Welcome to the Tesla Memorial Society of New York Website
Celebrating
250 years of Columbia University, New York
150 Years of Michael Pupin Birthday
Above: Alma Mater, Columbia University, New York.
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 Please click here to see Frescos of Serbia Exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York May/June 2004 |
Tributes to Michael Pupin:
From New York Academy of Sciences
Above: The President of the New York Academy of Sciences wrote "A Tribute to Michael Pupin" celebrating 150 years of Pupin's birth.
From Institute of Electrical Engineers:
Above: Tribute to Michael Pupin from the History Center of the Institute of Electrical Electronic Engineers
Pupin Bust was Unveiled on May 21, 2004 at Columbia University, New York
Above: Michael Idvorsky Pupin Bust, work of Ivan Mestrovic. This bust was unveiled in Pupin Hall, Columbia University, New York City on May 21, 2004.
Above: Michael Idvorsky Pupin (1854 -1935)
Above: Pupin Coil at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C.
Above: The Michael Pupin Bust created by renowned Serbian Sculptor Drinka Radovanovic. This bust was a personal gift from Yugoslav President Dr. Vojislav Kostunica to Columbia University, New York.
Above: The Pulitzer Prize awarded to Pupin
Michael Pupin received the Pulitzer Prize in 1924 for his autobiography: "From Immigrant to Inventor"
American President Woodrow Wilson was a friend of Michael Pupin. In the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 Michael Pupin and his friend President Wilson helped the formation of Yugoslavia by adding many territories to Yugoslavia.
Michael Pupin is the Founder of American Radiology. Pupin made the first x-ray picture in America and discovered secondary x-ray radiation.
Above: Michael Pupin's Edison Medal
"From Immigrant to Inventor" about the life and times of Michael I. Pupin. Author Dr. Ljubo Vujovic. The film was shown at the ceremony on May 21, 2004.
Above: Pupin Postal Stamp issued in Yugoslavia on 1979.
Above: This is the famous autobiography of Michael Pupin "From Immigrant to Inventor" which received the Pulitzer Prize in 1924.
Above: Michael Pupin grave is located at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
Above: The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York City, the place where Michael Pupin and Nikola Tesla had funeral services.
Above: A tribute to Michael Pupin's Gravesite at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York, 1992.
Serbian Patriarch Pavle blessed the soil from Michael Pupin's home in Idvor, Yugoslavia.
Columbia University Physics Department in New York unveiled today the beautiful bronze bust of Michael Idvorsky Pupin (1854 - 1935) in the Pupin Physics Laboratories on the Columbia University campus.
Above: Entrance to Pupin Physics Laboratories, Columbia University, New York.
The bust is the work of the world famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. Inscription of the bust reads: "To my friend Pupin from Mestrovic".
The Story about the Mestrovic-Pupin Bust
The bust of Michael Pupin was the work and a gift of Ivan Mestrovic to Michael Pupin. After Pupin's death in 1935 the bust was placed in the library of the Pupin Physics Laboratory in Columbia University, New York for the last 70 years. Dr. Ljubo Vujovic visited the Pupin Physics Laboratory in March 2004 with Lalla Grimes - Administrative Coordinator, Physics Department, Columbia University. Lalla showed the bust to Dr. Vujovic and both instantly decided that the bust should be placed in the hall of the main entrance to the Pupin Physics Department. The occasion of the 150th anniversary of Pupin's birth was the perfect time to place the bust in the hall of the Pupin Physics Laboratory.
Above: Pupin Physics Laboratories, Columbia University, New York.
This famous building was given the name "Pupin Physics Laboratories" after Pupin's death in 1935. There are 29 Noble Prize winners who did their scientific work at this famous building. Significant scientific discoveries in the 20th century took place in this building. The "Manhattan Project" which produced the first Atomic Bomb started with scientific research conducted in Pupin Physics Laboratories.
Columbia University has 61 Noble Prize winners which is unsurpassed in the history of science and research. American President Eisenhower was also the President of Columbia University.
Michael Idvorsky Pupin (1854 - 1935)
"Every time you make a long distance telephone call, tune your radio to a new station, or get x-rayed by your doctor, you are using one of the many practical inventions of Michael Pupin. His inventions contribute substantially to our daily life" - Edward F. Bergman
"Everyone knows that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.. what Bell really invented was local telephone calls. It was Michael Pupin who made long distance and international phone calls possible and the gadget that enabled it was the induction coil." - Dean Zvi Galil, Columbia University.
