Dr. John Cioffi is a 35-year veteran of the DSL industry and sports numerous prestigious awards for his contributions to technology and industry. Prior to founding ASSIA in 2003, he served as founder, CTO and vice president of engineering at Amati before its acquisition by Texas Instruments. Dr. Cioffi held a tenured endowed professorship at Stanford University in the Department of Electrical Engineering from 1985 to 2009, where he is now an active Professor Emeritus with limited ongoing research efforts in broadband access. He has published more than 400 papers and holds more than 100 patents. Dr. Cioffi is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering and an International Fellow of the United Kingdom Royal Society of Engineering. He is a winner of the Economist Computing and Telecommunications Award (2010), the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal (2010), the IEEE Kobayashi Award (2001), and the Marconi Society’s Marconi Prize (2006).
He currently serves on the board of Alto Beam and on the Marconi Society Board of Trustees. Dr. Cioffi holds a BSEE from the University of Illinois and a PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
My Definition Of Success | Success is seeing your ideas/efforts used by significant numbers of people. My definition has not changed.
My Highlights | Ask me again in 10 years.
The Difference Between Good And Great | Perseverance through difficult times when ideas/thoughts are criticized, but the innovator can see no real reason why it cannot be successful.
A Key Talent | I don’t “give up” easy.
A Key Talent | Don’t give up unless you, yourself, are convinced you are wrong.
The Characteristics Of Success | Consistency in pursuing the objectives is important – don’t get lazy with the idea center of your passion. Think it through from every angle you can. Get feedback from others and listen to it, but if you don’t agree with the criticism, don’t be scared by it.
Principles I Live By | Honesty, intelligence, and perseverance.
How I Use My Mind | I do need quiet time by myself where I can think (sometimes hard to achieve with job and many employees as well as family) where focus on any problem is possible.
Lessons I Have Learnt | Don’t give up unless you, yourself, believe you are wrong.
Dealing With Doubt | I understand that this has to exist among those who are not innovators (unfortunately perhaps the vast majority). Consequently, understanding I am lucky to be one of the positive ones who think anything can be done is a blessing. It allows me to forgive and forget (largely) the critics.
Numerous times during my career on the proposal and early years of a new concept, I have been criticized and even attacked by those who want to stop it from progressing. It is unnerving, but this ability to persevere when one believes in themselves is the mark of the innovators.
Performing At My Peak | I am not always at my peak – one needs to understand no one is always at peak performance. Understand there will be ups and downs and work through them professionally.
Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | Stories of other innovators trials and tribulations are always stimulating and can make an innovator feel that they indeed are not alone in promoting new ideas.
My Future Dreams And Ambitions | Fully connected world where anyone anywhere can have access to information (video, data, voice, etc) they need and also to be able to communicate with one another.
The Meaning Of Life | I leave this to god, but try to use whatever talents he may have provided me to follow good paths.
The Best Advice I’ve Received | Hard work pays off.
Advice On Building Wealth | That’s a bad goal to have. Try to do something to help others with whatever skills you have, and the rest will take care of itself.
On Inspiring Others | My position at Stanford introduced me to many very talented people. They need to know you like them, need them, and then challenge them with goals to achieve.
I Am Inspired By | Largely former teachers or bosses/colleagues, professionally. Personally, those who have sacrified for others.
The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | I paved the road (communications path) for the message to flow.
