Donald Christiansen

Donald Christiansen was the long-time editor and publisher of the flagship publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He died in Huntington, NY on October 2, 2024, at the age of 97.
Folio magazine, as part of the 250th anniversary of magazine publishing, named Christiansen a "Living Legend of American Magazines" with this citation: "In 1971, (he) took over Spectrum, a small journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. With little fanfare but a lot of fierce determination, he turned it into one of the foremost science and engineering magazines in the world – one that challenges not just the scientist's mind, but his conscience as well."
Christiansen was responsible for the redesign and refocusing of the magazine and led its staff to four National Magazine Awards between the years 1979 and 1992. It was the first magazine of a professional society of engineers or scientists to win a National Magazine Award. In the first of these awards, the judges cited Spectrum "for its diligent and intense analysis of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident," concluding that "through the intelligence in editing and acuity of its reporting, Spectrum has pursued questions of critical importance to the nuclear communities of the world."
Following his service in the U.S. Navy in World War II, Christiansen earned his B.E.E. from Cornell University and did graduate work at MIT. Prior to joining the staff of IEEE, he was editor-in-chief of Electronics magazine for McGraw-Hill, and later manager of planning and development for McGraw-Hill's electronics publications.
Christiansen was a consultant for the Department of Commerce, the National Research Council, and numerous professional societies. He was a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and the Society for the History of Technology.
In 1980, he was presented the Triennial Culture Award of the Flanders Academy of Arts, Science, and Literature. In 1985, he was named an Eminent Member of Eta Kappa Nu and served as chairman of the HKN Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer Award Organization committee. He received HKN's Distinguished Service Award in 2001.
Following his two decades as editor, publisher, and chairman of Spectrum's editorial board, Christiansen continued to write a column for IEEE-USA. Entitled "Backscatter," it was published bimonthly until 2021.
Christiansen was a member of the U.S. Naval Institute and a Life Member of the Navy League of the United States.
He had a lifelong love of photography, lighthouses, local history, and dogs.
Christiansen was pre-deceased by his wife Joyce, and is survived by two daughters, Jacqueline Sing and Jill Christiansen, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.