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EDWARD WILSON KIMBARK
1902-1982
BY EUGENE C. STARR
EDWARD WILSON KIMBARK an internationally known electri-
cal engineer, author, and educator, died February 8, 1982, at
the age of seventy-nine. Although he hac! formally retired in
1976, at the time of his death he was serving as a part-time
consulting engineer with the Bonneville Power Administra-
tion in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Kimbark was born in Chicago on September 2 l, 1902.
He earned a B.S. in electrical engineering in 1924 from
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and an M.S.
and Ph.D., also in electrical engineering, in 1933 and 1937
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
His noteworthy accomplishments extended over forty
years. From 1963 until his retirement, Dr. Kimbark was em-
ployed by the Bonneville Power Administration in the Pacific
Northwest. There he developed and guiclect the use of a
large network analyzer that was used to plan for system
power flow and stability. As head of the Bonneville's Systems
Analysis Unit, he and his staff developecI the funciamental
performance requirements of many stability controls that are
still in use today. These controls included those used to reg-
ulate series capacitator switching, dynamic braking, ctirect
current (DC) line power boosting, generator dropping, load
rejection, anct single-pole switching.
233
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234
MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
In 1976, based on the studies of Dr. Kimbark and his unit,
a modulation control was added to the Pacific Intertie high-
voltage DC line that allowed the damping of a chronic re-
gional power oscillation. Owing to the upgraded transfer ca-
pabilities of the parallel high-voltage alternating current
intertie that were provided by this control, substantial eco-
nomic benefits were felt throughout the western region.
During the last years of his life, Dr. Kimbark investigated
the wider uses of single-pole switching. In recognition of his
work, he receiver] the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers' (IEEE) Best Paper Award (19751. Other awards
included the U.S. Department of the Interior's Gold Mecial
for Distinguished Service (1974) and IEEE's Habirshaw
Award (1980) for the "advancement of electric power trans-
mission through innovative research, classic textbooks, and
inspirational teaching."
Dr. Kimbark's earlier career included positions in acade-
mia ant! industry. He was professor of electrical engineering
at MIT from 1939 to 1950; assistant professor of electrical
engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn from
1937 to 1939; a teacher of electrical engineering and graclu-
ate subjects at MIT from 1933 to 1937; assistant curator of
the Division of Power at the Museum of Science and Industry
in Chicago from 1929 to 1932; an instructor in electrical en-
gineering at the University of California from 1927 to 1929;
and, from 1925 to 1927, a substation operator and assistant
in the testing laboratory of the Public Service Company of
Northern Illinois, in Evanston, Illinois.
From 1950 until 1955, he was professor of electrical engi-
neering at the Instituto Tecnol6gico cle Aeronautica at Sao
Paulo, Brazil, where he taught classes using his fluent Portu-
guese. On his return to the United States, Dr. Kimbark
served as the clean of engineering at Seattle University in Se-
attIe, Washington, from 1955 to 1962. He was instrumental
in securing accreditation of the school by the Engineering
Council for Professional Development in 1962.
Dr. Kimbark was widely recognized as a leacler in the ad-
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EDWARD WILSON KIMBARK
235
vancement of power system practices. His three books on
power system stability, which were completed in 194S, 1950,
and 1956, and his volume on direct current transmission,
completed in 1971, continue to be basic power system refer-
ences. He also wrote or coauthored three other notable pub-
lications, in addition to definitive papers in his field. Dr. Kim-
bark's principal fielcis of interest were electric power
transmission, including high-voltage DC transmission; sym-
metrical components and the related transformation of var-
iables; single-pole switching; subsynchronous resonance;
and power system stability.
Dr. Kimbark was elected to the National Academy of En-
gineering in 1979. He was a fellow and life member of IEEE
and its Power Engineering Society. He was also a member of
the Conference Internationale cles Grands Reseaux Elect-
riques a Haute Tension, the National Society of Professional
Engineers, and the American Society for Engineering Edu-
cation. In addition, he belonged to the Eta Kappa Nu and
Sigma Xi fraternities and the Phi Beta Kappa honorary so-
ciety.
Dr. Kimbark and his wife Iris, who survives him, shared an
avid interest in cultural affairs. As a matter of fact, at the time
of his death, he was active as chairman of the Chamber Music
Society of Oregon.
His cheerful personality and graciously helpful attitude
endeared him to his students, associates, and many friends.
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wilson kimbark
