) 990-9287.More about Morley’s contributions and honors Morley was awarded patents on products such as the parallel interface machine, hand-held terminal and magnetic thin film and storage (floppy disk). He also played an important role in the development of anti-lock brakes, automated vehicle control, building automation and the cool shaft. His education in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed the basis for his interest and expertise in computer design, artificial intelligence, automation and futurism. For many years, Morley was a contributing columnist to
Manufacturing Systems Magazine. He also wrote articles for magazines and journals worldwide, including
Manufacturing Automation Magazine and
Wired,
Control, and
InTech magazines. He also authored a number of books including the unforgettable compendium of wisdom, "Out of the Barn!," a work in the words of Dr John A Decaire, of the MCMS, which is "..done with an insightful and entertaining style -from one who has continuously 'lived in the future'..." Morley’s peers acknowledged his outstanding contributions with numerous honors and citations. Morley has been honored by several leading organization, such as Inc. magazine, the Franklin Institute, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Engineering Society of Detroit. He also has been inducted into the Manufacturing Hall of Fame. Other awards and recognitions he received include:
- ISA and SME life member
- SME Manufacturing Enterprise Council Member
- Process Automation Hall of Fame (Control magazine)
- Automation Hall of Fame Prometheus Award
- SME Fellow
- Parallel Processor Design — Flavors
- Howard N. Potts Award
- Entrepreneur of the Year
- Gould Science & Engineering Fellow
- Boeing Technical Excellence Award
Morley previously served as: Chairman of the Board of National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, Inc. (NCMS); Director at Large for the Society Manufacturing Engineers (SME); Member of the Manufacturing Advisory Board for Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI); Member of Advisory Board at Agilepath Corporation; and Director of Memex Inc. May he rest in peace!
#ISAuto #PAuto #PLC
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