IEEE Milestone Award Event | Celebrating Two Major Landmarks in Computer History

The IEEE History Committee has approved two IEEE Milestone Awards for major developments in computer history which took place in Manchester. Bronze plaques marking these awards will be unveiled in Manchester on the afternoon of 21st June 2022, the 74th anniversary of the first program run by the Manchester Baby computer.

There will also be a morning event in the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry at which the replica Baby computer will be demonstrated by  a team of volunteers and there will be a display of material from the Ferranti archives.

The two awards are for the Manchester University “Baby” Computer and its Derivatives, 1948-1951 and the Atlas Computer and the Invention of Virtual Memory 1957-1962. After the plaque unveilings there will be talks describing these two developments and the reasons why they are considered historically important.

IEEE Milestone Awards Event

Manchester Computers – Baby and Atlas

Manchester Museum of Science & Industry, Liverpool Road,
Manchester, M3 4FP
10:30 and 11:15 21st June 2022

Two demonstrations of the replica Baby computer, built for the 50th anniversary in 1998. One demonstration will take place at 10:30 and the other at 11:15. Located in the Revolution Manchester Gallery.

 Kilburn Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL
13:00 21st June 2022

13:00 Registration

North entrance, ground floor of the Kilburn Building.
Refreshments (tea, coffee), displays of computer history, vintage films of Manchester computers in the lecture theatre.

14:00 Welcome & Introduction

Jim Miles, University of Manchester, Local Meeting Chair
Richard Jones, Vice President Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, University of Manchester
Steve Welby, IEEE Executive Director & COO
José Moura, Former President IEEE
Brian Berg, IEEE History Committee

14:40 Unveiling of the Plaques

José Moura, IEEE Former President and Steve Welby, IEEE Executive Director & COO will present the two plaques to Richard Jones, Vice President Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement, University of Manchester

14:50 Refreshments

15:20 Technical Seminar

Simon Lavington: The Manchester “Baby” and its derivatives
Roland Ibbett: Atlas
Peter Denning: Virtual Memory Today
Steve Furber: Current Computer Science Research at Manchester

16:40 Closing Remarks

Izzet Kale, Chair, UK and Republic of Ireland Section, IEEE
Vote of thanks by Roderick Muttram, Meeting Chair

17:00 Reception

1st floor foyer and courtyard of the Kilburn Building