Origins & Early Life

Paul Baran (born Pesach Baran ; April 29, 1926 – March 26, 2011) was a Polish-American engineer who was a pioneer in the development of computer networks. He was one of the two independent inventors of packet switching, which is today the dominant basis for data communications in computer networks worldwide, and went on to start several companies and develop other technologies that are an essential part of modern digital communication. He was born in Grodno (then in the Second Polish Republic, and since 1945 part of Belarus) on April 29, 1926. He was the youngest of three children in his Lithuanian Jewish family, with the Yiddish given name "Pesach".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His family moved to the United States on May 11, 1928, settling in Boston and later in Philadelphia, where his father, Morris "Moshe" Baran (1884–1979), opened a grocery store. He graduated from Drexel University (then called Drexel Institute of Technology) in 1949, with a degree in electrical engineering. He then joined the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, where he did technical work on UNIVAC models, the first brand of commercial computers in the United States. In 1955 he married Evelyn Murphy, moved to Los Angeles, and...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdus Salam — Contemporary (Born in 1926) (1926): Pioneering Pakistani theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate.
• Alan Greenspan — Contemporary (Born in 1926) (1926): Influential American economist, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.
• Alfredo Di Stéfano — Contemporary (Born in 1926) (1926): Argentine and Spanish legend, 'The Blond Arrow,' pivotal to Real Madrid's golden era.
• Amy Winehouse — Contemporary (Died in 2011) (2011): Iconic British soul artist blending jazz, R&B, and retro sounds.
• Anne McCaffrey — Contemporary (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering science fiction author, celebrated for the Dragonriders of Pern.
• Annie Girardot — Contemporary (Died in 2011) (2011): Iconic French actress celebrated for portraying strong, earthy, and independent women.
• Al-Qurtubi — Shared historical date (04-29 · Died) (1273): Polymath jurist and scholar renowned for Tafsir al-Qurtubi in Al-Andalus.
• Albert Hofmann — Shared historical date (04-29 · Died) (2008): Swiss chemist renowned for synthesizing LSD and pioneering psychedelic research.
• Alan Arkin — Shared historical date (03-26 · Born) (1934): Esteemed American actor, filmmaker, and musician with a seven-decade career.
• Alan Silvestri — Shared historical date (03-26 · Born) (1950): Award-winning composer renowned for epic film scores, especially for blockbuster franchises.
• 1926 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1926
• April 29 (04-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 29
• 2011 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2011
• March 26 (03-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 26