Alexander Graham Bell's Telephone Patent: 150 years, a world of connection

W. Bernard Carlson is the Joseph L. Vaughan Professor Emeritus of Humanities at the University of Virginia. He has written extensively about major inventors such as Alexander Graham Bell and Nikola Tesla. His book, Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age, has been translated into 11 languages and he has just recorded a series of audio lectures, “Alexander Graham Bell and the First Phonecall,” for Audible and The Teaching Company. Bernie now lives in Ireland where he teaches innovation at Trinity College Dublin and the University of Galway. He regularly consults with individuals and companies on innovation strategy. Bernie served for many years on the IEEE History Committee and is a recipient of both the IEEE Life Members Prize in Electrical History and the IEEE William and Joyce Middleton Electrical Engineering History Award.

Jill I. Gostin is a Principal Research Scientist Emeritus at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), where her work focused on sensor systems and software. She also served as the systems engineering, integration, and test lead in the software engineering and architecture division. Her publications, service and technical awards, large program management, and leadership of groups including industry, government, and academia have contributed to her career success. 

She has served IEEE extensively, including three years on the IEEE Board of Directors, as 2023 IEEE Vice President of Member and Geographic Activities and 2020-2021 Region 3 Director. She is a former chair of the IEEE Atlanta Section and the IEEE Computer Society’s Atlanta Chapter. Gostin served on the IEEE Computer and IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems societies’ boards of governors and was the vice president of finance for the Sensor Council’s Executive Committee. She has also led or been a member of several IEEE organizational units and committees, locally and globally.

Her leadership has been recognized by being named 2016 Woman of the Year by Georgia Women in Technology and receiving the 2025 IEEE Women in Technology & Leadership Award.

Edwin S. Grosvenor is the Editor-in-Chief of American Heritage and Invention & Technology Magazines, and President of the National Historical Society. 

Mr. Grosvenor co-authored a biography of his great-grandfather, Alexander Graham Bell: The Life and Times of the Inventor of the Telephone, and is the author or editor of thirteen books including 299 Things Everyone Should Know About American History, and anthologies on Men of the Revolution, Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, The Civil War, The Old West, New York, World War I, Roosevelt, Churchill, and The Vietnam War.

Previously, Mr. Grosvenor was the President and Editor of Portfolio magazine, the highest circulation fine arts publication in the U.S. at the time, and Editor of the literary magazine Current Books, which published such authors as Norman Mailer, Bill Moyers, Garrison Keillor, David McCullough, and Vaclav Havel. 

The Grosvenor family founded the National Geographic Society, where Edwin Grosvenor worked as a photographer with assignments in thirteen countries, including Belize, Canada, France, Greece, Iceland, Kenya, Spain, Tonga, Turkey and the U.S.

Mr. Grosvenor received the President's Award from Historic Deerfield for contributions to history, and serves as the Historian of the Literary Society of Washington. 

He obtained his MS (Journalism) and MBA degrees from Columbia University, and his BA from Yale University.

Josh Levy serves as historian of science and technology at the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress. There he oversees collections that include the papers of Samuel F.B. Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, the Wright Brothers, Sigmund and Anna Freud, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Carl Sagan, E.O. Wilson, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and Gladys West. He has published on topics ranging from agricultural history and the history of nutrition to Native Pacific history and the history of mathematics, and has taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of South Florida, and College of Micronesia-FSM. He holds a Ph.D. in modern U.S. history from the University of Illinois and a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School.

A life-long resident of Brantford, Ontario, Brian has always had an interest in local and 19th century history. He first began exploring Bell family history during the Bell Telephone Centennial in 1974. He attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario with an initial intent in pursuing a teaching career. However, he focused on museum work after starting as a summer student at the Bell Homestead during his second year. He worked as an historical interpreter at the site through the summer of 1988 and following completion of an Honours B.A. in Sociology and German, took on the Assistant Curator’s position in 1990. He was later promoted to Curator in 1995. During this period, he completed the Ontario Museum Association Certificate in Museum Studies. Over the last 37 years, through extensive research, reconstruction and the acquisition of original household furnishings, works of art, and personal effects, Brian successfully restored the Homestead to the 1870-1881 residency of the Bell Family. He developed the interpretive plan for the site and also introduced curriculum-based educational programs, children’s day camps, community special events, and outreach and membership programs. In 1997, Brian succeeded in having the Homestead designated as a Canadian National Historic Site. Brian has also participated with the boards of the Brant Historical Society and Myrtleville House Museum in Brantford, the Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover, Ontario, as well as the Museums Committee of the Ontario Historical Society. He has volunteered with several museums across Ontario, including those in Ottawa, Stratford, and Waterloo. Recently retired, Brian enjoys travelling with his husband, James, and being a doggy dad to their Dachshunds, Blanche and Maude.

