Jim K. Omura

Who is Jim K. Omura?

Jimmy K. Omura is an electrical engineer and information theorist.

Omura received his B.S. and M.S. from MIT, and his Ph.D. from Stanford University. He was a professor of electrical engineering at UCLA for 15 years. His notable work includes the design of a number of spread spectrum communications systems, and the Massey-Omura cryptosystem. With Andrew Viterbi he co-authored Principles of Digital Communication and Coding, a standard textbook in digital communications. He also co-authored the Spread Spectrum Communications Handbook.

Omura founded the data security company Cylink, which had an IPO in 1996 and was acquired by SafeNet in 2003. He was the Technology Strategist for the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation during 2002 - 2011.

In 2005 Jim Omura received the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997 and was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame in 2009.