ACS Mourns the Passing of Society Founder & ICT Pioneer - John Makepeace Bennett AO
20 December 2010: The Australian Computer Society (ACS), the recognised professional association for those working in Information & Communications Technology (ICT), today recognised the significant achievements of the Society’s founder John Bennett AO.
ACS founder and Australia's first Professor of Computer Science, Emeritus Professor of Computer Science John Bennett, an Australian ICT pioneer, passed away on 9 December 2010.
It was John Bennett, then Chairman of the Institute of Engineers, Australia and co-founder of the NSW Computer Society, who first began the push to establish a national computer society in Australia back in 1958. John had helped to build and test the EDSAC Computer in Cambridge, UK and returned to Australia to work on SILLIAC in Sydney. The formation in 1966 of the Australian Computer Society represented a critical step in this journey towards professionalism, providing a vehicle for the development and delivery of standards and the propagation of knowledge.
ACS President Anthony Wong expressed his condolences to all that knew and loved John Bennett and praised the significant contributions he made to both the ACS and the development of Australia’s ICT profession.
“We have lost one of our nation’s greatest ICT icons, however John Bennett’s pioneering efforts have given Australia’s ICT professionals and industry countless opportunities and advantages. John’s talents and knowledge base were recognised by his appointment as Australia's first Professor of Computer Science and his work performing the world’s first structural engineering calculations on an electronic computer.
“Through establishing the Australian Computer Society, John Bennett created an environment whereby Australian IT professionals could work together to perform to the best of their ability. By doing this, he significantly advanced the professional excellence of Australia’s ICT industry which dramatically increased our nation’s presence on an international level.
Today, the Australian Computer Society represents more than 17, 000 ICT professionals and is well recognised around the world- this is one of John’s many legacies and the ICT pioneer will be missed”, said Anthony Wong.
The Australian Computer Society’s CEO, Bruce Lakin expressed his sadness at the passing of a technology icon and discussed his immense gratitude for the industry leadership John Bennett showed.
“John was a thought leader and one of our nation’s greatest ICT scholars. His dedication and passion was instrumental in the progression of the Australian Computer Society to every state in Australia. He was well respected, not only as a great colleague at the ACS but also he was admired by the industry as a true ICT professional and a gentleman. He will be greatly missed”, said Mr Lakin.
Arthur Sale, founder of the Tasmanian Branch of the ACS and Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, University of Tasmania, highlighted John Bennett’s contribution to ICT over the years.
"With the passing of John Makepeace Bennett, the world of Australian computer science lost a person who greatly influenced the development of the field, and a faithful and welcome friend," said Mr Sale.
John is survived by his wife Mary Bennett, four children and six grandchildren.
John Makepeace Bennett
Emeritus Professor John Makepeace Bennett AO, FTSE, was born on 31 July 1921 and was an early computer scientist. His pioneering career included work on early computers such as EDSAC, Ferranti Mark 1* and SILLIAC, and spreading the word about the use of computers through computing courses and computing associations.
From 1942 until 1946 (during WWII), he served in the RAAF. He worked on a radar unit on the Wessel Islands and later worked in airfield construction. He then returned to the University of Queensland to study electrical and mechanical engineering and mathematics.
In 1947 he went to Cambridge University to become Maurice Vincent Wilkes' first research student as part of the team working to build EDSAC. This was the world's first practical stored program electronic computer, and the world's first computer in regular operation from 1949. He was responsible for the design, construction and testing of the main control unit and bootstrap facility for EDSAC and carried out the first ever structural engineering calculations on a computer as part of his PhD.
He worked for Ferranti in Manchester and London as a computer specialist. Here he designed the instruction set for Ferranti Mark 1*, which was the main improvement of that machine over Ferranti Mark 1.
He returned to Australia in 1956 to become the first professor in computing science at the
Basser Laboratory at Sydney University where he led the team that programmed and used SILLIAC, a machine built to a design based on the University of Illinois' ILLIAC machine.
