The WEIZAC Years (1954-1963)

The WEIZAC was built for the Applied Mathematics Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel during 1954-1955. It is an early example of successful technology transfer, with the design of the von Neumann machine moving from the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey to the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. WEIZAC's existence, its intense application to physical problems and the cadres trained in digital hardware, software and computational methods opened a market of concepts and practices outside of the United States and Europe. The author, who worked on and directed the WEIZAC project, discusses its history, results, and impact.