William Oliver Baker (July 15, 1915 – October 31, 2005) was president of Bell Labs from 1973 to 1979 and advisor on scientific matters to five United States presidents.

Biography

He was born on July 15, 1915, in Chestertown, Maryland. He received his degree from Washington College and went on to get a doctorate from Princeton University, studying under Charles Phelps Smyth. He later did research for Bell Labs that helped lead to synthetic rubber. He held 11 patents in all. He headed Bell Labs from 1973 to 1979. Prior to being named president, he had served as Bell Labs Vice President for Research since 1955. Baker had lived in the New Vernon section of Harding Township and was a longtime resident of Morristown, New Jersey. In 1979, he was a resident of Morristown, NJ upon his tenure ending as President of Bell Labs. He died of heart failure on October 31, 2005, in Chatham, New Jersey.

Awards and honors