The History of IEEE IAS

Our Story Began in the 1960's

We are excited to share the history of IAS with you. The society has a long tradition that predates the formation of the IEEE, with many of our technical committees associated with the Industry Division and General Applications of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE).

After the IEEE was formed in 1963, various AIEE technical communities were brought together as the IEEE Industry and General Applications (IGA) Group under the first IAS president, Robert B. Moore. The name was simplified, and the IGA Group became the IAS on 1 January 1972.

The formation of IAS began a significant maturity of technical excellence for our industry. To our dedicated members who have contributed their time and expertise over the years for the benefit of the society, our peers, and our mission, thank you!

Key Moments in Our History

We're working on our timeline—stay tuned as we add to it!

1960

Birth of IEEE

by the merger of the American Institute of Engineers (AIEE) and the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE).

1960

1965

Birth of IAS

Industry and General Applications Group (IGAG) is formed.

1965

1966

Launch of Publication

Transactions on Industry Applications, one of today’s flagship publications, is established.

1966

1966

First Annual Meeting

Our first annual meeting—held in Chicago concurrently with the National Electronic Conference—is attended by 900 attendees with 21 technical sessions, supported by 14 technical committees.

1966

1972

Name Change to IAS

Our name is changed from IGAG to IAS after qualifying to a society status.

1972

1995

Launch of Student Design Award

The Myron Zucker Undergraduate Student Design Award is established. Funded by the Myron Zucker Endowment and managed by the IEEE Foundation, the award recognizes three individual students or student teams, and the students’ associated electrical engineering departments.

1995

1995

Launch of Magazine

Our Society Newsletter is upgraded to a bimonthly technical magazine, IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, with John H. Kassebaum as its editor-in-chief.

1995

1997

International Conference Participation

IAS expands its intersociety cooperation activities significantly by conducting three major meetings:

  1. The IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC) is held with the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS).
  2. The success of APEC leads to the PELS Administrative Committee (AdCom) being invited to join the second meeting in Taormina, Italy, alongside three European associations: the Italian Association of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, and the European Power Electronics Association.
  3. Arranged with the cooperation of Susumu Tadakuma (IAS member-at-large), our third meeting is held in August 1997 in Nagaoka, Japan, with the AdCom members of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ)/IAS. The meeting in Nagaoka, Japan marks the first step towards the establishment of a sister society agreement with the IEEE/IAS, providing unique membership opportunities and expanded access to publications.
1997

2000

IAS Annual Meeting held in Europe

Setting a framework for a future presence of the IAS in Europe, the first annual meeting outside of North America is held in Rome, Italy—the 35th IAS Annual Meeting and World Conference of Industrial Applications of Electrical Energy.

2000

2000

Launch of the Zucker Travel Program

The Zucker Travel Program is established to provide financial support for students to attend the Annual Meeting.

2000

2007

IAS Expands our Team

We hire our first part-time IAS administrator, after determining that IAS would be better served by having an administrator who was a member of the IEEE staff.

2007

2015

IAS 50th Anniversary

Industry Applications Society celebrates 50 years since forming.

2015

Celebrating Over 50 Years

For a complete picture of the history of IAS, you can also read the special issue of the IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, published in January 2015 to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

If you have historical information and documentation you think might be of interest to the IAS, or if you have any suggestions about this page, please feel free to contact the Society Administrator.