he International Society of Automation announces the Richard E. “Dick” Morley Innovation Scholarship
In honor of Dick Morley—whose breakthroughs in research and development blazed a pathway for ongoing discoveries and innovations in automation and control, computer design, artificial intelligence, and factories of the future—ISA has created the Richard E. “Dick” Morley Innovation Scholarship.
ISA has endowed the fund with an initial $50,000 contribution and has pledged to match the next $50,000 in donations. This is an opportunity to support the education and R&D pursuits of the next generation of engineers and automation professionals determined to change the world for the better.
Morley, who died 17 October 2017 at the age of 84, certainly did. 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.
As the initial designer of the first Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), he paved the way for modern-day factory automation and industrial processing. Responsible for more than 20 US and foreign patents (on products such as the parallel interface machine, hand-held terminal and floppy disk) Morley also played an important role in the development of anti-lock brakes, automated vehicle control, building automation and the cool shaft.
