Description
In 1965, L. G. Roberts (Lawrence G.) successfully implemented the first computer-to-computer packet link between MIT and Systems
Development Corporation (SDC). In 1966, Roberts became the chief scientist and in 1967 the director of the Information Processing
Techniques Office (IPTO) of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), later renamed the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) of the United States Department of Defense (DoD). As director, Roberts was responsible for designing and managing
the implementation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) computer communications network, a research
packet switching computer communications network that was the precursor to the internet.
The collection contains the professional and research files of L. G. Roberts dating from 1962 to 2009 and includes publications;
notes written by Roberts concerning the development of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET); notes on the
internet and on networked computing more broadly; professional correspondence.
Background
L. G. Roberts (Lawrence G.) was born in Connecticut in 1937, the son of Elliott and Elizabeth Roberts. After graduating with
his BS (1959), MS (1960), and PhD (1963) in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Roberts
began work at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, where he carried out research on computer networks. In 1965, Roberts successfully
implemented the first computer-to-computer packet link between MIT and Systems Development Corporation (SDC).
Extent
0.4 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Restrictions
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by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.