Professor Wendy Hall appointed President of the British Computer Society
Professor Wendy Hall, Head of the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton will be appointed President of the British Computer Society (BCS) on Thursday 23 October. Professor Hall, whose presidency runs for a year, is only the second woman to hold this honour in the Society's 46-year history; the first being Dame Stephanie Shirley in 1989-90.
"This is a great honour for me," comments Professor Hall. "I have been involved with the BCS for some time now and I look forward to using my expertise and contacts to get academia and the IT industry to work closer together."
The BCS is the leading professional and learned Society in the field of computers and information systems. It is currently involved in an initiative to improve quality control and professionalism in IT. Professor Hall hopes to assist with this drive and is planning a series of events to increase awareness of the Society among members of the public and Government departments. She also hopes to encourage more professionally trained individuals to join and to become involved in public debates on some of the major advances in the world of IT.
Professor Hall would also like to see more women joining the Society and hopes that in her capacity as President, she may be able to influence this sector.
The importance of a prominent female computing academic becoming BCS President was emphasised by the Society's Chief Executive David Clarke, "The BCS is broadening its membership appeal during the coming year and it is vital that women IT professionals, in particular, are encouraged to swell our membership. For too long our industry has failed to address the shortage of women within the IT sector. Wendy Hall will address both of these issues during her presidency."
Notes for editors
- Wendy Hall is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton and Head of the School of Electronics and Computer Science. Her research interests include web technologies, hypermedia, and knowledge management. She is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and President-elect of the British Computer Society. She is a director of University spin-out company Active Navigation Ltd.
- The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and research institution with a global reputation for leading-edge research and scholarship. The University, which celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2002, has 20,000 students and over 4,500 staff and plays an important role in the City of Southampton. Its annual turnover is in the region of £235 million.