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IEEE History

A look back at key moments in the history of engineering, technology, and the IEEE
A 1997 first generation Toyota Prius against a black background.
The InstituteIEEE HistoryArticleTransportationClimate TechClimate Change

The Toyota Prius Transformed the Auto Industry

The first mass-produced hybrid EV is an IEEE milestone

3 min read
Black and white image of Jean Sammet smiling while walking down a hallway.
The InstituteHistory of TechnologyIEEE HistoryArticle

Jean Sammet: An Accidental Computer Programmer

The IBM programming language specialist helped develop Cobol in 1959

4 min read
Black-and-white photograph of a man in a three-piece suit holding a copy of Spectrum magazine. Behind him is a wall covered in diplomas and awards.
CareersMagazineDecember 2024IEEE HistoryHistory of TechnologyOpinion

This Engineer Became a Star in Technology Publishing

How Donald Christiansen Reinvented IEEE Spectrum magazine

5 min read
IEEE Day logo
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsNewsIEEE History

Happy IEEE Day!

Engineers worldwide celebrate innovation and collaboration

1 min read
From Punch Cards to Python
The InstituteWomen’s History MonthIEEE HistoryArticleSpectrum CollectionsComputingHistory of Technology

From Punch Cards to Python

Grace Hopper’s A-0 compiler paved the way for modern programming languages

6 min read
The original semiconductor laser team at IBM Research, from left to right: Gerald Burns, Marshall I. Nathan, Gordon Lasher, Frederick H. Dill Jr., and William P. Dumke.
The InstituteHistory of TechnologyIEEE HistoryArticle

Inside the Three-Way Race to Create the Most Widely Used Laser

GE, IBM, and MIT’s Lincoln Lab announced the advance days apart

6 min read
an old portrait of an older woman
The InstituteWomen’s History MonthIEEE HistoryArticleSpectrum CollectionsHistory of Technology

Edith Clarke: Architect of Modern Power Distribution

The first U.S. woman EE designed the Hoover Dam’s turbine system

4 min read
a large white disc shaped satellite pointing up into the sky against a hilly landscape
The InstituteMagazineDecember 2024IEEE HistoryArticleHistory of Technology

50 Years Later, This Apollo-Era Antenna Still Talks to Voyager 2

DSS-43 is the only antenna that can communicate with the probe

5 min read
brown and beige box with curved end in front with a keyboard and screen and two pieces sticking out on top right side
The InstituteGuest ArticleIEEE History

The Legacy of the Datapoint 2200 Microcomputer

The machine laid the foundation for personal computers from Apple and IBM

4 min read
portrait of two men standing with their hands on a small beige and gray box while looking at the camera
The InstituteHistory of TechnologyGuest ArticleIEEE History

How Engineers at Digital Equipment Corp. Saved Ethernet

Their groundbreaking learning bridge technology increased LAN performance

7 min read
A red haired man sits at a computer with a render of cowboy Woody from Toy Story on the screen
The InstituteMagazineIEEE HistoryArticleHistory of TechnologyJune 2024

The Story Behind Pixar’s RenderMan CGI Software

Used to create Toy Story, the tools revolutionized animation

9 min read
An illustration of a robot and a representation of a brain wave.
The InstituteIEEE HistoryArticleRoboticsHistory of Technology

35 Years Ago, Researchers Used Brain Waves to Control a Robot

The achievement has paved the way for other EEG-controlled devices such as drones

4 min read
close-up of ethernet cable with clear fibers in the background
The InstituteMagazineIEEE HistoryArticleHistory of TechnologyMarch 2024

Ethernet is Still Going Strong After 50 Years

The technology has become the standard LAN worldwide

3 min read
IEEE Day logo
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsNewsIEEE History

Celebrate IEEE Day 2023

Engineers worldwide celebrate innovation and collaboration “for a better tomorrow”

1 min read
portrait of a woman wearing a bright pink shirt against a gray background
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsWomen’s History MonthIEEE HistorySpectrum CollectionsCareersProfile

This USC Professor Is Developing an Artificial Brain

Alice Parker is working on how to mimic disorders such as schizophrenia

4 min read
drawing of a hand holding out a bar to two squares attached to a pole
The InstituteHistory of TechnologyIEEE HistoryArticle

The Pioneer Behind Electromagnetism

Ampère’s theory was fundamental to electronic inventions such as motors and generators

3 min read
a book that reads “Over 100 Years of the IEEE Medal of Honor” against a blue background
The InstituteMagazineIEEE HistoryArticleJune 2023

IEEE’s Medal of Honor Ebook Explores 100 Years of Innovation

It celebrates recipients such as Intel’s Robert Noyce

4 min read
black and white image of a man in a suit standing next to a large x-ray machine
The InstituteMagazineSeptember 2023IEEE HistoryArticleHistory of Technology

How This Record Company Engineer Invented the CT Scanner

The machine, made to image the human brain, won him a Nobel Prize

4 min read
Two women programmers preparing a computer to be demonstrated.
The InstituteNovember 2022MagazineWomen’s History MonthArticleSpectrum CollectionsIEEE HistoryHistory of TechnologyJune 2023

The Women Behind ENIAC

A new book tells the story of how they broke a computer-science glass ceiling

6 min read
An electrical tower against a cloudy sky
The InstituteHistory of TechnologyIEEE HistoryArticle

How Microwave Radar Brought Direct Phone Calls to Millions

The Trans-Canada Microwave System also made live TV possible

4 min read