Microsoft chief executive officer Bill Gates, one of Harvard's most famous dropouts, will return to school as the keynote speaker at a ground-breaking "Conference on the Internet and Society" on May 28 through 31.

Organized by Internet and computer experts from the University, the conference will also feature Netscape Chair Jim Clark, Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy, General Manager of the Intel Internet Technology Lab Steven McGeady and President Neil L. Rudenstine.

The conference's World Wide Web site says the conference is geared toward any "professionals who wish to improve their understanding of the impact of the Internet."

Although registration began only three weeks ago, McKay Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science H. T. Kung, the organizer of the conference, predicted a turnout of about 1,000 people.

Kung said he hopes to hold a lottery for students to attend, even though the conference is scheduled after the end of final exams.

Harvard Computer Society President Daniel A. Lopez '97 said the organization will send a handful of members to the conference to help.

"Kung told us if we would help out we could go," Lopez said. "We can supply him with as much help as he needs."

Kung said he has been planning the symposium for more than a year.

"It was very clear when we started planning the conference that the Internet would have a profound impact on society," Kung said. "As a major university, Harvard seemed like the perfect place for a discussion on it."

The conference represents the first time such a conference will be held by a university, he said.

"We have the leading authorities in every track," Kung said, citing the tremendous effort the Harvard community has placed into getting the keynote speakers.

Gates is expected to speak May 28 about the future of the Internet.

Other events will include a debate on Internet regulation moderated by Weld Professor of Law Charles R. Nesson.

"We will be airing both sides of the debate on regulation as well as discussing the capacity of governments to regulate," he said.

Nesson added that the Communications Decency Act will be in the thick of the appeals process at the time of the conference, boosting the relevancy of the discussion.

He said he hopes to convince the CEO of Compuserve and Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) to participate.