Evan Butterfield

Evan Butterfield was the IEEE Computer Society’s Director of Products & Services for more than a decade, from 2008 to 2018. In that role, he headed the Society’s staff editing and publication functions for thirteen technical magazines and twenty-three peer-reviewed journals. He also oversaw the Computer Society’s portfolio of over 100 technical conferences, ranging from small symposia to city-wide, multi-day, multi-track events.

During his time with the IEEE Computer Society, Evan received the prestigious Harry Hayman Staff Award for "fostering a climate of innovation in publishing, product development, conference service models, and partnerships.” In 2016, he delivered the keynote address at the International Conference on Science Media in Beijing, “Scientific Publications Confront a Digital Future.” Evan was a recognized resource for copyright and intellectual property issues across IEEE, and was instrumental in the design and introduction of Open Access policies across IEEE publications. He implemented a number of unique, experimental Open Access models for conference papers, and worked with volunteers across IEEE to develop Open Access solutions. When the Computer Society’s volunteer leadership decided to migrate all publications to digital-only deliver, Evan led the design and implementation of new production processes and distribution platforms to ensure the success of the digital strategy. Evan conceived and launched a successful new publication collating opinion, history, and news content from across the Society’s publications, aimed at non-technical audiences.

Evan has taught technical and professional writing courses at the University of Illinois at Urbana, George Washington University, The American University in DC, Wright City College in Chicago, and the Art Institute of Law Vegas (where he also teaches copyright and broadcast law and regulation). He designed and taught courses specifically for engineering undergraduates at Illinois and GWU, and worked on distance learning courses with the US Navy’s Program for Afloat College Education (PACE).

Evan holds a JD from DePaul University College of Law, an MA in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana, and a BA in English and History from the University of Illinois at Urbana. In addition, he holds a Postgraduate Certificate (High Distinction) in Educational Technology from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia; and certifications from the Center for Creative Leadership (Foundations of Leadership) and American Society of Association Executives (Association Management).

He has published extensively, including What Every Technical Author Needs to Know, with David Alan Grier, and a series of articles for the Journal of the Real Estate Educators Association, including “See No Evil, Hear No Evil: The Delicate Balance of Using Audio, Video, and Other Non-Print Media Resources in Education Without Running Afoul of Copyright Laws,” and “In Other Words: The Squishy Art of Using Copyrighted Materials Without Being a Thief, Infringer, or Plagiarist,” both of which won awards as the best Journal publication of the year.

Evan lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.