TheLovelace Medal was established byBCS, The Chartered Institute for IT in 1998, and is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the understanding or advancement of computing.[1] It is the top award in computing in the UK.[2] Awardees deliver the Lovelace Lecture.[3]
The award is named after CountessAda Lovelace, an English mathematician, scientist, and writer. Lovelace was the daughter ofLord Byron. She worked with computer pioneerCharles Babbage on the proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, theAnalytical Engine,[1] in 1842 and is often described as the world's firstcomputer programmer.[4]
The medal is intended to be presented to individuals, without regard to their countries of domicile, provided a direct connection to the UK. It is generally anticipated that there will be one medalist for research and one for education each year, but the regulation does not preclude either several medalists or no medalist.[1]
2023Demis Hassabis[7] – for research in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to artificial intelligence and to the UK technology industry.
2023Jane Hillston[7] – for research in recognition of her work developing new approaches to modelling both artificial and natural systems by combining elements of formal languages with mathematical modelling.
United Kingdom