EMC Fellow Radia Perlman Honored During National Inventors Hall of Fame 2016 Induction Ceremony

HOPKINTON, Mass. - May 11, 2016 -

EMC Fellow Radia Perlman was recently honored at the 44 th Annual National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Washington D.C. as a member of the esteemed 2016 class of Inductees.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame honors individuals who have contributed great technological and scientific achievements that have helped stimulate growth for the U.S. and beyond. The criteria for induction requires candidates to hold a U.S. patent that has contributed significantly to the nation's welfare and the advancement of science and the useful arts.

Perlman's Induction is to recognize the impact of the technology she invented. Her best known contribution came in 1985: the Spanning Tree Protocol, which transformed Ethernet from a technology limited to a few hundred nodes confined in a single building, into a technology that can create large networks (hundreds of thousands of nodes spread over a large area). Perlman holds over 100 patents and has received many awards, including Induction into the National Academy of Engineering and the Internet Hall of Fame; and lifetime achievement awards from the Association for Computing Machinery, Special Interest Group on Data Communication and the USENIX Association.

“I am humbled by the recognition, and honored to be associated with an organization committed to advancing the STEM field. It's vital to inspire the innovators of today and tomorrow as they continue to shape the world's future in ways we could never imagine – to the benefit of all," said Perlman.

“The National Inventors Hall of Fame celebrates and memorializes distinguished innovators like Radia Perlman, whose inventions have made significant contributions to modern life,” said Mike Oister, Chief Executive Officer for the National Inventors Hall of Fame. “Our organization's purpose is to assure that American ingenuity continues to thrive in the hands of coming generations. Our esteemed Inductees, like Ms. Perlman, are important role models to the more than 120,000 children who participate in our programs nationwide.”

“Radia is a member of an elite group of trailblazing inventors,” said John Roese, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at EMC. “She is an exemplary role model for her colleagues at EMC, as well as young people considering a STEM career.”

As part of their continued involvement in the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Inductees help to foster the development of America's next generation of innovators by inspiring the curriculum of Camp Invention, a summer enrichment day camp that encourages innovation in youth and focuses on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics. Inductees also serve as judges for the Collegiate Inventors Competition, a national platform for showcasing the emerging ideas and technologies that will benefit our society in the future.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations.