Dr. Frank S. Greene was a man with many different careers. He worked as an inventor, researcher, venture capitalist, and educator. He is credited with breaking the color barrier and allowing many Black engineers to work in Silicon Valley in the 1960s.
According to Santa Clara University, he designed and patented the integrated circuit that propelled Fairchild to the forefront of the semiconductor industry. Here are four Greene facts you should know.
One of the first African-American students to graduate from Washington University
To begin with, he was born in Washington, D.C. to Frank S. Greene Sr. and Irma Olivia Swygert. He grew up in a largely segregated environment in St. Louis, Missouri. His social reality compelled him to prioritize the civil rights movement.
He graduated as one of the first African-American students from Washington University in St. Louis. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and applied for graduate studies at Purdue University. In 1962, he received his master’s degree in electrical engineering and enlisted in the United States Air Force.
He built the fastest memory chip
Greene was the first African-American cadet to graduate from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, rising to the rank of captain before retiring voluntarily. As an electronics officer, he built high-performance computers for the national security agency. During his time with the Fairchild Semiconductor team, he also created the fastest memory chip.
While in the Air Force, he began his doctoral studies at Santa Clara University. In 1970, he received his doctorate in electrical engineering. He was the first African American to be appointed to the University’s board of trustees.
He pioneered many startups with a primary focus on women
Greene founded the technology firm Technology Development Corporation. The entity’s goal was to conduct research and develop engineering services for the United States government. It designed the avionics for the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, a communication system for scuba divers, and the federal government’s space shuttle program.
Greene went on to found ZeroOne Systems. It is a facility for supercomputing systems. The company’s annual revenue reached $15 million after only two years in business.
Greene established NewVista Capital, a venture capital firm that pioneered many start-ups with a primary focus on women and minority business owners, in 1986. In 2009, he was featured in a Palo Alto City exhibit as one of the 50 most influential Black tech titans.
His scholars program helped improve science and maths education
Greene established a scholarship program in honor of his wife Phyllis Greene’s contribution to NAACP activities. Greene was interested in developing and empowering African-American engineers to break new ground in technology.
His Frank S. Greene Scholars program ensured that all participants graduated from high school. A science fair, an engineering competition, a career day, parent enrichment workshops, and monthly classes were all part of the Scholars program.