Sheldon Hochheiser retired in 2026 as AT&T Corporate Historian and manager of the AT&T Archives and History Center facility in Warren, New Jersey. Sheldon joined the AT&T Archives as a historian in 1988. He has been studying the history of AT&T and U.S. telecommunications ever since. Sheldon holds a Ph.D. in History of Science from the University of Wisconsin--Madison, and a B.A. in Chemistry-History from Reed College. In addition to his 26 years at AT&T, Sheldon served as a historian at the IEEE History Center and on the faculties of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Minnesota, and the Stevens Institute of Technology. He is the author of Rohm and Haas: History of a Chemical Company. (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986)

Louis Foreman is the founder and Chief Executive of Enventys, an integrated product design and engineering firm. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in Economics. His passion for entrepreneurship began as a sophomore when he launched his first company from his fraternity room. Over the past 39 years, Louis has founded 10 successful startups and has been directly responsible for the creation of more than 20 others. A prolific inventor, he holds 10 registered U.S. patents, and his firm has been responsible for the development and filing of hundreds more. The recipient of numerous awards for entrepreneurial achievement, Louis is widely recognized for his leadership in innovation and small business development.

Louis is an Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Entrepreneurship Program at Wake Forest University. He previously served as an adjunct professor and Entrepreneur in Residence at The McColl School of Business for 11 years as well as Johnson & Wales University. He received the Instructor Achievement Award from Central Piedmont Community College and was recognized by the National Museum of Education for Distinguished Contributions to Education. A frequent lecturer and media guest, Louis is regularly invited by universities and national trade associations to speak on entrepreneurship, innovation, and intellectual property.

Beyond his work as an inventor and educator, Louis is committed to inspiring innovators. He created the Emmy® Award-winning PBS television series Everyday Edisons, serving as Executive Producer and lead judge. The show won two Emmys over four seasons and aired nationally on PBS. In 2007, he became the publisher of Inventors Digest, a 45-year-old publication devoted to American innovation. His book, The Independent Inventor’s Handbook, was published by Workman Publishing. In 2015, Louis received the IP Champion Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He was inducted into the International IP Hall of Fame in 2022 and the Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2023.

Louis served for 12 years as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the James Dyson Foundation. He currently serves on the boards of the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), the Federal Reserve Bank Industry Roundtable, Eightco Holdings, the Intellectual Property Owners Educational Foundation (IPOEF), and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Carolinas Region.

Louis has also served in several US Government advisory roles, including two terms on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC). The National SBDC Advisory Board, and the Federal NIST MEP Advisory Board.

In 2011, Louis briefed members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on legislation impacting the U.S. patent system and independent inventors. He later joined the President on stage for the signing of the America Invents Act into law, marking the most comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. patent system in more than 60 years.

Giulia McHenry currently serves as Senior Vice President for Public Policy at AT&T where she is responsible for developing AT&T’s positions on federal and state legislation and regulations affecting the company. Giulia previously served as Chief of the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). She led an interdisciplinary team of professionals responsible for enhancing the use of economic analysis in Commission policy-making, developing and implementing FCC auctions, and ensuring consistent and effective agency-wide data practices and policies. In 2018, Giulia was appointed by former Chair Ajit Pai to stand up and lead the OEA and remained Chief under Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. Prior to that she served as Chief Economist of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration under U.S. Department of Commerce Secretaries Penny Pritzker and Wilbur Ross. Giulia received her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland in 2009. She specialized in microeconomics, both applied and empirical methods, focusing on network theory and industrial organization. She resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband former U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry and their three children.

As Qualcomm’s Chief IP Counsel, Bob has oversight of Qualcomm’s worldwide patent, trademark, and copyright portfolios, as well as Qualcomm’s open source and standards organization legal engagements. His team also works closely with Qualcomm’s litigation team supporting IP-related litigation efforts. In addition, Bob and his team have oversight of Qualcomm’s AI-related legal efforts. Prior to joining the IP Department, Bob was a member of Qualcomm’s litigation team, where he gained a wealth of experience managing intellectual property and licensing related litigations in the U.S., China, Europe, and India. Bob is also actively involved in advocacy and legislative efforts relating to intellectual property and AI. Bob received his J.D. from The George Washington University, and his Bachelor’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Christopher Beauchamp is a Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. He teaches and writes in the areas of intellectual property and legal history. His first book, Invented by Law: Alexander Graham Bell and the Patent That Changed America, was published by Harvard University Press. Professor Beauchamp is also working on a book about the history of patent law and litigation in the United States, entitled Technology's Trials. His scholarship has been published in the Stanford Technology Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, and the Vanderbilt Law Review, and has been selected for presentation at the Yale/Harvard/Stanford Junior Faculty Forum. Professor Beauchamp joined Brooklyn Law School from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Sharswood Fellow in Law and History and a Lecturer in Law. Prior to teaching, he was a Microsoft/LAPA Fellow at Princeton University’s Law and Public Affairs Program and a Samuel I. Golieb Fellow in Legal History at New York University School of Law. He earned his Ph.D. in History from Cambridge University.

