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Home > Education > The Early Years of Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire
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The Early Years of Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire

The making of a reputation

Author: Gordon Brand

Price: £14.99 (free postage)


About the book

This book has been edited by Gordon Bull and Mark Jenkin.

The University of Hertfordshire opened in September 1952 as Hatfield Technical College, the first major post-war project in technical education to be planned in England.

In 2015/16 the University’s School of Computer Science celebrated fifty years of running their BSc in Computer Science. Ten years earlier, prompted by the fortieth anniversary, background research by the author unearthed a wealth of material that was pertinent, not just to the provision of the undergraduate scheme, but also to the development of computing and the computing service in general during the early years at Hatfield. Building on this research, he was able to write a history embracing the period that put Hatfield in the vanguard of computer science education in the 1960s.

  • More about the book

    This book celebrates the rapid growth of higher education in the 1960s and the achievements of the pioneers in computer science at Hatfield whose vision and determination made Hatfield a vibrant centre for teaching, research and service provision. It includes contributions from the early students and recognises the impact that they made on an emerging industry.

    The book illustrates how the early years of computer science at Hatfield made its reputation, one that has continued to the present day.

    Gordon Bull was Professor of Information Technology and Dean of the IT Faculty at the University of Brighton following a long career in higher education. He retired in 2000 and was accorded the title of Professor Emeritus for his services to the university. His research career spanned some 40 years and he was responsible for a number of innovations including starting one of the first degrees in Computer Science.

    Mark Jenkin was Associate Dean of the School of Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire.

  • View the table of contents

    Contents


     List of illustrationsvi
     Abbreviationsviii
     Forewordxi
     Prefacexiii
     Introduction1
       
    1Background3
    2Computing education at Hatfield: up to 196515
    3Computing education at Hatfield: 1965 onwards36
    4Computing provision at Hatfield68
    5Service for other educational establishments98
    6The people involved105
       
     Timelines121
       
     Appendix 1: Seminar on the teaching of computational science at University of Liverpool, 1965131
     Appendix 2: UK government working group report on computer education, 1967134
     Appendix 3: J.A.P. Hall pamphlet: introducing the Department of Mathematics, 1959139
     Appendix 4: Conference: ‘The computing laboratory in the technical college’, Hatfield College of Technology 1960142
     Appendix 5: Hatfield and Elliotts – the relationship144
     Appendix 6: Proposal to buy or rent a digital computer, 1961149
     Appendix 7: Opening of digital computer unit 1964153
     Appendix 8: Scope of operation of the digital computer unit, 1964155
     Appendix 9: Conference on digital computer education, Hatfield, May 1963157
     Appendix 10: Proposed Diploma in Technology in Computer Science, 1964158
     Appendix 11: A first-year exam paper from 1968162
     Appendix 12: Report on the running of the BSc Computer Science, 1970165
     Appendix 13: Computing facilities 1963–69169
     Appendix 14: Proposal for a new computer centre, November 1967172
     Appendix 15: (Requirements) specification of the multi-access computer system, 1969174
       
     Bibliography177
     Index179

  • About the Author/s:

    Gordon Brand

    Gordon Brand (also known as Gordon Spencer-Brand) graduated with a degree in mathematics from the University of Exeter and subsequently joined Hatfield College of Technology in 1966 as a programmer in the computer unit. He became manager of the Elliott 803 computers and, with the creation of the computer centre, had various roles including computer manager, head of operations and services, then deputy director and, ultimately, director of the computer centre. He served thirty years at Hatfield and took early retirement in 1996.

ISBN: 978-1-909291-89-8 Format: Paperback, 196pp Published: Mar 2016

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