Harold Frost

Harold Frost has been at the Thayer School of Engineering since 1981, teaching materials science, mechanics, and thermodynamics. He retains the sliderule he received at high-school graduation in 1964 (which still works) and the HP-35 “scientific” electronic calculator he purchased in 1972 (which no longer works). He joined the Oughtred Society (for collectors of slide rules and the like) in 1998.

Computing Before Electronic Calculators (Fall Term 2024)

Participent Testimonials: 

Professor Frost is extremely knowledgeable in the field.

The course consisted of presentations of computing approaches, so rather than discussion, class time emphasized illustrating aspects of devices - historical, personal, mechanical, mathematical.  This was followed by handling of the actual historical instruments.