News Releases

IEEE Celebrates 125 Years of Engineering the Future 13 May

11 May – IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society, is commemorating its 125th anniversary in 2009 with a variety of activities including the first IEEE Engineering the Future Day on 13 May.  Follow all events on the IEEE 125^th Anniversary Web site.

Engineering the Future Day, which takes place on IEEE’s “official” anniversary date, recognizes the contributions and impact that IEEE, its members and engineering and technology professionals have made for the benefit of humanity.   Read the full news release.

Designed to raise public awareness of the diverse opportunities in different technology fields, Engineering the Future Day is part of a series of celebrations in major world cities throughout the year in an effort to increase awareness of technology advancements around the world.  IEEE groups from Belgium to India, to Australia and Panama and around the U.S. have local celebrations planned for 13 May, and additional celebrations are planned for throughout the year. Read the full list.

13 May also kicks off two competitions that were launched in conjunction with IEEE’s 125^th Anniversary:

IEEE Presidents’ Change the World Competition – Beginning on 13 May IEEE members and the public may cast their vote for the people’s choice award in the Presidents’ competition from among the 15 finalists posted on the Web site. The competition, which invites students or teams of students to identify a real-world problem and apply engineering, science, computing and leadership skills to solve it, closed 28 February.  Prizes will be awarded to the finalists in June. Vote for the people's choice award.

IEEE Engineering Your World Competition – Kicking off on Engineering the Future Day, this contest, open to everyone, invites individuals to submit videos of how they use science, engineering or technology to make their living spaces (i.e. – dorm, apartment, car, work area, etc.) more livable, fun and convenient. A panel of judges will select the top five entries which will compete in online voting competitions.  Submit a video.

Other 125th Anniversary Activities

Eight Global Celebrations Around the World –A global series of eight IEEE 125th anniversary celebrations launched on 27 April at the Technical University of Munich, with a program of keynotes and a reception hosted by the IEEE Germany Section. A total of 250 members, students, customers and friends turned out for the premiere event.  On 30 April in Austin, Texas, the Central Texas Section teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce to host 600 attendees at Austin’s Third Annual Brain Party for the local engineering community, held this year honor of IEEE’s 125^th anniversary. The party was preceded by a tech fair attended by 900 participants.

125^th Anniversary Media Event Addressing Emerging Technologies Enhancing Human-Technology Interactions –On Tuesday 10 March, IEEE kicked off its 125th Anniversary celebration with an IEEE Media roundtable at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City.  A panel of top minds in human-technology interactions discussed how emerging technologies in biomedical engineering, biometrics, computing, robotics, telecommunications, wireless power and others have the potential to change the world. Review the list of panelists and access the full Web cast. Individual video clips of each presentation can be viewed on ieee.tv, under IEEE 125th Anniversary Media Event.