Until 1958 he taught associated courses in the use of computers. In 1958 he established a Postgraduate Diploma in Numerical Analysis and Computing which was later changed to the Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science.
In 1961, he became the Foundation Professor of Computer Science, and in 1972 he became head of the new Basser Department of Computer Science.
He also worked to develop Australia's ICT knowledge base by fostering relationships with industry nationally and internationally, and generating a growing flow of new graduates. By his retirement in 1986 aged 65, 2000 students had graduated from Basser, and another 4000 from all disciplines had completed courses there.
He was very involved with the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) during his tenure and after retirement, continuing his involvement with Sydney University, particularly in post-graduate affairs, and close involvement with the Australian Computer Society of which he was a Fellow. In recent years, he enjoyed more time at home with his family and with visiting colleagues, having ‘made his mark’.
The importance of his work was recognised by many who followed. In his history of computing and structural engineering, Dr R K Livesy wrote: "what made it significant was Bennett's realisation of one of the most important lessons of computing - that one must be willing to adopt new methods and not merely to take over existing techniques of manual calculation."
He was also the Foundation Chairman of the Australian Committee on Computation and Automatic Control from 1959 to 1963, the President of the New South Wales Computer Society from 1965 to 1966, and the Foundation President of the Australian Computer Society from 1966 to 1967. In 1981 he helped found the Research Foundation for Information Technology at the University. In 1983 he became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
Media information:
Emily Venardos (02) 9492 1033 or mobile: 0413 743 737 Email: emily@launchgroup.com.au
Seni Murni (02) 9299 3666 or mobile: 0410 029 706 Email: seni.murni@acs.org.au
About the ACS:
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is the recognised professional association for those working in Information and Communications Technology, seeking to raise the standing of ICT professionals and represent their views to government, industry and the community. A member of the Australian Council of Professions, the ACS is the guardian of professional ethics and standards in the ICT sector, committed to ensuring the beneficial use of ICT for all Australians. It provides both members and non-members with opportunities for professional education, networking and certification, as well as enabling them to contribute to the development of their profession. Visit www.acs.org.au for more information.
ACS founder and Australia's first Professor of Computer Science, Emeritus Professor of Computer Science John Bennett, an Australian ICT pioneer, passed away on 9 December 2010.
It was John Bennett, then Chairman of the Institute of Engineers, Australia and co-founder of the NSW Computer Society, who first began the push to establish a national computer society in Australia back in 1958. John had helped to build and test the EDSAC Computer in Cambridge, UK and returned to Australia to work on SILLIAC in Sydney. The formation in 1966 of the Australian Computer Society represented a critical step in this journey towards professionalism, providing a vehicle for the development and delivery of standards and the propagation of knowledge.
ACS President Anthony Wong expressed his condolences to all that knew and loved John Bennett and praised the significant contributions he made to both the ACS and the development of Australia’s ICT profession.
“We have lost one of our nation’s greatest ICT icons, however John Bennett’s pioneering efforts have given Australia’s ICT professionals and industry countless opportunities and advantages. John’s talents and knowledge base were recognised by his appointment as Australia's first Professor of Computer Science and his work performing the world’s first structural engineering calculations on an electronic computer.
“Through establishing the Australian Computer Society, John Bennett created an environment whereby Australian IT professionals could work together to perform to the best of their ability. By doing this, he significantly advanced the professional excellence of Australia’s ICT industry which dramatically increased our nation’s presence on an international level.
Today, the Australian Computer Society represents more than 17, 000 ICT professionals and is well recognised around the world- this is one of John’s many legacies and the ICT pioneer will be missed”, said Anthony Wong.
The Australian Computer Society’s CEO, Bruce Lakin expressed his sadness at the passing of a technology icon and discussed his immense gratitude for the industry leadership John Bennett showed.
