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History of Formal Methods (Call for papers for a special issue of FAC)
by Cliff Jones 11 Mar '25

11 Mar '25

[X]Formal Aspects of Computing Special Issue on the History of Formal Methods Guest Editors: • Cliff Jones, Newcastle University, UK, cliff.jones(a)newcastle.ac.uk<mailto:cliff.jones@newcastle.ac.uk> • Jim Woodcock, University of York, UK, jim.woodcock(a)york.ac.uk<mailto:jim.woodcock@york.ac.uk> Formal Aspects of Computing is pleased to announce a call for papers for a special issue dedicated to the history of formal methods. These techniques encompass mathematically based strategies for the specification, development, and verification of software and hardware systems and have played a crucial role in advancing computing. This special issue will shed light on the historical development, key figures, landmark projects, and the broader impact of formal methods over the years. Topics We invite submissions of original research papers, review articles, and insightful essays that explore various historical aspects of formal methods, including but not limited to: • Foundational Developments: Early theoretical foundations and seminal works that shaped the field of formal methods. • Pioneering Researchers and Institutions: Biographical studies and institutional histories highlighting contributions to advancing formal methods. • Case Studies of Influential Projects: In-depth historical analyses of significant projects, systems, or technologies that prominently featured formal methods. • Technological and Methodological Evolution: The progression and refinement of formal methods, tools, and techniques. • Impact on Software and Hardware Engineering: The influence of formal methods on software and hardware engineering practices and methodologies. • Educational Contributions and Initiatives: The role of formal methods in academic curricula and educational programs. • Comparative Historical Studies: Cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural comparisons of formal methods with similar approaches in other fields. • Archival Discoveries: Research based on previously unpublished documents, correspondence, and archival materials related to formal methods. • Reflections on Historiography: Methodological and historiographical reflections on researching and documenting the history of formal methods. Important Dates • Submission Deadline: 14 July 2025 • Notification of Acceptance: 15 September 2025 • Final Manuscript Due: 15 December 2025 • Publication Date: March 2026 Submission Guidelines: • Manuscript Preparation: Submissions should be original, unpublished works and adhere to the journal's formatting guidelines. Detailed submission instructions<https://dl.acm.org/journal/fac/author-guidelines> are available on the FormalAspects of Computing website. • Length: Full-length research articles should be at least 16 pages. Shorter articles, including historical notes and essays, are also welcome. • Format: Manuscripts should be submitted in PDF format. Authors are encouraged to useLaTeX for document preparation, though Word submissions are also accepted. • Peer Review: All submissions will be reviewed by distinguished formal methods and computing history experts. Submission Portal: Manuscripts should be submitted electronically through the journal's online submission system at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fac. For questions and further information, please get in touch with the special issue editors at cliff.jones(a)newcastle.ac.uk<mailto:cliff.jones@newcastle.ac.uk> and jim.woodcock(a)york.ac.uk<mailto:jim.woodcock@york.ac.uk>. We look forward to your contributions to this special issue exploring the rich history of formal methods.

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CfP Chat-Token-Vector Symposium Ca 'Foscari University Venice - Deadline for Abstracts April 1
by Amira Moeding 10 Mar '25

10 Mar '25

Dear SIGCIS members, The Chat Token Vector Symposium: Questioning Models of Language and Neo-Structuralism in AI, on the history, philosophy and impact of Large Language Models will take place from June 11- 13 at Ca 'Foscari University in Venice. The deadline for submitting abstracts is April 1. For more information on the symposium and the Call for Papers please see https://www.unive.it/web/en/14779/home We are looking forward to welcoming you to Venice, With best wishes, Prof Matteo Pasquinelli and Amira Moeding

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CFP: ASAP and Toxicity as Atopia
by Corinna Kirsch 03 Mar '25

03 Mar '25

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CFP: ILWCH Special Issue on the Global Labor History of AI
by Susannah Glickman 02 Mar '25