Michael Idvorsky Pupin was a Serbian-American inventor, a great educator, professor of Columbia University, an applied physicist, an important social figure in America at his time. He was one of the great shining stars in the history of American science.
The ceremony of unveiling the bust started with a reception, followed by speeches, the unveiling of the bust and the showing of the film "From Immigrant to Inventor :Michael Pupin Remembered" about the life and times of Michael I. Pupin. The film was produced by the Tesla Memorial Society of New York in collaboration with Columbia University (Author of the film: Dr. Ljubo Vujovic).
The reception hall was full with Pupin and Mestrovic admirers alike.
Ambassador's Statements
Honorable Ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro in Washington D.C., Dr. Ivan Vujacic gave the following statement to the press in the embassy of Serbia-Montenegro in Washington D.C. regarding the celebration of the 150 years of Michael Pupin's birth and the unveiling of the Pupin bust at Columbia University on May 21, 2004:
"Today is the occasion that we remember the giant (Michael Pupin) who during his lifetime had numerous scientific achievements and who built the international reputation of Serbia and later Yugoslavia. He left tremendous impact on many ordinary people. We are proud that Michael Pupin's name, the great patriot and scientist in forever written in the science of Serbia and America. Pupin is the steady bridge connecting both countries."
Tribute to Ivan Mestrovic, the greatest sculptor since the Renaissance
The internationally renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic made the bust of the Michael Pupin and Nikola Tesla. He was friends with both men in his lifetime.
Mestrovic made a bust of the great Serbian-American scientist and professor of Columbia University in New York City, Michael Idvorsky Pupin. There are two busts made by Mestrovic of Pupin in New York City. One bust is placed by the Cathedral of "St. Sava" in Manhattan. The second Mestrovic Pupin bust is located in the Pupin Physics Laboratories at Columbia University, New York City. The Columbia Pupin bust bear the inscription: "To my friend, Michael Pupin from Mestrovic".
Lost Monument of King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic
by Ivan Mestrovic
Above: The Monument of King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic in Cetinje, work of Ivan Mestrovic
Mestrovic was a friend of the King of Yugoslavia, Aleksandar Karadjordjevic. Mestrovic made a beautiful monument of King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic in Cetinje where the King was born. The King's mother was Princess Zorka Petrovic, the daughter of the King of Montenegro, Nikola Petrovic. Princess Zorka Petrovic (King Aleksandar's mother) died in Cetinje during the delivery of her child. King Aleksandar's father was King Petar Karadjordjevic of Serbia. The King's Monument was erected before WWII in Cetinje and was a beautiful work of art by Ivan Mestrovic. The monument pictured King Aleksandar on a horse. When the Italian Fascist government occupied Montenegro in 1941 they removed the monument and apparently shipped it to Italy. The monument since then was never found.
Michael Pupin was a good friend of King Aleksadar Karadjordjevic. Pupin was the founder of the Serbian Academy of Sciences in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Honorary Consul of Serbia during World War I in New York and also a member of the Yugoslav Delegation in the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. Michael Pupin aided in the creation of Yugoslavia with the help of his friend American President Wilson. Many territories were consolidated into Yugoslavia: Banat, Dalmatia, part of Slovenia, etc. with the help of Michael Pupin. Pupin was the honorary citizen of the city of Bled, Slovenia and the city of Zrenjanin in Vojvodina.
Above: The Montenegrin
Royal Family with King Aleksandar
Karadjordjevic.
(Photo taken 1910 during the crowning of King Nikola of Montenegro)
King Nikola of Montenegro "The father-in-law of Europe" is seated
with Queen Milena in the middle of second row. In front of King
Nikola is seated Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, future king of
Yugoslavia. King Aleksandar, born in Cetinje, was the grandson of
King Nikola.
Standing in the back row (left to right): Prince Petar Nikolajevic Romanov (Russia), Prince Franc Batenberg (England), Princess Vjera, Princess Ksenija, Crowned prince Danilo, Prince Mirko, Prince Petar.
