History

Fred E. Luborsky (1923 - 2010) was an American physical chemist and materials scientist known for his work with magnetic materials. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 14th, 1923. Luborsky received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947, and earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, in 1951.

Shortly following the completion of his doctorate, Luborsky joined the General Electric Company in 1951. He initially worked in the Instrument Department before he was moved to the Research and Development Center in Schenectady, New York. Throughout his career, his research focused on the properties of magnetic materials. Luborsky also played a significant role in the development of General Electric’s Lodex permanent magnets, thin-film electroplated magnetic disks, plated wired memory, and amorphous alloys. 

Luborsky was a prolific researcher, publishing more than 160 scientific papers and producing 18 patents over his career. He was a fellow of numerous scientific organizations, including the American Institute of Chemists, and the New York Academy of Sciences, and was actively involved in professional societies such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Luborsky also served as Editor-in-Chief for IEEE Transactions in Magnetics, the president of the IEEE Magnetics Society, and received the first Achievement Award of the Magnetics Society in 1981.