02 Mar '25

Dear all, Excited to announce this special issue on the Global Labor History of AI for the International Labor and Working Class Journal <https://networks.h-net.org/group/announcements/20060412/global-labor-histor…>, which I am editing with Aaron Benanav. AI and Labor’s Dual Role Advances in fields such as cybernetics, information technology, data processing, expert systems, operations research, computer numerical control (CNC), telematics, and “generative artificial intelligence” have been used since at least the 1940s to threaten, control, and sometimes replace workers engaged in mental labor—effectively making this labor “disappear” in the process of production. Yet the development and maintenance of these systems rely on vast amounts of often-hidden labor, including the work of keypunch operators, systems analysts, coders, switchboard operators, data processors, technicians and engineers, data-entry clerks, IT support staff, cable layers, infrastructure workers, and technical support and customer service staff. Despite their crucial roles, these workers are frequently rendered invisible as companies downplay the labor required to create these systems. Through various means, companies have also circumvented efforts by these workers to organize, associate, and fight back. Understanding AI in a Global Historical Context We seek to understand recent developments in generative artificial intelligence within the longer history of computer and digital work. How have AI and earlier technologies been used to either promote or obscure the realities of labor? How do governments, global financial institutions, management consultancies, and other actors participate in promoting these narratives, and why? Why is there often a stark contrast between popular narratives of AI and the material realities of the labor involved? While much of this history has unfolded in the global North, we are especially interested in research that illuminates the labor dimensions of computing and AI across different global contexts. • What forms of labor are required to create and maintain computer and AI systems, and how have these roles evolved over time? • What is the impact of AI on traditional labor hierarchies and the division of mental and manual labor? • What is the relationship between AI, surveillance, and the intensification of labor in various workplaces? • In what ways do companies obscure the amount and types of labor involved in developing these technologies? • How does the development of these technologies intersect with issues of gender, race, and class in labor history? • How have AI and other technological advancements impacted labor markets differently in the global South compared to the global North? • What historical parallels can be drawn between the current AI hype cycle and past technological revolutions? • How have governments and policymakers shaped the labor dynamics of AI, both historically and in the present? • What strategies have workers and labor movements employed to respond to the rise of AI in the workplace? Please submit your 250-word abracts and circulate to friends and colleagues! All the best, Susannah

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looking for a new research project?
by Jonathan Coopersmith 02 Mar '25

02 Mar '25

This looked like fun: https://spectrum.ieee.org/open-source-crisis Stay sane, Jonathan Jonathan Coopersmith Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Professor Emeritus Department of History Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4236 979.739.4708 (cell) "'What Were We Thinking?' Space Commercialization, 1960-1990," in Brian C. Odom, ed., *The Rise of the Commercial Space Industry. Early Space Age to Present* (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). Preserving space archives: https://www.toboldlypreserve.space/

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Reminder: CfA Research Sabbaticals (Fellowships) and Working Groups at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS)
by Esther Laufer 24 Feb '25

24 Feb '25

The Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) funds innovative research on the societal opportunities and challenges of digital transformation. We support individual researchers (fellows) and collaborative projects (working groups). Fellowships: Time and Space for Focus and Inspiration A fellowship at CAIS provides the freedom to dedicate yourself to your research and the opportunity to engage with a vibrant interdisciplinary community. Step away from your daily work obligations to gain new perspectives and build connections. As a fellow, you can spend either six or three months in Bochum, Germany. During this time, we will cover your sabbatical leave from work through financial compensation (e.g. for a teaching substitute) or provide grants of up to 2.000 € per month. You can invite guests for collaboration and receive financial support for research expenses. Private offices and meeting rooms with modern facilities offer optimal working conditions. In addition, we will provide a fully furnished apartment free of charge. Find out more: https://www.cais-research.de/en/cais-college/fellowships/ Working Groups: Boost Your Research Collaboration A working group at CAIS enables you to assemble your own team of experts from different locations to collaborate in a stimulating environment. We provide modern meeting facilities and catering for groups of up to ten members. In addition, we will cover travel and accommodation expenses. You can spend up to three weeks in Bochum or get together for several shorter meetings. Find out more: https://www.cais-research.de/en/cais-college/working-groups/ Application The next deadline for applications is 28 February 2025. The earliest possible start date for new fellowships is April 2026. Working groups can currently apply for meetings in 2026. Please use the application forms provided on our website. The funding program is open to excellent scholars and practitioners at all career stages and from all disciplines. Both fundamental research and applied projects are welcome. Questions? Please contact esther.laufer(a)cais-research.de mailto:esther.laufer@cais-research.de.

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2025 Computer History Museum Prize nominations due April 30
by Elizabeth Petrick 20 Feb '25

20 Feb '25

Dear SIGCIS, I'm happy to announce that nominations are now open for the 2025 Computer History Museum Prize. We're following a new procedure this year, so please read the instructions below carefully. The Computer History Museum Prize is awarded to the author of an outstanding book in the history of computing broadly conceived, published during the prior three years. The prize of $1,000 is awarded by SIGCIS, the Special Interest Group for Computers, Information and Society. SIGCIS is part of the Society for the History of Technology. In 2012 the prize was endowed in perpetuity through a generous bequest from the estate of Paul Baran, a legendary computer innovator and entrepreneur best known for his work to develop and promote the packet switching approach on which modern networks are built. Baran was a longtime supporter of work on the history of information technology and named the prize to celebrate the contributions of the Computer History Museum to that field. *2025 Nomination instructions* Books published in 2022, 2023, and 2024 are eligible for the 2025 prize. Books in translation are eligible for three years following the date of their publication in English. Publishers, authors, and other interested members of the computer history community are invited to nominate books. Please note that books nominated in previous years may be nominated again, provided they have been published in the timeframes specified above. Please fill out the Google Form and then send both digital and physical copies of the nominated title to each of the committee members, with a postmark no later than *April 30, 2025*. After you complete the Google Form, you will be shown a confirmation page with the committee members' addresses. If you run into technical problems, please contact me. Please direct any other questions to the 2025 committee chair, Mar Hicks, mhicks(a)virginia.edu. *Google Form* https://forms.gle/L91wB6jGgVZZx6m47 *2025 Prize Committee Members* Mar Hicks (Chair) David Brock Sarah T Roberts All the best, Liz Petrick SIGCIS Co-Chair _________________ Elizabeth Petrick Associate Professor Department of History Rice University

