From Ferranti to Faculty – Book Launch

Information Technology at Monash University, 1960 to 1990

To purchase this book visit Monash University Custom Publishing Services

A new book by Sarah Rood (MPubHist 2005) - From Ferranti to Faculty - explores the history of the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University. The launch was held at the Computer History Museum on Thursday 21 August at the Caulfield campus. The book launch was part of Monash University's 50th Anniversary celebrations.

From Ferranti to Faculty tells the story of the foundation of the first faculty dedicated to computing and information technology in Australia. Covering the period from the late 1950s until 1990, when the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology at Monash University was formed, it spans the establishment phase of the discipline of computing. During this time, this field of study was developing and changing at a rapid rate, arguably faster than any new discipline in the past. This created enormous challenges and difficulties, as well as wonderful opportunities.

These opportunities were seized upon by visionary people both at Caulfield Institute of Technology (later Chisholm Institute of Technology) and at Monash University. In many ways From Ferranti to Faculty is about these people – the influence they had on the development of computing in Australia and on the establishment of the faculty.

From Ferranti to Faculty traces the foundation and establishment of Monash University's Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, known today as the Faculty of Information Technology. It explores the emergence of computing and computer science as new, stand-alone disciplines in the tertiary sector. The history of higher education in Australia provides the backdrop to this story, as does the history of Monash University and the various institutions that occupied what is now the Caulfield campus of Monash University.

The text was authored by historian Sarah Rood in consultation with a steering committee comprising:

Peter Juliff (Chair) The Australian Computer Society & Deakin University
Chris Avram Monash University
John Crossley Monash University
Seamus O'Hanlon Monash University
Andrew Parbury The Australian Computer Society
Judy Sheard Monash University
Phil Steele Monash University
Ron Weber Monash University
Rob Willis Monash University
The late Chris Wallace was also a member of the steering committee.

To purchase this book visit Monash University Custom Publishing Services.

Ferranti book launch speakers

About the author

Sarah Rood has been working in the field as a professional historian for the past six years. A graduate of the University of Melbourne (BA (Hons), 1998) she began working as a historian in 2002. While working in the field she completed the MA (Public History) at Monash University and now runs her own business Way Back When - Consulting Historians. Way Back When has completed and published several commissioned histories, including a history of the Victoria Hotel, the Olims Canberra Hotel, a history of Information Technology at Monash University, as well as a history of the Department of Marketing, also at Monash University. Way Back When also undertakes commissioned exhibitions and heritage work. Most recently Sarah has curated an exhibition at the Jewish Museum of Australia and authored the book that accompanies the exhibition. Sarah curated the Monash Museum of Computing History located on the Caulfield campus of Monash University, and for the past 3 years Sarah has been the Assistant Curator of the Water Smart Home Project at Museum Victoria. As well as her consulting activity Sarah is the President of the Professional Historians Association (Victoria).