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The Reflector, January 2022
Eli Brookner, long time Boston Section volunteer, dies at 90 On November 29, 2021 the IEEE Boston Section lost one of its longest serving and most dedicated volunteers, Eli Brookner. Eli was a Lexington resident since 1962 and a Principal Engineering Fellow at Raytheon.
For many, many years Eli was the Chair of the local IEEE Boston Section Chapter of the Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society. He planned and conducted many Chapter meetings each year with technical speakers on radar and related topics.
Eli was one of the originators of the IEEE Boston SecHe was the husband of the late Ethel (Bobick) Brookner. tion’s IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array Eli was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 2, 1931, the Systems and Technology. He served on the Planning son of the late Angel and Fanny Brookner. He was a Committees of all six symposia held thus far during graduate of Stuyvesant High School in New York City. 1996, 2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019 and served Eli received a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineer- as Chair of the Planning Committees of the 1996 and ing at City College in 1953 where he met his future wife. 2003 symposia. Eli received a ScD in electrical engineering from Columbia University in 1962.
Eli served on the Planning Committees of the IEEE Boston Section’s International Radar Conferences held thus far during 1993, 1999, 2007, and 2019 and he During his career as a radar systems engineer at Ray- served as Chair of the Planning Committee of the 2007 theon from 1962 - 2014 (52 years) he played a major conference. role as a technical authority and consultant and made significant contributions to the development of over Eli was a Life Member of the IEEE and an IEEE Fellow. twenty radar and phased array radar system programs He received the IEEE Dennis J. Picard Medal and Warfor civil and defense applications. ren White Award for Excellence in Radar Engineering, plus IEEE Centennial and Millennium medals. Eli was He published more than 230 papers, technical talks, the first recipient of the IEEE Boston Section Volunteer and technical correspondences during his career and Award, later known as the IEEE Boston Section Distinwas awarded 10 patents. guished Service Award. Eli authored four popular books on radar and related topics: • Radar Technology, Artech House, 1977. • Aspects of Modern Radar, Artech House, 1988 • Practical Phased Array Antenna Systems, Artech House, 1991 • Tracking and Kalman Filtering Made Easy, Wiley, 1998.
Eli leaves behind two sons Lawrence Brookner of Paris, France and Richard Brookner of Sunnyvale, California; a grandson Daniel Brookner; a nephew Jonathan Liebowitz; and a sister-in-law Anita Raynes. Eli’s humor, wit, and enthusiasm will be missed by all. Donations in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3 Speen Street, Framingham, MA 01701 (www.cancer.org).
He was a legendary local, national, and international lecturer on radar and related topics. He developed and presented many, many lecture series and short courses Published by Boston Globe from Dec. 3 to Dec. 4, 2021, with during over 50 years to over 10,000 attendees, partic- editing and IEEE enhancements by the IEEE Boston Section ularly in the local IEEE Boston Section and in 25 other countries on all continents except Antarctica.