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CFP: IEEE CCECE History Track (UBC, 26-29 May 2025, Deadline March 17)
by Scott Campbell 20 Feb '25

20 Feb '25

Send on behalf of David Michelson, IEEE: The IEEE Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering, https://ccece2025.ieee.ca will be held at UBC in Vancouver from 26-29 May. The conference will feature a special session on the History of Technology. This is a great opportunity for those pursuing STS studies in this field to engage with practitioners and share their work. Either abstracts (up to 250 words) or full papers (5-7 pages) concerning, but not limited to, the following topics are welcome: * the history of electrical engineering, electronics, and computing, their applications, and their impact on social and economic development * the people, programs, places, policies, institutions, and organizations that have shaped the history of electrical engineering, electronics and computing * efforts to preserve and promote our technological history and heritage Only full papers will be submitted to IEEE Xplore. Contributions from academia, government, industry, non-profit organizations, and IEEE members and OUs are all encouraged. Important Dates: * Deadline for submission of full papers (5-7 pages) or Abstract (up to 250 words): March 17, 2025 * Notification of Acceptance: March 24, 2025 * Author Registration & Camera-Ready Submission: March 28, 2025 * Conference: 26-29 May 2025 Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you require further information. — David Michelson dmichelson(a)ieee.org

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deus ex machina: naive question
by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo 18 Feb '25

18 Feb '25

Hello I am asking for a colleague, would anyone be able to point me in the right direction? Looking for academic work (particularly in the history of computing) around the concept of deux ex machina and its intersection with entrepreneurship. Thank you Bernardo (Northumbria, Newcastle) -- ================== Twitter @BatizLazo Cash and Dash: How ATMs and Computers Changed Banking By Bernardon Batiz-Lazo (Oxford University Press, 2018) https://global.oup.com/academic/product/cash-and-dash-9780198782810?cc=gb&l… The Book of Payments: Historical and Contemporary Views on the Cashless Society Edited by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo and Leonidas Efthymiou (Palgrave, 2016) http://www.palgrave.com/de/book/9781137602305 Technological Innovation in Retail Finance: International Historical Perspectives Edited by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo, J. Carles Maixé-Altés, and Paul Thomes (Routledge, 2011) http://www.taylorandfrancis.com/books/details/9780415880671 Home page: https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/researchers/bernardo-batizlazo(… Working papers: http://ideas.repec.org/e/pba14.html

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2025 Mahoney Prize nominations
by Elizabeth Petrick 17 Feb '25

17 Feb '25

Dear SIGCIS, Nominations are now open for the 2025 Mahoney Prize. The Mahoney Prize recognizes an outstanding article in the history of computing and information technology, broadly conceived. The Mahoney Prize commemorates the late Princeton scholar Michael S. Mahoney, whose profound contributions to the history of computing came from his many articles and book chapters. The prize consists of a $500 award and a certificate. For the 2025 prize, articles published in the preceding three years (2022, 2023, and 2024) are eligible for nomination. The Mahoney Prize is awarded by the Special Interest Group in Computers, Information, and Society (SIGCIS). We plan to present the prize at the annual SIGCIS meeting.. Please email copies of articles being nominated to the 2025 Prize Committee by April 15, 2025. Self-nominations are welcome, as are nominations from SIGCIS members. Information on previous winning essays may be found on the website: https://www.sigcis.org/mahoneyprize <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sigcis.org/mahoneyprize__;!!BuQPrrm…> 2025 prize committee information: David Murphy (Chair) Senior Lecturer, Digital, Tech, Innovation & Business Staffordshire University david.murphy(a)staffs.ac.uk Janet Toland Adjunct School of Information Management Victoria University of Wellington janet.toland(a)vuw.ac.nz Luke Stark Assistant Professor Faculty of Information and Media Studies University of Western Ontario cstark23(a)uwo.ca Best, Liz Petrick _________________ Elizabeth Petrick Associate Professor Department of History Rice University

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