Patrick J. Coyne, Esq., has a long and distinguished career as a trial and appellate attorney. He is widely recognized for his breadth of knowledge and experience in the field of intellectual property law. He has represented clients before the U.S. International Trade Commission, Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the USPTO. Mr. Coyne holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, with high distinction, from the University of Virginia. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.

As the Regional Director for the USPTO's Northeast Regional Outreach Office and Interim Director for the Southeast Regional Outreach Office and Midwest Regional Outreach Office, Elizabeth Dougherty carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO and is responsible for leading the USPTO's Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest stakeholder engagement. Focusing on these regions and actively engaging with each community, Ms. Dougherty ensures the USPTO's initiatives and programs are tailored to each region's unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders.

Ms. Dougherty has more than 25 years of experience working at the USPTO. She served as the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. In this role, she worked closely across the Agency's leadership to implement the policies and priorities for the USPTO. She began her career at the USPTO as a patent examiner after graduating from The Catholic University of America with a bachelor's degree in physics. While a patent examiner, Ms. Dougherty went on to obtain her J.D. from The Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America and served as a Senior Legal Advisor in the Office of Patent Legal Administration for a significant part of her career. Over the years, she has also served in the USPTO's Office of Petitions, the Office of Innovation Development, and the Office of Government Affairs.

Ms. Dougherty has dedicated much of her career to the USPTO's outreach and education programs focusing on small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs. In this effort she has developed, implemented, and supervised programs that support the independent inventor community, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and the intellectual property interests of colleges and universities. Similarly, Ms. Dougherty has spearheaded a number of special projects with federal, state and local governments, and private organizations to promote and support invention and innovation in the United States.

Sara Grosvenor is the great-granddaughter of Alexander Graham and Mabel Hubbard Bell, and founder of The Alexander and Mabel Bell Legacy Foundation, serving as its President since 2014. The IRS designated, 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization is dedicated to the Bells’ Legacy, through preserving historical artifacts, advancing their scientific, humanitarian and entrepreneurial accomplishments through grants, programs and education, and protecting and licensing use of their name, image and heritage.

Sara has also served as a Board Member for the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing—founded by Dr. Bell in the 1890s—and the Bells’ Canadian home, Beinn Bhreagh Hall.

Before focusing on the Bell Legacy Foundation, Sara served as Director of Media Development and Publisher for the Points of Light Foundation, the world’s largest volunteer service organization.

Her distinguished journalism roles include researcher/writer, photojournalist, editor and producer for such organizations as U.S. News and World Report, The Asian Wall Street Journal, WETA, AARP, Discovery Communications, The National Geographic Society, The National Park Service and The Library of Congress. She produced the first video CyberSpace Day at The National Air and Space Museum, which won an ADDY Citation of Excellence for Interactive Media. Sara was also an editor and photographer for the bestseller A Day in the Life of America, as well as the book and online project 24 Hours in Cyberspace, a digital portrait of the Internet’s infancy.

She also served as associate producer for WETA’s cultural programming and the Emmy-nominated series, In Performance at the White House and The Kennedy Center Presents.

Sara holds a BA from Stanford University in history and an MA from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She also pursued graduate studies in marketing at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Vinton G. Cerf is vice president and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google. He is the co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet. He has served in executive positions at ICANN, the Internet Society, MCI, the Corporation for National Research Initiatives and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. A former Stanford Professor and former member of the US National Science Board, he is also the past President of the Association for Computing Machinery, Emeritus Chairman of the Marconi Society and has served in advisory capacities at NIST, DOE, NSF, US Navy, JPL and NRO. He earned his B.S. in mathematics at Stanford and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in computer science at UCLA. He is a member of both the US National Academies of Science and Engineering, the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists and the Worshipful Company of Stationers. 

Cerf is a recipient of numerous awards for his work, including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, US National Medal of Technology, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, the Prince of Asturias Award, the Japan Prize, the Charles Stark Draper award, the ACM Turing Award, the Marconi Prize and Marconi Lifetime Achievement Award, the IEEE Medal of Honor, the Legion d’Honneur, the VinFutures Grand Prize and the Franklin Medal. He is a Foreign Member of the British Royal Society and Swedish Academy of Engineering and holds 33 honorary degrees.