Event Summary and Recording

Keynote Address

Dr. Nariman Farvardin
President
Stevens Institute of Technology

Widely known as the “father of the information age,” mathematician and computer scientist Claude Shannon conceived of and laid the foundations for the digital communications networks that weave across the earth today. In this talk, Shannon’s seminal contributions to information theory and digital communications will be presented in historical context and in non-technical terms. Highlights from his two groundbreaking papers published in 1948 and 1959 will provide context for Shannon’s impact and for the breathtaking amount of technical progress that took place thereafter. The talk will demystify such technical concepts as noisy-channel coding and rate-distortion theory, helping the audience to understand how this one man helped create the Information Age we all enjoy today. Examples of technologies used in today’s modern information networks will be provided to illustrate the impact of Shannon’s contributions.   

Panel Discussion and Q&A

No scientist has a higher impact-to-fame ratio than Claude Shannon, who continues to inspire research not only in computer science but also in neuroscience, physics and other fields. Despite his vast contributions, he remains relatively unknown. Shannon was the first to formalize Information Theory: His seminal papers laid the foundation for transmitting information and noise. One of the visionaries behind the 1956 Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, Shannon played a pivotal role in coining the term "artificial intelligence," and his work in information theory continues to shape AI today. Shannon's unique perspective inspired physics to shift from studying objects in motion to a focus on information, redefining quantum theory and paving the way for quantum information science. This transformative field has given rise to powerful new technologies such as quantum communication and computing. This panel discussion will delve into these aspects of Claude Shannon's legacy and influence.

Opening Remarks

Dr. Mary Ann Hellrigel
Institutional Historian and Archivist
IEEE History Center

A brief overview of how IEEE and the IEEE History Center honor the legacy of Claude Shannon will be given. Examples include awards, publications, conferences, special events and an IEEE Milestone which recognizes significant technical achievements. Shannon’s oral history, recorded in 1982, will also be highlighted.

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