Roshan Lal Sharma, adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU), retired early from Collins Radio Company and Rockwell Intl. in 1984 after 32 years of pioneering research in telecommunications and network science. He was part of a team that developed the first commercial modem, a microprogrammable front-end, a computer-controlled message switching system and a digital ACD system. In 1981, Dr Sharma won the Leonardo da Vinci silver medal for being a chosen engineer of the year for Rockwell Intl. He has bagged five US patents and published or presented over 100 technical papers. He has conducted dozens of training courses on network design and data communications. He co-authored the book Network Systems in 1982 and authored the book Network Topology Optimization—The Art and Science of Network Design in 1990. His latest book Network Design Using Econets was published by International Thomson Computer Press in 1997.

Sharma received his BA in physics and mathematics from the Punjab University in India and MS in physics from USC. He has lectured at many universities such as SMU, UTD, UTA and University of Dallas’s Graduate School of Management. At present, apart from his teaching role at SMU, he is also an independent consultant. n