Computer Laboratory celebrates the first 75 years

Around 300 graduates and friends of the Computer Laboratory converged on the William Gates Building to celebrate its first 75 years.

A packed lecture theatre greeted Professor Sir Tony Hoare who got proceedings underway and delivered the annual Wheeler Lecture titled 'Could Computers Understand Their Own Programs?'. The event also marked the launch of Cambridge Computing: The First 75 Years, written by Professor Haroon Ahmed. The book charts the Laboratory's towering history of innovation and entrepreneurship from the EDSAC computer to Raspberry Pi.                 

The theme of innovation was underlined by Dr Mike Lynch OBE who delivered the Innovation Lecture. The afternoon's events concluded with the Innovation Discussion Panel, chaired by Professor Andy Hopper. Attendees were able to quiz panelists Dr Andy Harter (co-founder and CEO RealVNC), Dr Mike Muller (co-founder and CTO ARM), Dr Mike Lynch (co-founder Autonomy Corporation) and Dr Eben Upton (co-founder Raspberry Pi).

Celebrations continued into the evening at the annual dinner of Cambridge Computer Lab Ring, the Lab's graduate association. 114 guests filled The Old Hall at Queens' College to raise a glass to the Computer Laboratory and its next 75 years.