Netravali comes onboard

Noted scientist Arun Netravali has joined the Board of Directors at Agere Systems.

Noted scientist Arun Netravali has joined the Board of Directors at Agere Systems.

With Netravali's addition, Agere's board now numbers eight members, who bring in-depth knowledge of such areas as finance, communications networking, semiconductor fabrication and corporate governance best practices.

Netravali, a globally renowned technologist who served as Bell Labs President from 1999 to 2001, earned more than 70 patents during his 32-year career at AT and T and Lucent Technologies.

In 2002, US President George W Bush awarded Netravali a National Medal of Technology for both his pioneering work in digital video and his technology leadership of Bell Labs.

Netravali currently manages a $250 million venture capital fund under formation that will focus on US-Indian technology companies.

"We're delighted to add a technologist and innovator of Arun's stature to our board", said John Dickson, President and CEO of Agere.

"As a global semiconductor company focused on personal broadband, Agere will benefit greatly from Arun's deep understanding of broadband communications and his extensive business experience".

Netravali has contributed to three books and authored more than 200 papers in the areas of computer networks, human interfaces to machines, picture processing and digital television.

In addition to the technology medal, he has won numerous awards, including the 2001 Padma Bhushan medal, one of the highest honours awarded to civilians by the President of India; the 2001 Jack Kilby Medal from the IEEE; the 1997 Computers and Communications Medal from the Foundation for C and C Promotion funded by NEC Corporation; the 1996 Thomas A Edison Patent Award; a 1994 Emmy award for leadership of AT and T Microelectronics' efforts in the HDTV Grand Alliance standard; the 1992 Engineer of the Year Award from the Association of Engineers from India; and the 1991 Alexander Graham Bell Medal.

Netravali is a fellow of the IEEE and AAAS and a member of the US National Academy of Engineering.

Netravali currently serves on the board of Level 3 Communications and on the advisory board of Veridicom International.

Netravali received a bachelor of technology degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, India, in 1967, and master's and doctorate of electrical engineering degrees from Rice University in 1969 and 1970, respectively.

He holds honorary doctorates from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale in Switzerland, Clarkson University, Osmania University and IIT, Mumbai, India.

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