Seated in Middle Row (left to right): Milica Petrovic (Juta Meklenburg Strelic, Germany), Princess Ana Batenberg, Queen Jelena of Italy, Queen Milena of Monetegro, King Nikola, Princess Milica Romanov, King Viktor Emanuel III of Italy and Princess Natalija.
Seated on ground in the front row (left to right): Princess Jelena Karadjordjevic, Princess Marina Petrovna Nikolajevic, Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic (future King of Yugoslavia).
Mestrovic is a great figure in the history of the people of the Balkans. He designed the Grand "Monument of the Unknown Soldier" at the Mount of Avala, near Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and the Mausoleum of the greatest poet of South Slavs, Petar Petrovic-Njegos in the Montenegrin Mountain of Lovcen, near the capital of Montenegro, Cetinje. Both monuments are unsurpassed by their beauty and inspiration. He also designed "The Monument of Gratitude to France" in Kalimegdan Park, Belgrade. "The Well of Life" in Zagreb was also one of his masterpieces. He designed the victorious bust in Belgrade.
The people of the Balkans are grateful to "the greatest sculptor since the Renaissance", Ivan Mestrovic.
Above: Mausoleum of the greatest poet of South Slavs, Petar Petrovic-Njegos in the Montenegrin Mountain of Lovcen, near the capital of Montenegro, Cetinje. The work of Ivan Mestrovic.
Above: Petar Petrovic Njegos - the greatest poet of the South Slavs
Serbian hero Marko Kraljevic by Ivan Mestrovic.
Indian with a Bow. Bronze, 1926-1927. Grant Park in Chicago, by Ivan Mestrovic.
Above: Victor, bronze and stone monument, symbol of Belgrade. By Ivan Mestrovic erected 1928.
Above: Monument of Unknown Hero on Avala, by Belgrade. By Ivan Mestrovic erected in 1938.
Click here for the biograpghy and more information on Ivan Mestrovic
Unveiling of Michael Pupin's bust, Columbia University, May 21, 2004
Above: Masters of the ceremony - Lalla R. Grimes, Administrative Coordinator Columbia Physics Department and Dr. Ljubo Vujovic, General Secretary Tesla Memorial Society of New York
Present at the unveiling ceremony among other guests:
Roksanda Nincic - First Councilor - Serbia and Montenegro, Mission by the United Nations.
Irena Zubcevic - Minister Plenipotentiary - Croatian Mission to the United Nations.
Zdenka Kardum - Consul General, Republic of Croatia, New York.
Milos Prica - Permanent Representative Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mission by the United Nations.
Prof. David Kraft - Representing New York Academy of Sciences.
Prof. Mischa Schwartz - Representative of the Institute of Electrical Electronic Engineers.
Dr. Ljubo Vujovic - General Secretary Tesla Memorial Society of New York
Marko Vujovic - web designer, digital photography - Tesla Memorial Society of New York.
Milan Lucic - Serbian Radio and Television, New York.
Vladimir Bibic - Film producer.
Representatives of Columbia University:
Lalla Grimes - Administrative Coordinator, Physics Department, Columbia University
Professor Samuel Devons, Professor
Emeritus (retired) of Physics
Professor Andrew Millis, Professor of Physics
Professor Brian Cole, Professor of Physics
Professor Morgan May, Adjunct Professor of Physics
Professor David Helfand, Professor of Astronomy (Chairman of the Columbia
Astronomy Department)
Prof. Radmila Gorup - Columbia University, New
York.
Prof. Lila Kalinich - Columbia University
Dr. Eric Gotthelf, Research Scientist, Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory
(invited to Belgrade University in late June for a conference)
Ms. Magdalena Djordjeic, graduate student, Columbia Physics Department,
citizen of Serbia and Montenegro
Mr. Marko Djordjevic, graduate student, Columbia Physics Department,
citizen of Serbia and Montenegro
Other Postdoctoral Research Scientists and graduate students and staff
members, Columbia Physics Department
Representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church:
V. Rev. Father Predrag Micic
Father Djokan Majstorovic
Mira Luna - President of St. Sava Cathedral Community Board, Manhattan.
