Erich Bloch (January 9, 1925 – November 25, 2016) was a German-born American electrical engineer and administrator.

He was engineering manager of IBM's Stretch supercomputer system and director of several research sites during his career.

In June 1984, Ronald Reagan nominated Bloch to succeed Edward Alan Knapp become director of the National Science Foundation.

In 1985, Bloch was awarded one of the first National Medals of Technology and Innovation along with Bob O. Evans and Fred Brooks for their work on the IBM System/360.

[4] After stepping down as director of the National Science Foundation, Bloch joined the Council on Competitiveness as its first distinguished fellow.