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Anniversary Celebration Schedule

Kiewit

BASIC logoThis spring marks 50 years since Dartmouth Professors John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz along with undergraduate students made computing history when they simultaneously launched computer time-sharing and the BASIC programming language for the first time. BASIC made computers and programming accessible to a generation and opened the door to the digital age.

Dartmouth celebrated the anniversary of their achievement with the following series of public events on Wednesday, April 30, 2014. For event information, please call (603) 646-0299.

BASIC Past: Documentary film screening

  • 1-2.30 p.m.
  • Hood Auditorium in the Hood Museum of Art
  • Premiere of a documentary on the history and impact of BASIC, created by filmmakers Bob Drake and Mike Murray with Professor Dan Rockmore 
  • Screening followed by a discussion and Q&A moderated by Rockmore and featuring Thomas Kurtz; Jenny Kemeny ’76 (the daughter of John Kemeny); and other Dartmouth alumni who contributed to the creation of time-sharing and BASIC as undergraduates.

BASIC Present: Computing at Dartmouth Today

  • 3-4:15 p.m.
  • Top of the Hop, Hopkins Center for the Arts
  • Interactive session including demonstrations of current innovative computing projects at Dartmouth. Featuring DALI and Tiltfactor Labs, computer science students, and more.

BASIC Future: Panel Discussion: Future of Computing, 50 Years Ahead

  • 4:30-6 p.m.
  • Moore Theater, Hopkins Center for the Arts
  • Panelists: Michael T. Jones, chief technologist at Google; Brian D. Johnson, futurist at Intel; and Daniela Rus, director, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Panel discussion followed by a Q&A
  • Broadcast live on Dartmouth’s YouTube channel

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