Prof. Zorka Milic
Mary Bakalic - Pupin's nurse
Dr. Dusan Kalicanin
Dr. Dusan Kosovic
Prof. Nikola Lipovac
Ing. Ratko Picuric
Dr. Marisa Pezzulich
Dr. Milan Rakic
Ksenia Rakic
Dr. Relja Nedeljkovic
Nenad Milinkovic - Electrical Engineer
Slobodan Todorovic - Board Member Tesla Memorial Society
Ceremony for Unveiling the Pupin Bust:
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Introductory Speech by Lalla Grimes - Administrative Coordinator, Physics Department, Columbia University. Ms. Grimes read the greetings sent by fax from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia.
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Speech by Dr. Ljubo Vujovic - Secretary General Tesla Memorial Society.
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Mary Bakalic recounts her memories of Michael Pupin.
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Speech by Prof. Emeritus Samuel Devons followed by the Pupin bust unveiling by Prof. Devons.
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Showing of the film "From Immigrant to Inventor" about the life and times of Michael I. Pupin. Author Dr. Ljubo Vujovic.
Above: Postal Stamp from Serbia and Montenegro, 2004.
Pupin Medalists
The Pupin Medal was established in the year 1958/59 to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Michael I. Pupin, distinguished inventor in many fields including those of the telegraph and telephone, and a member of the Engineering Faculty, Columbia University, New York, from 1901-1931.
The Pupin Award is presented in recognition of distinguished "Service to the nation".
Click here for Pupin Medalists: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3
Invasion of Normandy D-Day (June 6, 1944)
Pupin Award to General John B. Medaris for his heroism during invasion of Normandy
June 6 is celebrated as D-Day, the day marked as the anniversary of the Allied Invasion of Normandy and liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation. American Major General John B. Medaris planned and executed the Ordinance phase of the Invasion of Normandy. For his heroism he received the Pupin Award for distinguished "service to the nation".
Above: Dr. Ljubo Vujovic with a Tesla Coil
Speech by Dr. Ljubo Vujovic on Unveiling the Bust of Michael Pupin
"Columbia University Physics Department will unveil today the bronze bust of Michael Idvorsky Pupin in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Michael Pupin and 250 years of Columbia University. The bust is the work of the world famous sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. Inscription of the bust reads: "To my friend Pupin from Mestrovic". Michael Idvorsky Pupin is a great Serbian-American inventor, a great educator, professor of Columbia University, an applied physicist, an important social figure in America at this time. He was one of the great shining stars in the history of American science.
He was born to a Serbian family in the village of Idvor, province of Banat near Belgrade. At the age of fifteen he came to America and work his way on farms and in factories and finally won himself an education and became one of the greatest scientist in America.
His autobiography "From Immigrant to Inventor" won the Pulitzer Prize in 1924 tells of his transformation into one of America's great electrical genius. Pupin was a holder of 34 patents, he was a prolific electrical inventor who's many discoveries included devices widely used today in telegraphy and telephony. Pupin was best known for his contributions to applied physics, primarily telephone and telegraph transmission, although he contributed to applied medicine by his work in x-ray fluoroscopy and his method of decreasing the duration of exposure to x-rays.
Pupin discovered the Pupin Coil which extended the range of long-distance telephony; and a means of overcoming static resistance to wireless telegraphy. Pupin discovered the scale on radio.
Above: First X-ray picture in America done by Michael Pupin.
When the discovery of X-rays was announced by Roentgen in December 1895, Pupin was among the first to construct an x-ray tube. He obtained the first roentgenogram in America on January 2, 1896. Pupin is the Father of American Radiology. Using a fluorescent screen placed on top of the photographic plate he reduced the exposure time for the x-ray picture process from one hour to a few seconds. It was an extremely important discovery in medicine. This was the discovery of secondary x-ray radiation. The original Pupin x-ray picture was a picture of a patients hand filled with buckshot which was to extracted by surgery. This was the first surgical repair case in America to be aided by an x-ray picture.
Pupin discovered Sonar, a method of detecting enemy U-Boats in the Atlantic during WWI, which harassed allied ships on the sea. The Sonar discovery was a request from President Wilson to Pupin to help America during the time of war. Sonar is still in use today.
Pupin received many awards and decorations for his service to science; these included five medals and 18 honorary degrees. In addition, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C. and contributed much to the funding of the American Mathematical Society and the American Physical Society and to the formation of the National Research Council. Pupin founded the Astronautical Department of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C. which later became "NASA".
