IEEE 125th Anniversary Celebration in London, England


The UK&RI Section’s Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of IEEE took place on 6th October 2009 in the most appropriate location in London: the Royal Institution of Great Britain, where Michael Faraday carried out experiments which laid a foundation for electrical science and technology.

Two keynote lectures by Fellows of the Royal Society were included the programme, attended by several hundred people in the famous lecture theatre of the Royal Institution, and coordinated by Master of Ceremonies, Roger Pollard (Vice-President of IEEE Technical Activities Board).  The audience included several past Directors of Region 8.

The UK&RI Section’s Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of IEEE took place on 6th October 2009 in the most appropriate location in London: the Royal Institution of Great Britain, where Michael Faraday carried out experiments which laid a foundation for electrical science and technology.

Two keynote lectures by Fellows of the Royal Society were included the programme, attended by several hundred people in the famous lecture theatre of the Royal Institution, and coordinated by Master of Ceremonies, Roger Pollard (Vice-President of IEEE Technical Activities Board).  The audience included several past Directors of Region 8.

Following welcomes by the UK&RI Section Chair Seán McLoone and Region 8 Director Józef Modelski, the first keynote lecturer, Dame Wendy Hall (President of the ACM, Professor of Computer Science at Southampton University) discussed the future impact of internet research and development.

This was followed by an IEEE overview by IEEE President John Vig, during which the opportunity was taken to show how the Region 8 and the UK&RI Section values the contribution of younger members of IEEE by staging the presentation by the R8 Director of the Larry K Wilson Award to Zhijia Huang, a recent graduate of Queen Mary, University of London.

The second keynote lecturer, Christofer Toumazou (Professor of Circuit Design and Director and Chief Scientist of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London) described how a resurgence of low-power analogue integrated circuits is revolutionising medical science with immense prospects to benefit healthcare and to remedy deafness and other disabilities.

Finally, a well-deserved Vote of Thanks was given by Chris Snowden (Vice Chancellor of Surrey University and President of IET).

Thanks are due to Steve Furber (Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Manchester), who, unnoticed by the audience, was standing-by ready to give an alternative keynote lecture in the event of the incapacity or absence of either of the two scheduled lecturers.

Following the formal part of the programme, a reception for all present took place in the beautiful library of the Royal Institution, providing an evening for conversation and refreshments and an opportunity for individual visits to the basement museum.

Associated events included the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between IEEE and Engineers Ireland and the dedication of a Historic Milestone Plaque in King’s College London to mark James Clerk Maxwell’s work on electromagnetism which led to the equations which bear his name.

Overall the UK&RI Section can feel proud of putting on a show which gave credit to IEEE’s 125 years of achievement and set the scene for the prospect of an equally impressive next 125 years.

Anthony C. Davies, 20 Oct 2009