Dame Wendy Hall wins the Sir Frank Whittle Medal
Professor Dame Wendy Hall DBE FREng FRS, Regius Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Web Science Institute at the University, has received one of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s most prestigious individual awards, presented last night in London.
The Sir Frank Whittle Medal, named after Britain’s wartime jet engine inventor, recognises Dame Wendy’s extraordinary achievements during a career spanning five decades in leading the development of web science and shaping the UK’s AI strategy.
One of Britain’s most senior computer scientists, Dame Wendy becomes only the third woman in 25 years to win the Whittle Medal since it was first presented in 2001.
Dame Wendy’s work has shaped the development of digital libraries and the evolution of the internet – and she and her research group were investigating multimedia and hypermedia challenges years before the World Wide Web existed.
Recognised as a leading figure in shaping the future of technology, she co-chaired the UK Government’s AI Review in 2017, a pivotal report that informed the UK’s national AI strategy. She became a member of the AI Council and was appointed the UK’s AI Skills Champion in 2018. In 2023, she was appointed to the United Nations High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, and continues to advise governments and organisations worldwide. In a new book AI Explained: A Guide for Non-Technical Readers , to be published in September 2026, she explains how artificial intelligence actually works, from first principles to the generative model in a way that non-technical readers can understand.
Beyond her research and advisory roles, Dame Wendy has been a vocal champion of women in engineering and a role model for future generations of computer scientists and engineers, including as Senior Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2005 to 2008. Her career exemplifies leadership, vision and a dedication to the responsible development and governance of emerging technologies.
Dame Wendy has just been announced as President of the British Science Association for 2026-27 and will deliver her Presidential Address – a conversation with BBC Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman about the future of AI – at this year’s British Science Festival , to be hosted by our University.
She also features in a new series of photographs of 50 of the UK’s leading engineers , specially commissioned by the Academy to mark its 50 th anniversary this year. An exhibition of these unique images of people whose innovation has helped to tackle some of humanity’s greatest challenges is currently touring the UK.
Nominating Dame Wendy for the award, Professor Sir Bashir M Al-Hashimi CBE FREng FRS, Senior Vice President (Research & Special Initiatives) at King’s College London, said:
“Wendy Hall is both a pioneering computer scientist and a national treasure. In an increasingly digital age, her vision and sustained contributions underpin many of the technologies we now take for granted. From shaping the Web to guiding AI policy, her influence continues to grow and her counsel is more vital than ever. Her legacy is a testament to the profound and lasting impact one individual can have on a global discipline.”
Dame Wendy commented:
“I am thrilled to have been awarded the Sir Frank Whittle Medal this year. Looking back at the roll call of previous winners I am hugely flattered to be in such esteemed company. When I was elected a Fellow of the Academy in 2000, there were very few computer scientists in Fellowship. Nearly 30 years later, computers have come to dominate every aspect of our lives and computer science has been embraced by the Academy. Today, as we look forward, we can see how AI is increasingly going to dominate our world and I am passionate about ensuring that safety, environmental and societal issues are at the heart of the way AI products and services are designed and developed. Being a Fellow of the Academy has always given me the confidence to speak out about such issues and to call for more diversity across all our engineering professions.”