“John was a thought leader and one of our nation’s greatest ICT scholars. His dedication and passion was instrumental in the progression of the Australian Computer Society to every state in Australia. He was well respected, not only as a great colleague at the ACS but also he was admired by the industry as a true ICT professional and a gentleman. He will be greatly missed”, said Mr Lakin.
Arthur Sale, founder of the Tasmanian Branch of the ACS and Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, University of Tasmania, highlighted John Bennett’s contribution to ICT over the years.
"With the passing of John Makepeace Bennett, the world of Australian computer science lost a person who greatly influenced the development of the field, and a faithful and welcome friend," said Mr Sale.
John is survived by his wife Mary Bennett, four children and six grandchildren.
John Makepeace Bennett
Emeritus Professor John Makepeace Bennett AO, FTSE, was born on 31 July 1921 and was an early computer scientist. His pioneering career included work on early computers such as EDSAC, Ferranti Mark 1* and SILLIAC, and spreading the word about the use of computers through computing courses and computing associations.
From 1942 until 1946 (during WWII), he served in the RAAF. He worked on a radar unit on the Wessel Islands and later worked in airfield construction. He then returned to the University of Queensland to study electrical and mechanical engineering and mathematics.
In 1947 he went to Cambridge University to become Maurice Vincent Wilkes' first research student as part of the team working to build EDSAC. This was the world's first practical stored program electronic computer, and the world's first computer in regular operation from 1949. He was responsible for the design, construction and testing of the main control unit and bootstrap facility for EDSAC and carried out the first ever structural engineering calculations on a computer as part of his PhD.
He worked for Ferranti in Manchester and London as a computer specialist. Here he designed the instruction set for Ferranti Mark 1*, which was the main improvement of that machine over Ferranti Mark 1.
He returned to Australia in 1956 to become the first professor in computing science at the
Basser Laboratory at Sydney University where he led the team that programmed and used SILLIAC, a machine built to a design based on the University of Illinois' ILLIAC machine.
Until 1958 he taught associated courses in the use of computers. In 1958 he established a Postgraduate Diploma in Numerical Analysis and Computing which was later changed to the Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science.
In 1961, he became the Foundation Professor of Computer Science, and in 1972 he became head of the new Basser Department of Computer Science.
He also worked to develop Australia's ICT knowledge base by fostering relationships with industry nationally and internationally, and generating a growing flow of new graduates. By his retirement in 1986 aged 65, 2000 students had graduated from Basser, and another 4000 from all disciplines had completed courses there.
He was very involved with the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) during his tenure and after retirement, continuing his involvement with Sydney University, particularly in post-graduate affairs, and close involvement with the Australian Computer Society of which he was a Fellow. In recent years, he enjoyed more time at home with his family and with visiting colleagues, having ‘made his mark’.
The importance of his work was recognised by many who followed. In his history of computing and structural engineering, Dr R K Livesy wrote: "what made it significant was Bennett's realisation of one of the most important lessons of computing - that one must be willing to adopt new methods and not merely to take over existing techniques of manual calculation."
He was also the Foundation Chairman of the Australian Committee on Computation and Automatic Control from 1959 to 1963, the President of the New South Wales Computer Society from 1965 to 1966, and the Foundation President of the Australian Computer Society from 1966 to 1967. In 1981 he helped found the Research Foundation for Information Technology at the University. In 1983 he became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
Media information:
Emily Venardos (02) 9492 1033 or mobile: 0413 743 737 Email: emily@launchgroup.com.au
Seni Murni (02) 9299 3666 or mobile: 0410 029 706 Email: seni.murni@acs.org.au
About the ACS:
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is the recognised professional association for those working in Information and Communications Technology, seeking to raise the standing of ICT professionals and represent their views to government, industry and the community. A member of the Australian Council of Professions, the ACS is the guardian of professional ethics and standards in the ICT sector, committed to ensuring the beneficial use of ICT for all Australians. It provides both members and non-members with opportunities for professional education, networking and certification, as well as enabling them to contribute to the development of their profession. Visit www.acs.org.au for more information.