Fortran Turns 70: Manchester Event Planned
Original: Celebrating 70 Years of Fortran
Why This Matters
Fortran still underpins large-scale scientific computing; its longevity signals continued relevance.
The Institute of Computing for Climate Science at Cambridge is hosting a free 'Celebrating 70 Years of Fortran' workshop at Manchester's Science and Industry Museum on 1 December 2026, with AMD and Dell as platinum sponsors.
On 15 October 2026, it will be exactly 70 years since the first Fortran manual was published — making it one of the oldest programming languages still in active use. To mark the milestone, Cambridge's Institute of Computing for Climate Science (ICCS) is organizing a half-day workshop and reception in Manchester.
The event runs 14:30–18:15 at the Science and Industry Museum's conference suite, followed by drinks in the exhibition hall — where attendees can see a demonstration of 'Baby,' the 1940s experimental computer. Damian Rouson from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will deliver the keynote, reviewing Fortran's seven-decade arc. Lightning talks and an open breakout session looking toward the next 70 years round out the programme.
Fortran remains the dominant language in numerical computing for climate modelling, nuclear engineering, and materials science. Platinum sponsors AMD and Dell Technologies back the event, alongside bronze sponsors CAKE, OpenMP, and ICCS. Attendance is free; registration closes 9 November 2026. A remote Zoom option is also available.