He was advisor to the Yugoslavian delegation to the Paris Peace conference in 1919 which contributed significantly to the formation of former Yugoslavia. Pupin was an eloquent speaker with a poetic imagination and had an extraordinary personality. His scientific addresses always carried the basic theme of idealism in science. Pupin received the Edison Medal in 1920.
The Pupin Medal was established in the year 1958/59 in Columbia University to celebrate the one hundred anniversary of the birth of Michael Pupin. The Pupin Medal is presented to Americans in recognition of distinguished "service to the nation".
Pupin died of kidney failure on March 12, 1935 in New York City. He was honored on a postal stamp issued in 1979 by Yugoslavia and also in 2004 by Serbia and Montenegro. After his death in 1935, Columbia University named his laboratory "Pupin Physics Laboratories". Twenty-nine American scientist researching in Pupin Physics Laboratories received the Nobel Prize. So many Nobel Prize winners under one roof, this is unique in the world. The preliminary scientific investigations for the first atomic bomb of America took place in Pupin Physics Laboratory (so called the Manhattan Project). The first split of the Uranium atom took place in Columbia.
Let me end my speech by quoting Dean Zvi Galil of the school of Engineering at Columbia:
"Everyone knows that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.. what Bell really invented was local telephone calls. It was Michael Pupin who made long distance and international phone calls possible and the gadget that enabled it was the induction coil.".
Today's Unveiling of the Pupin Bust is a tribute to Michael Idvorsky Pupin for his contribution to America and the world." - Dr. Ljubo Vujovic
Acknowledgement:
The Columbia University Physics Department, the Tesla Memorial Society of New York, Dr. Ljubo Vujovic, Secretary General Tesla Memorial Society of New York, and the National Committee of the Republic of Serbia for the celebration of the 150th birthday of Michael Pupin are grateful to the following individuals for their help and dedication who made possible the unveiling of the Pupin Bust:
Lalla Grimes - Administrative Coordinator, Physics Department, Columbia University
Professor Jasmina Vujic - University of California at Berkeley
Marko Vujovic - Web designer, digital photography - Tesla Memorial Society of NY
Father Irinej Dobrijevich - Former Director of the Office of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Washington D.C.
Dr. Michailo Rundo - Secretary of the Tesla Memorial Society, Germany.
Prof. Radmila Gorup - Columbia University, New York.
Prof. Lila Kalinich - Columbia University
Ranko Grujic - businessman of California.
V. Rev. Father Predrag Micic, Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Special Thanks to Lalla Grimes - Administrative Coordinator, Physics Department, Columbia University
Many thanks to Lalla Grimes, who's instructions, advises and knowledge was instrumental for the unveiling of the Pupin Bust at Columbia University in New York. We thank her for that.
Above: Lalla Grimes - Administrative Coordinator, Pupin Physics Laboratories, Columbia University below the painting of Michael Pupin at the Pupin Physics Laboratories, Columbia University, New York. Without her vision, idealism, persistence and hard work the unveiling of the Pupin bust would not be possible. We thank her for that.
Thanks to Martin Selak (Honorary Chairman of the Committee for 150 years celebration of Michael Pupin's birth)
Many thanks to Martin Selak for his financial help and contribution to the Serbian Academy of Sciences in Belgrade, the Inventor's Society of Serbia/Montenegro and the Serbian Orthodox Church. He received for his help an official recognition from Serbian Patriarch Pavle(Gramata). Mr. Selak also helped many needy hospitals in Serbia and Montenegro. We thank him for that.
We thanked a number of Columbia colleagues for their assistance in
making
the occasion possible - Sarah Weiner, Curator of Art Properties; Lawrence
Soucy, Coordinator, Office of Art Properties; Wilfred Small, Facilities
Management; Ralph Olsen, Facilities Management; Nicole Griggs,
Administative Aide, Columbia Physics Department; and Gary Steinberg,
Technical Assistant to the Faculty, Columbia Physics Department.
Above: Marko Vujovic, Web Designer and Digital Photography, Tesla Memorial Society of New York.
Pictures at the ceremony and bust unveiling:
Columbia University Campus, New York (Photos):
Invitations for Ambassadors:
Above: Tesla Diploma of honorary Doctor of Collegium Columbiae (June 1894)