Nvidia honors its namesake scientists with chip architectures named after them, including pioneers like Nikola Tesla and Johannes Kepler, trailblazing women in science such as Vera Rubin, Ada Lovelace, and Grace Hopper, and notable figures like Richard Feynman and David Blackwell.
The Scientists Behind Nvidia’s AI Chips
Nvidia has been honoring its namesake scientists for decades with chip architecture named after them.
Early Inspirations: Tesla and Kepler
The tradition of naming chips after prominent scientists began long ago, with early architectures taking cues from icons like Nikola Tesla and Johannes Kepler. These pioneers laid the foundation for Nvidia’s culture of recognizing the contributions of innovators in various fields.
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of electrical power systems.
Born in 1856, Tesla studied electrical engineering in Austria and later worked for Thomas Edison in New York City.
However, their differing ideas on direct current (DC) led Tesla to strike out on his own and develop alternating current (AC) systems.
His most notable achievements include the design of the first hydroelectric power plant and the development of the Tesla coil, which produces high-voltage, low-current electricity.
Women in Science: Rubin, Hopper, and Lovelace
In recent years, Nvidia has spotlighted women in science, including GPUs named after Vera Rubin, ‘the most important thing is to never stop questioning’ , Grace Hopper, and Ada Lovelace. Their groundbreaking work paved the way for significant advancements in their respective fields.
Vera Rubin
Vera Rubin is renowned for her discovery of dark matter in the universe. Her pioneering work, which involved studying over 60 galaxies, has had a lasting impact on our understanding of the cosmos. Rubin’s legacy extends beyond her scientific contributions, as she was also a trailblazer for women in science.
Vera Rubin was an American astronomer who made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of the universe.
She is best known for her work on galaxy rotation curves, which led to the discovery of dark matter.
Rubin's research showed that galaxies rotate at a consistent speed, regardless of their distance from the center.
This finding challenged the prevailing view of galaxy formation and led to a new understanding of the role of dark matter in the universe.
Rubin's work has had a lasting impact on modern astrophysics.
Grace Hopper
Computer scientist and naval officer Grace Hopper made significant contributions to the development of computer programming languages. Her work on Mark I, America’s first electromechanical computer, set the stage for future innovations. ‘It may seem a little thing to you now, but it is going to be one of the most important things in the history of science’ . Hopper’s dedication to her craft earned her numerous accolades, including the National Medal of Technology.
Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace is often recognized as the world’s first computer programmer. Her notes on an academic article in 1843 laid out what many consider to be the first computer program. Rediscovered in the late 1970s, Lovelace’s contributions have had a lasting impact on the field of computer science.
Richard Feynman
Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman made significant contributions to quantum electrodynamics and was awarded the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics for his efforts. His work on the development of the atomic bomb at Los Alamos, New Mexico, during World War II also had a profound impact on the field.
David Blackwell
Mathematician and statistician David Blackwell set milestones in the science community with his groundbreaking contributions to game theory, probability theory, and information theory. He was also the first Black scholar to be admitted to the National Academy of Sciences and the first Black professor to receive tenure at the University of California, Berkeley.
A Legacy of Innovation
Nvidia’s tradition of naming chips after prominent scientists is a testament to the company’s commitment to recognizing the contributions of innovators in various fields. By honoring these individuals, Nvidia continues to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers.
Nvidia follows a specific naming convention for its graphics processing units (GPUs) and other products.
The convention typically includes a combination of letters and numbers, with each component providing information about the product's features and capabilities.
For example, 'RTX' indicates that the GPU supports real-time ray tracing technology, while 'Ampere' refers to the architecture used in the GPU.
Other components include 'T' for Tesla, 'G' for GeForce, and 'M' for Maxwell, among others.
This naming convention helps users quickly identify a product's key features and make informed purchasing decisions.
