In 1966, the IEEE awarded the Edison Medal to Wilmer L. Barrow in recognition of his "career of meritorious achievement." The citation noted his role in "developing means for transmission of electromagnetic energy at microwave frequencies." He spent the early years of his professional career in teaching and research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before becoming a research manager with the Sperry Gyroscope Company. He is remembered especially for his pioneering research on wave guides and horn antennas.