10 Trojan Inventors You Should Know
By Anna Lipscomb ‘19
Did you know that February 11 was National Inventors’ Day? Let’s take a look at a few of our notable Trojan inventors…
1. Fred Cohen: Computer Viruses
While he was a student at Viterbi, Fred Cohen started writing one of the first computer viruses. His professor, Leonard Adleman coined the term “computer virus” and Cohen set off to create it. He also tried to find ways to defend against them.
(Photo credit: USC News)
2. Gary Anderson: Recycling symbol
The easily recognizable symbol on the side of every recycling bin and at the bottom of every water bottle is the work of Gary Anderson, who studied architecture at USC.
3. Salvatore Ferragamo: Wedge shoes
Salvatore Ferragamo created a fashion empire of luxury shoes worn by celebrities and fashionistas all over the world. He also invented wedge shoes and turned it into a mainstream fashion piece.
4. Tom Morey: Boogie Boards
If you head over to any SoCal beach, there’s a good chance that you’ll see someone body boarding on boogie boards, which were invented by USC alum Tom Morey in 1971. In addition to being the inventor of the boogie board, Morey is also a musician and surfer.
5. Andrew Viterbi: Viterbi algorithm
Andrew Viterbi, the benefactor the Viterbi School of Engineering, invented the Viterbi algorithm. His algorithm finds the most probable path of hidden states in dynamic programming.
Last year, he was awarded the 2016 Charles Draper Prize for Engineering by the National Academy of Engineering for his algorithm.
(Photo credit: USC News)
6. John Knoll: Adobe Photoshop
John Knoll, who graduated from the School of Cinematic Arts, worked together with his brother Thomas to create Adobe Photoshop in 1988. This application has had a tremendous cultural impact and transformed crafts and industries such as photography, advertising, and fashion.
7. Rangaswamy Srinivasan: Ablative Photodecomposition (APD), co-inventor of the LASIK procedure
Rangaswamy Srinivasan invented ablative photocomposition in 1980, which led to laser eye surgery (LASIK). Now, millions of procedures using his technologies have been performed across the US and the world.
8. Frances Hashimoto: Mochi Ice Cream
This sweet, frosty treat can be credited to Frances Hashimoto, who graduated from USC in 1966. She opened her first store for her brand, Mikawaya, in Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo, and it’s since spread to other locations in California and Hawaii. You can also find these treats at stores such as Trader Joe’s, Ralphs, and Safeway.
(Photo credit: Viterbi Voices)
9. Andrew Alfonso Frank: Plug-in hybrid electrical vehicles
Trojans such as Andrew Alfonso Frank are at the forefront of efficiency and technology. Frank invented plug-in hybrid cars, which are increasingly popular and recognized for its use of renewable energy. Even though these vehicles may seem like a recent invention, Frank experimented with the concept as early as 1971.
10. Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin: Hula Hoops and Frisbees
The next time you’re playing frisbee with friends or trying to see how long you can hula hoop, you can thank USC alums Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin. They started their company, Wham-O, together and created these beloved, classic toys.
Trojan innovation doesn’t stop here…
These ten inventions are just the beginning. USC Stevens Center for Innovation offers resources, programs, funding and events to support the ongoing creativity and innovation in the community. We look forward to seeing the future inventions and innovations that Trojans will create and share with the world.
(Photo credit: USC Sustainability)
Fight on and innovate on!
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