We invite you to join the National Association of Scholars for our upcoming events. Join the National Association of Scholars tomorrow, October 31, at 2 pm ET to discuss the history of the personal computer. Tomorrow, October 31, at 11 am ET, join the Common Sense Society for a special online event on "Wartime Propaganda on College Campuses." And join us on Tuesday, November 14, at 2 pm ET for "Moore's Law and the Creation of the Transistor."

More on our upcoming webinars and additional events:

Join the National Association of Scholars on Tuesday, October 31, at 2 pm ET for "American Innovation: The World at Home—The Personal Computer."

Computers were once large, bulky things the size of entire rooms, and it took specialized skills in order to use one. However, Steve Jobs sought to popularize the PC, a personal computer, one that would reside in the home and be a tool for people of all kinds to use—one that was accessible without specialized skills. What is the story behind the first PC? What effects did this have—socially, culturally, economically?

This event will feature Nathan Ensmenger, an Associate Professor in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University, and author of The Computer Boys Take Over: Computers, Programmers, and the Politics of Technical Expertise, and co-author of the most recent edition of Computer: A History of the Information Machine; and Eric Swedin, a professor of history at Weber State University, author of numerous articles and three books on the history of computing as well as the author of five novels, including When Angels Wept: A What-If History of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

To learn more about the event, click here.

Join the Common Sense Society on Tuesday, October 31, at 11 am ET for "Wartime Propaganda on College Campuses."

The increase of antisemitism and organized pro-Hamas propaganda on college campuses around the world, particularly in the United States, may be unsurprising to many, but it is nonetheless tragic, unacceptable, and worth our dedicated time and attention to confront.

The Israel Defense Force joins us in recognizing that U.S. universities are ground zero for Hamas’s propaganda war. This is the time for alumni, faculty, administrators, and board appointees to protect free speech while also institutionally standing against antisemitism and wartime pro-terrorist propaganda—and to encourage our campus leaders to do the same.  

Common Sense Society is working with the IDF’s public diplomacy team to host a Zoom briefing Tuesday, October 31, at 11:00 A.M. ET to help us better understand the realities on the ground in Israel and what is at stake when students in the West engage in rigorous antisemitic action. 

This briefing is open to any alumni network, faculty member, administrator, or board member eager to understand wartime propaganda and reject antisemitism on campus. This briefing is closed to the press and will include a specific Q&A session if time allows.

To learn more about the event, click here.

Join the National Association of Scholars on Tuesday, November 14, at 2 pm ET for "Moore's Law and the Creation of the Transistor”

Following the creation of the transistor by William Shockley, he founded a business to bring them to mass market. Shortly after, however, eight Ph.D. graduates left Shockley Semiconductor to found Fairchild Semiconductor, which became an incubator for many of the biggest names in Silicon Valley. From Intel to AMD, numerous companies got their start either directly or indirectly from Fairchild Semiconductor. 

How was the transistor originally developed? Who were some of the key players at Fairchild? How did they develop and improve on the transistor? What is Moore's Law and how did it help to shape the digital age?

This event will feature Ross Bassett, an associate professor of history at NC State University and author of To the Digital Age: Research Labs, Start-up Companies, and the Rise of MOS Technology; and Arnold Thackray, author of Moore's Law: The Life of Gordon Moore, Silicon Valley's Quiet Revolutionary.

To learn more about the event, click here.

If you can't attend our webinar events live, you can still register to watch the recordings. All registrants will receive a follow-up email with a link to the recording shortly after each event.

If you have missed any of our past events or webinars, you may find all of our recordings here: https://www.youtube.com/@NAScholars/streams.

I look forward to seeing you in the virtual audience!
 

Best,
Chance Layton
Director of Communications
National Association of Scholars