Jack Kilby was an American engineer and inventor, best known for his role in the development of the integrated circuit. Born on November 8, 1923, in Jefferson City, Missouri, he earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois. His groundbreaking work at Texas Instruments in the late 1950s revolutionized electronics, leading to smaller and more efficient devices. In 2000, Kilby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to the field of electronics. His invention laid the foundation for modern computing and paved the way for the development of various technologies, including computers, smartphones, and microcontrollers. Kilby passed away on June 20, 2005.