Erich Bloch

Erich Bloch joined the Council on Competitiveness as its first distinguished fellow in 1991 and contributed to many of its deliberations and reports over the years. In 1996, he co-founded The Washington Advisory Group, a firm providing strategic advice and counsel to organizations engaged in science, technology and higher education. Bloch advises on corporate R&D management and strategic planning for academically based research enterprises and other nonprofit organizations. He is also serving as a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

As director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 1984–1990, Bloch oversaw the NSF’s $3 billion annual budget and the award of 12,000–14,000 research grants in natural and social sciences and engineering.

Previously, Bloch was IBM corporate vice president for technical personnel development. His earlier work at IBM included engineering manager of the Stretch supercomputer system, head of the Solid Logic Technology Program, vice president of the Data Systems Division, and general manager of the East Fishkill development and manufacturing facility.

Bloch was awarded the National Medal of Technology for “developments that revolutionized the computer industry” and is a recipient of the IEEE Founders Medal and the Vannevar Bush Award. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, a fellow of IEEE, and a foreign member of the Engineering Academy of Japan. He serves on several boards and a variety of nonprofit advisory boards.

Bloch received his education in electrical engineering at the Federal Polytechnic Institute of Zurich and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Buffalo.