Webinar: 80th anniversary of IEEE Computer Society, 150 years of the Telephone patent and Friis model for antennas
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Part 1: 80th Anniversary of IEEE Computer Society, Senior Elevations, Awards
80th Celebration of Computer Society: Presented during Black History Month at AT&T Labs, alongside a world premiere docudrama and expert panel discussion, this program examines the patent’s figures and claims, the companies formed in its wake, and the culture of creativity, collaboration, dignity, and inclusion that emerged from its success.
Part 2: 150 Years of the Telephone Patent: Alexander Graham Bell, Lewis Howard Latimer, and a Legacy that Changed the World
The 150th anniversary of U.S. Patent No. 174,465 Alexander Graham Bell’s Improvement in Telegraphy on 7 March 2026 marks more than the invention of the telephone; it commemorates the birth of a technological ecosystem that transformed modern society. This talk explores the intertwined legacies of Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor, and Lewis Howard Latimer, Draftsman who are both now recognized as Eta Kappa Nu Honorary Eminent Members, and examines how one carefully documented patent ignited industries that continue to shape a technological legacy with impact extending far beyond any single invention or narrative. The companies founded by Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) born in Scotland, and the diverse technologies developed within them, have profoundly shaped the modern world, guided by an enduring commitment to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. At its peak, AT&T and the related Bell System employed about one million people; it was the largest company in the world at the time. Over the years, it is likely several million people worked at these companies. Within this legacy, Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928) born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, stands out as an essential role model whose contributions deserve special recognition, particularly on this 150th year of the original telephone patent.
It is difficult to fully enumerate the inventions, innovations, businesses, and services that emerged from the companies founded by Alexander Graham Bell and those that followed the success of the original telephone patent. The shared characteristics of Bell and Lewis H. Latimer reflected in the breadth and diversity of their inventions reveal an inspired enthusiasm and creativity that spanned multiple domains in a creative, dignified, diverse, inclusive, and collaborative work environment that endures to this day.
Within the companies founded by Bell, one sees not only the development of real-world products and services in every part of the world, under the sea, and even in space that shaped the communications industry, but also a tradition of highly impactful original research achieving exceptional recognition including multiple Nobel Prizes. These efforts launched entire industries, many of them not in telecommunications, that have grown and will likely continue far into the future.
Collectively, these companies have also played a vital role in supporting the nation through defense communications and emergency networks such as One Net. From the earliest days, the work environment fostered by Alexander Graham Bell inspired exceptional dedication to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Lewis Howard Latimer’s contributions remain deeply embedded in this legacy, as both the field and its guiding philosophy continue to endure.
Bell and Edison were key founding members of the organization that became the IEEE where the foundation recognizes donors at levels named for Edison, Latimer, and Bell.
Part 3: Friis a Role Model for Today: Antennas, Formulae, and Equations
We understand the beauty of Antennas, Formulae, Equations in the publications of Harald Trap Friis, PhD, and many others. Today, we recommend sharing the classic papers: pass them along, cite, teach, and advance the field. Friis was the director radio research at Bell Laboratories, then director of research in high frequency and electronics, in a position to have known, managed, and collaborated with many of the experts who shaped the field. Friis prepared an ‘Introduction to radio and radio antennas’ in 1971. As a Role Model in the field, Friis’s materials provide a guide. We add attention to numeracy skills, with spillover impact for accessibility, and amateur radio for hands-on experience for students of all ages.
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- Starts
25 February 2026 11:00 AM UTC
- Ends
13 March 2026 05:00 PM UTC
- No Admission Charge
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Webinar: 80th anniversary of IEEE Computer Society, 150 years of the Telephone patent and Friis model for antennas
Biography:
Dr. Katherine Grace August is a computer science, biomedical, and communications engineer and a Visiting Researcher at Stevens Institute of Technology. Previously a Member of the Technical Staff at Bell Labs, she contributed to Advanced Communications Technologies and New Service Concepts. Her work has resulted in 18 U.S. patents, more than 50 international patents, and over 3,600 citations.
Her expertise spans AI/ML, information theory, signal processing, wireless systems, virtual and augmented reality, medical imaging, robotics, human factors, network design, standards development, and patent strategy.
Dr. August is deeply committed to advancing technology for societal benefit. She leads mentoring, curriculum development, standards activities, and STEM outreach initiatives focused on lifelong learning in AI/ML and cyber-physical systems and on making complex symbolic information more accessible through the “Read the Math” initiatives and new IEEE Standards. Her programs include Careers in Technology webinars and live events, museum-based engagement, role-model initiatives, seminars, and industry–academia collaborations to help bridge the digital divide.
A former Vice Chair of the IEEE Communications Society History Committee, she has contributed to preserving and advancing the legacy of innovators and innovation. She currently serves on the IEEE Standards Association New Standards Committee (NesCom) and Audit Committee (AudCom), as Antennas and Propagation Society Region 1 Chapters Coordinator, and as IEEE Computer Society Region 1 and Region 2 Chapters Coordinator.
Dr. August was a Whitaker Scholar at ETH Zurich and holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from NJIT, an MS in Computer Science/MIS from Marist College, and a BFA in Communications Design from Parsons School of Design. IEEE Senior Member, HKN Gamma Kappa Chapter.
