Recipient 2021: Amy Sue Bix (Iowa State University)
For “‘Remember the Sabbath’: a history of technological decisions and innovation in Orthodox Jewish communities,” History and Technology, 36:2 (2020), 205-239, DOI: 10.1080/07341512.2020.1816339
In her paper, “‘Remember the Sabbath’: a history of technological decisions and innovation in Orthodox Jewish communities,” Amy Sue Bix addresses an understudied area, namely the response of religious communities to modern technology. In doing so she highlights the work of members of these communities whose identities as electrical engineers also connects them to the IEEE community.
Bix did a great job of bringing in social, cultural, and religious factors without leaving out the technological side. The committee recognized her considerable original research as she weaved together numerous published resources, which is often a necessity for contemporary history where archival materials are not readily available.
Additionally, what everyone on the committee liked about Bix’s was that it was simply enjoyable to read.