The man who built the world’s first electronic digital computer while atIowa State University is the subject of a ceremony in Ames today. The widowand the son of John Atanasoff will be giving the University a variety ofpapers and memorabilia from his estate.I-S-U professor John Gustafson was on the team that rebuilt the A-B-C or the Atanasoff Berry Computer. The original was built at I-S-U between 1939 and’42. Gustafson says Atanasoff was a true scientific revolutionary and anelectronics genius.The original A-B-C was designed to solve long-form scientific equations.His other inventions ranged from a military mine sweeper to a device thatgraded the quality of chicken eggs. Gustafson says Atanasoff was aninnovator in other areas of computer technology.Today’s ceremony is slated for four p-m at the Memorial Union Sun Room. Theitems will be housed in the special collections department of the I-S-ULibrary.
