Enernet: Internet Lessons for Solving Energy

Abstract

ABOUT DR. ROBERT M. METCALFE:

In 1973, Dr. Robert Metcalfe invented Ethernet, the local-area networking (LAN) standard, while working at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. In 2005, Dr. Metcalfe was awarded the National Medal of Technology for his leadership in Ethernet’s invention, standardization, and commercialization. Today, about 350 million new Ethernet ports are shipped annually.

In 1979, Dr. Metcalfe founded the 3Com Corporation. He worked at 3Com in various positions including chairman and CEO, until his retirement from the company in 1990. Through the end of the decade, Dr. Metcalfe followed a career as Internet pundit and online publisher, including serving as CEO of IDG’s InfoWorld Publishing Co. Beginning in 2001, he joined Polaris Venture Partners as a venture capitalist interested in understanding how the energy crisis can be addressed through lessons learned from networking technologies.