Edmund O. “Ed” Schweitzer III

Edmund O. “Ed” Schweitzer III graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering in 1968 and 1971, respectively. His career began in 1968 at the U.S. Department of Defense, where he spent five years. After obtaining his PhD, Schweitzer taught at Ohio University and later Washington State University, serving as an associate professor at the latter institution until 1985. In 1982, while at Washington State, Schweitzer invented the SEL-21, the first microprocessor-based protective relay, which transformed the industry. Inspired by this breakthrough, Schweitzer founded Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) in his basement in 1984. Today, the company has more than 6,000 employees, with 61 offices in the U.S. and 46 offices globally. In 2019, SEL established a manufacturing plant in the Discovery Park District at Purdue as its fourth manufacturing center. Schweitzer is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and was awarded its highest honor, the Medal in Power Engineering. In 2022, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Purdue presented Schweitzer with a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 2020.