2025 IEEE History Week

Attleboro Area Industrial Museum, 42 Union St. #2, Attleboro, MA 02703 Saturday October 11, 2025, 2pm-5pm This inspiring traveling exhibit explores how microchips function and the vital roles they play in electronic technology. Interactive components, such as a magnifier rail and a gesture screen, offer visitors a rare chance to look inside a microchip and engage with a rich world of rivalries, gambits, and grand designs hidden behind the plastic packaging and metal contacts. The exhibit will remain on display at the Attleboro Area Industrial Museum until December 27, 2025. IEEE members and ASML employees receive free entry. An identical copy of the exhibit will go on private display at the ASML site in Wilton, CT between September 29 and November 17, 2025. “Microchips That Shook the World” is a highly mobile, interactive exhibit from the IEEE Global Museum in partnership with IEEE Spectrum and IEEE Foundation. Philanthropic support was provided by ASML, the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society, the Bill and Dianne Mensch Foundation, and other generous donors.

As part of a professional development event in Torino, Italy, the IEEE Photonics President-Elect will present “The Importance of IEEE Photonics History: Six Decades of Innovation, Growth, and Leadership.” The presentation will trace the Society’s evolution from its origins in quantum electronics in the 1960s to its role today as a global leader in photonics tech. This historical overview highlights key milestones, such as the invention of the laser, the birth of fiber optic communications, the establishment of cornerstone conferences like OFC and CLEO, the creation of pioneering journals.

Since its founding in 1925, the IEEE Buffalo Section has played a vital role in advancing and supporting professionals in Western New York. This milestone marks a century of innovation, collaboration, and dedication by generations of engineers, researchers, students, and industry leaders. Please join us for an evening of reflection, recognition, and connection as we honor our past and future of engineering in our region. The dinner will feature distinguished speakers and historical highlights. Learn More: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/498686

In this 30-minute webinar, IEEE Vehicular Technology History Committee Chair David Michelson presents a brief history of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society

In celebration of the UNESCO IYQ, "Quantum Century" will be a small-scale display located within the museum’s permanent exhibitions, offering an intimate space to explore the evolution of quantum science from its early 20th-century origins to its modern applications, with a special focus on Japan’s contributions. Visitors will encounter historical artifacts, interactive displays, and multimedia installations that reveal both the foundational breakthroughs and cutting-edge innovations shaping our world. Learn More: https://quantum2025.org/iyq-event/special-exhibition-quantum-century/

Title: “The Pioneering Women of Electrical Engineering” Date: Wed., 22 October 2025 Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am ET (New York Time) Speaker, Allison Marsh, Ph.D., Senior Member of IEEE Description: Historian Allison Marsh has spent the past year going page by page through the journals of the IEEE and its predecessor societies to uncover the name of the pioneering women from the early decades of electrical engineering. Hear the stories of Edith Clarke, Mabel MacFerran Rockwell, and many other lesser known women who helped shape the discipline.  Along the way, consider what it means to be an electrical engineer, and who does or does not count in that category. Speaker: Allison Marsh, Ph.D., is a senior member of the IEEE and a contributing editor to IEEE Spectrum.  She is an associate professor in the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina and the co-director of the Ann Johnson Institute for Science, Technology & Society.  During the 2024-25 academic year, she had an NEH fellowship at the Linda Hall Library in Kansas City where she researched women in the early decades of the AIEE, the IRE, and the IEEE.

Join us during 2025 IEEE History Week for a special virtual event exploring the Engineering and Technology History Wiki (ETHW) and the transformative power of historical preservation in inspiring future innovation. Led by members of the ETHW Subcommittee of the IEEE History Committee, this session highlights how historians and technologists can engage with engineering heritage through ETHW and the Computer History Museum’s dynamic outreach programs.

Presenter: Maxine Cohen, Ph.D., IEEE Senior Life Member, IEEE History Committee, IEEE Standards Committee AgeTech initiative, and ABET Commissioner Date: Tuesday, 28 October 2025 Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am ET (New York City time) This talk explores the remarkable contributions of pioneering women in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Interface Design (UX), highlighting how their vision, creativity, and tenacity have transformed technology and the ways we interact with it. From the earliest days of computing to the cutting edge of interface design, women have driven innovation, challenged norms, and fostered inclusive user experiences. The presentation will showcase key figures whose research and leadership advanced the fields and consider how their legacy continues to inspire new generations of technologists. Attendees will gain insight into the evolution of HCI, celebrate the achievements of these trailblazers, and reflect on the critical importance of diversity and inclusion in shaping the future of technology. About the Presenter: Maxine Cohen, Ph.D. is Professor Emerita at Nova Southeastern University. Her career included time in both industry (IBM) and academia (Nova Southeastern University and Binghamton University). She is one of the co-authors of the HCI classic textbook, Designing the User Interface: Strategies for effective Human-Computer Interaction. She has published and presented her research at many technical conferences and events. Now retired, she volunteers for IEEE and ABET. She is an IEEE Senior Life Member. She has held various volunteer roles at IEEE, including Vice-Chair of the Life Member Committee, SSIT Board Member, conference organizer for 2024 and 2025 IEEE Life Member Evolution Conferences, and IEEE Awards Board Presentation and Publicity Committee. Presently she is the Awards Subcommittee Chair for the History Committee, an ABET Commissioner, and Education Chair for the IEEE Standards Committee AgeTech initiative.

Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser, 1977-1992 Milestone dedication Date & Time: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 1:30–5:10 p.m. Presentation Ceremony Venue: Digital Multipurpose Hall, West Building 9, Ookayama Campus, Institute of Science Tokyo. Enter at the circular section on the east side of Building 22 Access: A 5-minute walk from Ookayama Station on the Tokyu Meguro and Oimachi Lines. This ceremony will be held in a hybrid format and can also be viewed online via Zoom. Including on-site attendance, please complete advance registration by Tuesday, October 14, 2025 using the registration link below. Language: English

National Science Seminar 2025, a flagship event of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and IYQ 2025, will be held at the Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum (VITM), Bengaluru, India. This year’s theme is “The Quantum Age Begins: Potentials and Challenges.” The seminar aims to educate young minds about the historical significance of quantum and prepare them to contribute towards positioning India as a leader in the rapidly emerging field. Learn More: https://quantum2025.org/iyq-event/national-science-seminar/

In celebration of IYQ, which the IEEE is a Distinguished Partner, the IOP History of Physics, qBIG Special Interest Groups and affiliated IEEE Chapters, will host a 2-day celebration for the quantum community. Industry leaders, scientists & public stakeholders will come together to explore the theme of a ‘quantum-enabled society’. The 1st day, hosted by the Special Interest Group, will focus on the history of quantum to date, exploring the key developments and societal impacts that quantum has had on our lives. Link: https://quantum2025.org/iyq-event/quantum-community-celebration

2025 is the 100th anniversary of quantum physics and century of atonal music. Dr. Wu Xiaodong, in partnership with IYQ 2025 and local sections, collaborated with a young American composer to create “Quantum Odyssey,” a seven-act choral symphony exploring the historical connection between quantum physics and music. It consists of 7 acts, and Act II: The Unveiling of Quantum Laws will be the world premiere performance. Link: https://quantum2025.org/iyq-event/100th-anniversary-of-quantum-physics