An Wang
Chinese-American inventor of core-memory technology and founder of Wang Laboratories
- Lived
- 70 yrs
- 1920 – 1990
- Works listed
- 1
- Patent
- Honours
- 2
- Most recent 1988
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
An Wang was a Chinese-American computer engineer who co-invented a key form of magnetic-core memory and founded Wang Laboratories in 1951. Wang’s calculators and word processors made it one of the largest computer companies of the 1980s.
Biography
Background
Wang studied electrical engineering at Chiao Tung University in Shanghai and moved to the United States in 1945, earning a PhD in applied physics from Harvard in 1948.
Core memory
At Howard Aiken’s Harvard Computation Laboratory, Wang and Way-Dong Woo devised the “pulse transfer controlling device” using magnetic cores to store data. He sold the patent to IBM in 1956 for $500,000.
Wang Laboratories
Founded in 1951 as a one-man shop in Boston, Wang Laboratories made electronic calculators in the 1960s and then dedicated word processors in the 1970s. The Wang word processor was standard in offices before the PC, and sales reached about $3 billion in the 1980s.
Legacy
Wang gave generously to Boston’s cultural institutions; the Wang Theatre is named after him. His company declined after he died in 1990 and filed for bankruptcy in 1992.
Timeline
-
1920
Born in Shanghai, China
-
1945
Moves to the United States
-
1948
PhD from Harvard
-
1951
Founds Wang Laboratories
-
1956
Sells core memory patent to IBM
-
1965
Wang LOCI calculator
-
1976
Wang word processing system
-
1990
Dies
-
1990
Died, aged 70
Notable works
-
1955
Pulse transfer controlling device Patent
With Way-Dong Woo.
Awards and honours
-
Medal of Liberty
1986
-
National Inventors Hall of Fame
1988
Did you know?
-
1
The Wang Theatre in Boston is named after him.
-
2
He wrote an autobiography, Lessons (1986).
-
3
His company once employed more than 30,000 people.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is An Wang?
An Wang was a Chinese-American computer engineer who co-invented a key form of magnetic-core memory and founded Wang Laboratories in 1951. Wang’s calculators and word processors made it one of the largest computer companies of the 1980s.
When did An Wang die?
An Wang died on 24 March 1990 at the age of 70.
Where is An Wang from?
An Wang was born in Shanghai, China.
What is An Wang known for?
An Wang is best known for Magnetic core memory patent; Wang Laboratories; word processors.
What awards has An Wang received?
Notable honours include Medal of Liberty (1986), National Inventors Hall of Fame (1988).
References
- An Wang — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- An Wang — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- An Wang (Q92926) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “An Wang”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“An Wang.” TrackFame, last updated 4 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/an-wang
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Technology
Technology
Sachin Bansal
Co-founder of Flipkart and founder of Navi
Born 1981
Technology
Satya Nadella
Chairman and CEO of Microsoft
Born 1967
Technology
Nandan Nilekani
Infosys co-founder and architect of Aadhaar
Born 1955
Technology
Ritesh Agarwal
Founder of the hotel chain OYO
Technology
Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Founder of the digital payments company Paytm
Born 1978
Technology
Nithin Kamath
Co-founder of the discount brokerage Zerodha
Born 1979