Dr. Herbert Wolkstein, 1939
Leader in space communications and satellites.
(Deceased) After graduating from Weequahic High School in 1939, Herbert Wolkstein served in the Army Air Corps, European Theater, during World War II.
After returning home, Herbert received his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering Degree from the Newark College of Engineering and began his professional career as an electrical engineer in the microwave tube division of the RCA Corporation.
Over the next 34 years at RCA, Herbert rose to become the Head of Space and Electronic Counter Measures Operations at the David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, N.J. During his tenure at RCA, he was awarded 25 patents in the electron-tube and solid-state fields; he authored 44 technical papers; and, he contributed to the development of numerous communications satellites.
In 1982, Herbert was awarded the RCA Laboratories Outstanding Achievement Award for his work in developing RCA communication satellites. In 1983, he received RCA Corporation's highest honor, the “David Sarnoff Research Award” for outstanding technical achievement.
Following the acquisition of RCA by General Electric in 1987, Herbert worked as a worldwide independent consultant in the aerospace and defense electronics industry until 2014. He was regarded as one of the world's leading experts in traveling wave tubes and satellite communications. He consulted for Lockheed Martin, Hughes Aircraft, Marconi, Orbital Sciences, NASA, Telefunken, and many more technical corporations and organizations. He also held top-secret clearance at the Pentagon.
Herbert resided in Livingston NJ until his passing in 2017. He was predeceased by his wife, Doris Eckel Wolkstein. He is survived by his daughter, Marianne, and sons, William and John; daughter-in-law, Amy, and grandsons, Eric, Jordan, and Zachary.