Wendy Hall selected for Longitude Prize steering committee

The prize has a £10m fund to be awarded for solutions to one of the most important problems of our time.

The public will choose the issue they would most like to be solved from a choice of 6:

1) How can we ensure everyone can have access to safe and clean water?
2) How can we ensure everyone has nutritious, sustainable food?
3) How can we restore movement to those with paralysis?
4) How can we prevent the rise of resistance to antibiotics?
5) How can we fly without damaging the environment?
6) How can we help people with dementia live independently for longer?
Vote here

The original Board of Longitude was a committee set up in the 18th century to judge ideas for measuring longitude to enable navigation. The new committee for the 2014 Longitude Prize will judge ideas for solutions for the problem chosen by the public. The committee is chaired by Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal. Other members include Dr Philip Campbell, Editor in Chief of Nature, Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board, Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer and Sir Mark Walport, the Chief Scientific Advisor.

Seme4 and Ethos Smart announce collaboration to provide Linked Data platforms for Smart Cities

A “Smart City” uses technology to enhance its physical infrastructure, with the aim of improving services, increasing revenues and making efficiency savings.

Seme4 will provide the semantic web and linked data expertise while Ethos Smart will provide the systems integration & service provision.

Tim Organ, Chief Executive Officer of Seme4, said:
“We welcome the opportunity to work with Ethos Smart in developing solutions to meet the vision of Smart City initiatives in the UK.” Adrian Ulisse, Managing Director of Ethos Smart, said: “I am excited about partnering with Seme4, which will support our strategy of creating, aggregating and publishing new data sets using globally scalable city digital platforms that are purposed to make real differences to citizens’ lives.”

Wendy Hall and Nigel Shadbolt awarded RISE fellowships

The RISE (Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) campaign was set up by the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering to mark the 20th anniversary of the EPSRC.

It was launched by the UK Science Minister David Willetts. He said: “It’s important to celebrate and champion our leading scientists and engineers who are vital to both society and our economy. Their research has a real impact across a range of sectors, from manufacturing to financial services.”

The CEO of the EPSRC, Professor David Delpy, was chair of the appointing panel. He said: “One of the best aspects of my job at EPSRC has been the chance to meet and speak directly to some of the most exciting, innovative and enthusiastic scientists and engineers in the UK. This campaign gives us the chance to recognise these outstanding individuals, but also to let others get to know them and the great research that they are doing.”

Wendy Hall wins Everywoman lifetime achievement award

Professor Dame Wendy Hall was presented with a special lifetime achievement award for being one of the most influential woman in I.T. in the U.K. and for her championing of women in I.T.

In her acceptance speech she said: “Computing is too important to leave it to men. The lack of women is as much a man’s issue as it is a woman’s, because there is an unconscious bias everywhere. Men have to make a sacrifice: When you’re asked to speak on a panel and you see it is an all-male panel, question where the women are and sacrifice your place for a female speaker instead.”

Everywoman is a global organisation that champions the advancement of women. It provides networking opportunities, training programmes and advice to women in both business and public sector organisations.

Nigel Shadbolt and Wendy Hall named in Science Council’s list of 100 leading UK practising scientists

The list was compiled by the U.K. Science Council, an umbrella organisation of scientific societies and professional bodies, including the British Computer Society, the Institute of Science and Technology, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Astronomical Society.

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt was recognised for his research on Open Data, Artificial Intelligence and Web Science and also for his previous role as President of the British Computer Society.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall was recognised for her research in Multimedia and the Semantic Web and also for her previous role as President of the British Computer Society and her membership of the U.K. Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology.

National photonics web portal launched

Seme4 has built a web portal which maps the activity of the photonics sector in the U.K.

Photonics technology (the transmission, detection, amplification, etc. of light) has a wide range of applications, including manufacturing processes, telecommunications, healthcare, defence, data storage and renewable energy.

The portal will provide data resources and contacts for collaboration from both the industrial and academic communities.

The site uses semantic web technologies and is hosted by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Photonics at the University of Southampton.

Seme4 partners named in list of top 50 most influential people in U.K. I.T.

The list for Computer Weekly magazine was decided by both an expert judging panel and a reader vote.

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt was placed at number 11 and is named in the list because of his role as chairman and co-founder of the Open Data Institute (ODI), his role as advisor to the U.K. government on public access to government information and his being a member of the Public Sector Transparency Board.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall was placed at number 25 and is named in the list for her academic reputation and for being a founding co-director of the Web Science Trust.

Wendy Hall appointed to Royal Society Council

Professor Dame Wendy Hall took up office on the Council along with 21 other Fellows on the 30th of November.

The Council is elected by the Royal Society Fellowship on an annual basis. It manages the Society’s business, makes Standing Orders which regulate the Society’s affairs and and acts as trustee of the Society under charity legislation. Council members serve on a voluntary basis.

Other members include Professor Anthony Cheetham, Sir John Beddington, Professor Geoffrey Boulton, Professor Roger Owen and Dame Nancy Rothwell.