Neal Bertram received the IEEE Magnetics Society 2006 Achievement Award for "contributions to the understanding of magnetic recording".
Dr. Bertram received his B.A. from Reed College in Portland, OR in 1963 and his Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University in Cambridge, MA in 1968.
From 1968 to 1985 he was employed as a member of the research department by the Ampex Corporation in Redwood City, CA. At first Dr. Bertram focused his research on magnetization reversal and general properties of particulate magnetic media. He developed models of the AC-biased recording process, generalized reciprocity, and saturation in write-transducers. He engaged in a variety of experimental studies of magnetic tape recording, focusing on high density signals and noise. Later he became involved in experimental studies of thin film disc media and the design of high frequency write pole tips.
In 1985 he joined the University of California at San Diego as an Endowed Chair Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department associated with the (then) newly created Center for Magnetic Recording Research. At UCSD, Professor Bertram directed a research program in the physics of magnetic recording, including studies of polycrystalline thin film media, write and read transducers, fine particle tape systems and general analyses of ultimate limits in ultra high density recording. Specific studies involved: high speed dynamic magnetization reversal, effects of thermal excitation and fundamentals of dynamic relaxation. In these areas, his Ph.D. students engaged in both experimental and theoretical studies of basic issues in high density magnetic recording, including noise phenomena, nonlinearities, dynamic processes, thermally induced relaxation and large scale numerical simulations of high density magnetic recording. Dr. Bertram created graduate courses in magnetic recording theory, analysis of recording materials and magnetic recording measurements.
In 1986 Dr. Bertram was an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, and in 1987 he was named an IEEE Fellow. He has published a book entitled Theory of Magnetic Recording (Cambridge University Press, March 1994) and to date, has authored/co-authored over 260 scientific papers. In 2000 and 2004 he received the annual technical achievement award from INSIC (International Storage Industry Consortium).
Dr. Bertram won the 2003 IEEE Reynold B. Johnson Information Storage Award. The prize is awarded each year for outstanding achievement in the field of information storage, mainly computer storage. Dr. Bertram was cited for "fundamental and pioneering contributions to magnetic recording physics research."
In November 2004, Dr. Bertram retired from his formal teaching at UCSD and the chaired position he held for 20 years at CMRR. Dr. Bertram is now employed at the Hitachi San Jose Research Center. He returns to UCSD every month to continue his work at CMRR as a Research Professor.