Call for Contributions

Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Computer Society and the 50th Anniversary of COMPSAC

This year,  the IEEE Computer Society marks 80 years since its inauguration, and COMPSAC, its signature conference on Computers, Software, and Applications, celebrates 50 years.

Since its inception, COMPSAC has been one of the most enduring and influential international forums in computing. It has brought together researchers, practitioners, educators, and industry leaders from around the world to share pioneering research, emerging innovations, and real-world insights spanning the breadth of software engineering, systems, applications, and technology trends.

To celebrate these two historic milestones, we are hosting a special “Symposium on IEEE Computer Society at 80 and IEEE COMPSAC at 50: Legacies of Computing Innovation” at COMPSAC 2026, to be held 7–10 July 2026 in Madrid, Spain. The Symposium is dedicated to reflecting on the impact, evolution, and legacy of COMPSAC and, more broadly, the IEEE Computer Society as a leading global force shaping computing research, education, and practice for eight decades.

In recognition of the legacies of  IEEE Computer Society and COMPSAC, the Symposium will feature:

• Presidential Plenary Panel “Modern computing in 80 Years – where we came from and where we are going.”
• Invited contributions and talks by past IEEE CS Presidents, IEEE Fellows, and other distinguished leaders of the professional community
• Symposium Panel Discussion: Early computers that shaped the digital world
• Personal and community reflections: meaningful experiences, stories, and lessons learned from decades of involvement with COMPSAC and IEEE CS

These contributions are intended to highlight major achievements, historical milestones, and defining moments in the IEEE Computer Society’s history, as well as forward-looking perspectives and visions for its future role in an increasingly interconnected, intelligent, and software-driven world. Together, these reflections will place COMPSAC within the broader trajectory of IEEE CS and the global computing community.

The Symposium is more than a celebration; it is also a community archive and a forward-looking forum. By honoring 50 years of COMPSAC and 80 years of the IEEE Computer Society, we aim to capture how the computing community has evolved, recognize the individuals and ideas that have shaped its journey, and inspire future generations to carry forward and enhance these legacies.

What We Are Looking For

We invite submissions that explore the rich history, culture, and influence of COMPSAC and the IEEE Computer Society, including but not limited to:

• Personal and community reflections: enriching experiences, stories, and lessons learned from decades of involvement with COMPSAC and the IEEE CS.
• Historical retrospectives: deep dives into how the field, technologies, initiatives, or communities have evolved through COMPSAC and IEEE CS activities.
• Visionary perspectives: forward-looking essays on the future of computing, software engineering, and applications.
• Scientific and professional reviews: surveys, meta-analyses, or scholarly overviews of major threads in software engineering, systems, applications, standards, and education fostered by COMPSAC and the IEEE CS.
• Broader impacts: analyses of how COMPSAC and IEEE CS have influenced education, industry practice, standards development, policy, and collaborative innovation worldwide.