Lubomir Romankiv Leading IBM scientist, inventor of processes Date of Birth: 17.04.1931 Country: Canada

1. Early Life and Education
2. Professional Achievements
3. Recognition and Honors
4. Community Involvement
5. Later Years and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Lubomyr Romankiw was born in Zhovkva, Poland (now Lviv Oblast, Ukraine) and emigrated to Canada in 1944 with his parents. He received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Alberta in 1957 and completed his Masters and PhD in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962.

Professional Achievements

Romankiw dedicated his career to researching magnetic materials, reflective displays, and copper plating processes. As a Chemical Engineer (since 1955) and Doctor of Metallurgy and Materials Science, he headed the Center for Electrochemical Technology and Microstructures at IBM's T. J. Watson Research Institute.

Romankiw invented processes for creating inductive and magnetoresistive microheads for recording and reading information on computer hard disks. His significant contributions earned him the Perkin Medal (1993), the Vittorio de Nora Medal (1994), the Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award (1994), and the Inventor of the Year award from the Intellectual Property Law Association of Eastern New York (2000). He was inducted into the Who's Who in Science and Who's Who in America.

Recognition and Honors

Romankiw received 13 Outstanding Invention and Contribution Awards from IBM and 25 other invention and achievement awards. Most notably, he was inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame in March 2012, becoming one of ten inventors (including Steve Jobs) to receive this honor.

Community Involvement

Romankiw was an active member of the IBM Academy of Engineering Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering of Ukraine. He served as a member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society and the World Congress of Free Ukrainians (UKWU). He established accredited Ukrainian culture courses at Mercy College in New York and played an instrumental role in the development of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting organization in Ukraine.

Later Years and Legacy

On August 22, 2020, Romankiw was awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise for his contributions to Ukraine's international relations and public activities. He passed away on June 28, 2024, at the age of 93, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as an inventor, educator, and community leader.