IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society - History

History

Fifty years ago, a small group of electrical engineers and associated technical people realized it would be a prudent step to organize a group of individuals dedicated to Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). Two different sets of individuals, one on the West Coast of the United States and the other on the East Coast, began to discuss organizational considerations, generated signed petitions, and met with officials of the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) in .

These early efforts culminated in a formal petition to the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) on 3 July 1957, requesting the formation of an Institute of Radio Engineers Professional Group on Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). This petition, which included a scope of technical interest, was approved by the IRE on 10 October 1957.

The first meeting of the Administrative Committee of the newly formed group was held on 20 November 1957 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Officers were elected and the group was operations.

The Professional Groups on Radio Frequency Interference became the Professional Group on RFI in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) in 1963 when the IRE and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers merged. Within five years, the Professional Group became the EMC Society of the IEEE, a name that has remained constant for 40 years.

In 2007, the IEEE EMC Society celebrated its 50th anniversary at their yearly conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. To help celebrate, the Society’s celebration pin was flown in space shuttle mission, STS-118 (August 8–21, 2007). This pin is mounted in a frame with a photograph of the astronauts, officers of the EMC Society, and is on display at the IEEE Headquarter office in Piscataway, New Jersey, History Center.