Jonsson Social Sciences Reading Room

J. Erik Jonsson

John Erik Jonsson (1901-1995) cofounded Texas Instruments with Cecil H. Green and Eugene McDermott. Jonsson served as the company's chairman from 1958 through 1966. Under his leadership, Texas Instruments produced the first commercial silicon transistor, co-invented the integrated circuit, pioneered the electronic hand-held calculator, and developed the first single-chip digital signal processor.

Jonsson's leadership extended to his community as well. As mayor of Dallas from 1964 to 1971, he helped restore the city's morale in the wake of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Jonsson proposed an urban goal-setting program called Goals for Dallas and spearheaded the effort to build the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, then the largest in the world. He also cofounded the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies, which became the University of Texas at Dallas.

Jonsson was awarded the Gant Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Management Association in 1968, the Hoover Medal in 1970 for his non-technical contributions to humanity, and the Founders Medal of the National Academy of Engineering in 1974. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame for Business Leadership in 1975. In 1983, he was named Swedish-American of the Year.

The Jonsson Social Sciences Reading Room is named in honor of Erik Jonsson's outstanding achievements
in business and technology, and his parallel commitments to education and community service.