Past BCS President Professor Dame Wendy Hall has been made a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Dame Professor Hall, one of five women to be made a Fellow, is distinguished for her contributions to understanding the interactions of humans with large-scale multimedia information systems.

Her most recent work focuses on the development of a new field of web science; understanding and exploring the various influences, science, commerce and public politics, which drive the evolution of the internet. Her research is aimed at both understanding the evolution of the web and engineering its future.

Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society, said: 'Our new Fellows are at the cutting edge of science worldwide. Their achievements represent the vast contribution science makes to society. They join an outstanding group of over 1,400 Fellows and foreign members of the Royal Society, and all rank among the international leaders in their field."

Dame Professor Hall is particularly prominent as a strong and vocal advocate for women's opportunities in SET and for the need to ensure that girls are included in science and engineering careers.

Forty-four scientists have been recognised for their exceptional contributions to society, with their election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. As Fellows of the UK's national academy of science, these leaders in the fields of science, engineering and medicine join the likes of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking.