Ray Tomlinson was an American computer programmer best known for inventing email in 1971. He was the first to use the "@" symbol to separate the user's name from the computer name, which became a standard in email addresses. Tomlinson's work laid the foundation for modern electronic communication. In addition to his email innovation, Tomlinson contributed to the development of the ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet. His pioneering efforts in networking and communication technology have had a lasting impact on how people connect and share information globally.