A Pioneer in Information Communication, ANSIR® Profiled:
It happened in 1948.	Claude Shannon
Fifty-three years ago, Claude Shannon was a young scientist working at Bell Labs when he formulated a new twist on the old idea of mathematical communication. Shannon reached the then-extraordinary conclusion that all information could be expressed in binary format, as a series or combination of 0s and 1s. Nineteen forty-eight technology did not have a basis for advancing the discovery, but Shannon's work eventually became the foundation for what we know as digital technologies. This encompasses a wide range of modern conveniences, such as computers,modems, satellite transmission, data encryption, and even the Internet. But within the scientific community, Shannon will forever be remembered (at least as much as for his academic achievements) for his personal antics.
His work habits bordered on the bizarre, such as taking breaks by riding a unicycle up and down the halls at work — while juggling! He continued his new-twist-on-an-old-idea pattern even into retirement, where he devised a motorized pogo stick for his grandchildren, as well as a rocket-powered Frisbee. Creativity, even within the rigid bounds of scientific standards, lead us in the direction of Evokateur thinking. His lifelong pattern of discovering something new by looking at something old in a fresh way, coupled with the kind of freewheeling antics he's remembered for, are clear hallmarks of Eccentrik working. And we peg him as Eccentrik emoting, too, based on his behavior in his post-work life. The zany, unpredictable fun of inventing new toys for the grandkids — and doing so in the same lifelong pattern of manipulating what exists to create something new. Unlike many, he lived long enough to see his work reach full fruition, passing away in February of 2001. For the technology allowing us to write, post, and read this small tribute — thank you, Mr. Shannon.

Back to What's My Style