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EXCERPT FROM ENGINEERING WORLD (1921)

Dr. Edward Bennett Rosa, chief physicist of the Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C, died suddenly in his office at the Bureau, May 17. Doctor Rosa was born in Rogersville, N. Y., Oct. 4, 1861, and was the son of Rev. Edward David and Sarah G. Rosa. In March, 1894, he was married to Mary Evans of Harrisburg, Pa.
Doctor Rosa was a graduate of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., in the class of 1886. He was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. After leaving Wesleyan he entered Johns Hopkins University as a graduate student and received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1891. In 1906 the honorary degree of Doctor of Science was conferred on him by Wesleyan University.
For a short time he was instructor at the University of Wisconsin, leaving there to become professor of physics at Wesleyan University. He became the chief physicist at the Bureau of Standards in 1901.
He has done notable work in science and electrical engineering. At Wesleyan University he developed the physical side of the respiration calorimeter with Prof. W. O. Atwater. This apparatus was of great value in the pioneer investigations of the value of foods and the study of nutrition problems. He took a leading part in the researches to establish the fundamental electrical units after coming to the Bureau of Standards and served as secretary of the International Committee on Electrical Units and Standards. He has developed the electrical work of the Bureau of Standards from small beginnings into an organization covering the scientific and engineering aspects of a great national laboratory.
When Doctor Rosa took charge of the electrical division of the Bureau of Standards, in addition to the general supervision of the work of the division, he took active charge of the section on inductance and capacity and absolute measurements. As the work of the electrical division grew it was necessary for him to relinquish some of the detailed work of this section. However, he remained in active charge of the section until the division moved into the electrical building in 1915.
When Doctor Rosa began his work in the electrical division it was his ambition to determine a number of the fundamental electrical constants. In conjunction with Doctor Dorsey he immediately undertook the determination of the ratio of the electromagnetic and electrostatic units. The results obtained are the most accurate which have ever been determined.
About 1907 Doctor Rosa and Doctor Dorsey started their work on the determination of the ampere. This work ran over a period of years and gave a value of the ampere which had not previously been equaled. In order to be able to reproduce the ampere in a concrete way Doctor Rosa and Mr. Vinal started work on the silver voltameter. This was carried on simultaneously with the absolute determination of the ampere so that now we are able to define the ampere in a satisfactory manner.
Dr. Rosa devised a new apparatus for determining the absolute value of the ohm. Models of this were tried in 1908 and 1909 and gave promise of satisfactory results. However, the pressure of other work compelled the abandonment of this experiment, but he had always hoped that the time would soon come when it might be continued.
Doctor Rosa found that the formulae for the computing of inductance were not well developed and were scattered widely through the literature. He undertook to collect these formulae together and in doing so found it desirable to considerably increase their number. During his early years at the bureau he published a large number of papers on the computing of inductance. Finally, in connection with Doctor Grover, he collected together practically all the known formulae for computing inductance. This collection is known the world over as being a model of its kind.
In 1910, there was instituted under Doctor Rosa's direction an exhaustive investigation into the subject of electrolytic corrosion of underground gas and water pipes, and lead cable sheaths due to stray currents from electric railways. This problem has for years been one of major importance to public utility companies throughout the country and prior to the work being taken up under Doctor Rosa's direction at the Bureau of Standards very little definite information was available as to the laws governing electrolytic corrosion or the methods of reducing trouble from this source. The work done under his direction included a definite establishment of laws governing electrolytic corrosion, and much progress in the direction of mitigating trouble of this nature. This work has for a number of years been carried on in close co-operation with the utility interests of the country through the medium of the American Committee on Electrolysis, of which Doctor Rosa was a member.
During the War, Doctor Rosa directed the development of a number of scientific instruments which were of inestimable value to the American Forces in France. Among these might be mentioned a sound ranging device for locating big guns; the geophonic for the detection of mining operations, the development of aircraft radio apparatus and the improvement of radio direction finders by which enemy ships and air craft could be located. Under his direction at the Bureau of Standards was established perhaps the finest radio research laboratory in the country, and he has always shown an intense interest in improving apparatus and methods of radio communication.
In addition to his diversified work in the field of electrical research, Doctor Rosa was keenly interested in the prevention of industrial accidents and in the promulgation of safety standards for use by state, municipal and insurance organizations. He conceived the idea of a National Electrical Safety Code several years ago and the present code is largely the result of his efforts. Similarly the Bureau has undertaken a number of other national safety codes, the Safety Code Section working under his direction.
His broad vision showed him the need of a central clearing house for engineering standards. For years he worked whole-heartedly to bring about the formation of such an organization. It was due in no small measure to his efforts that the American Engineering Standards Committee is now functioning.
The broader aspects of the scientific and engineering work of the Federal Government were clearly presented in a series of papers by Doctor Rosa, while his analysis of government expenditures was largely quoted by leading periodicals, as well as in both Houses of Congress. His last paper on this subject, now in press, would in itself have established his national reputation.
Doctor Rosa was a charter member and one of the officers of the Federal Club, an organization of executives of the various governmental departments.
Doctor Rosa received the Elliott Cresson Medal of the Franklin Institute. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He was also a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society, Washington Academy of Sciences, and the Philosophical Society.