The organisers of IEEE Region 8’s 6th HISTELCON (HISTory of ELectrotechnology CONference) – taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, on 18-19 September 2019 – have revealed three of its invited keynote speakers.

  • Peter M Grant (University of Edinburgh) will lecture on the work done for the standardisation of the unit of electrical resistance – the Ohm – following the committee set up for that purpose in 1861 by the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • Nina Baker (Historian of the Women’s Engineering Society, WES) will talk about the work of Dr Winifred Hackett with the DEUCE computer and her other contributions, and her move to the Guided Weapons Division of the English Electric company. This lecture is an opportunity for HISTELCON2019 to recognise the centenary of the foundation of WES on 29 June 1919.
  • Simon Lavington (computer historian, emeritus Professor of Computer Science at Essex University) will explore the history of Early Ferranti Computers and UK Defence Applications, with particular focus on GCHQ Cheltenham.

Peter Grant’s keynote follows an unveiling ceremony of an IEEE Milestone Plaque to recognise work on the standardisation of the Ohm. This ceremony, at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, is scheduled for 17 September, the day before the main HISTELCON2019 agenda starts.

HISTELCON2019’s host venue will be the Technology and Innovation Centre, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, within IEEE UK and Ireland Section. The agenda is expected to include an evening reception at Glasgow City Chambers in George Square.

HISTELCON is one of IEEE Region 8’s flagship biennial-conferences. Discussion is under way about the venue of the next event, probably in 2021, and a bid has been received to hold it in Moscow, Russia.

histelcon2019.org