The International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication (EIPBN) had its origins 45 years ago in electron-beam welding, but the focus soon shifted to microfabrication techniques. Since the early 1960's, EIPBN has been the premier conference for reporting innovations in micro- and nanofabrication techniques, with a consistent goal of pushing to finer features and practical applications in research and industry. The conference name has evolved to reflect the changes in technology. With the exception of a few years, when some of the conferences were managed by the Electrochemical Society, the conference has been run by volunteers who are also active researchers. This has been one of its strengths, ensuring annual renewal of objectives band directions. In this article we identify some highlights in the history of EIPBN and suggest a direction for the conference in this era of nanotechnology. (C) 2004 American Vacuum Society.