Established in 1998, the BCS Lovelace Medal recognises people who have made exceptional contributions to either the understanding and advancement of computing, or to computing education. Winners are presented with a Lovelace Medal award, and their contribution and achievements are celebrated at a special event.

Previous winners include Marta Kwiatkowska, Steve Furber, Andrew Blake, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, and Karen Spärck Jones.

Who's eligible to receive the medal?

The Lovelace Medal celebrates people from academia, industry or education who have had major, notable impact in their field. They will have furthered knowledge or public understanding or driven transformational change in their discipline, made significant breakthroughs or advanced the efficacy or availability of computing education.

2023 BCS Lovelace Medal Winners

Three winners were selected to receive the BCS Lovelace Medal in November 2023. Demis Hassabis and Jane Hillston received the BCS Lovelace Medal for research and Tom Crick received the BCS Lovelace Medal for Education.

Demis Hassabis

Demis Hassabis is co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, one of the world’s leading AI research groups. He received the Lovelace Medal for research in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to artificial intelligence and to the UK technology industry.

Jane Hillston

Jane Hillston is Professor of Quantitative Modelling and former Head of the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh. She was awarded the Lovelace Medal 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.

Tom Crick

Tom Crick is Professor of Digital Education & Policy and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Swansea University, based between the School of Social Sciences and the £32m Computational Foundry. He received the Lovelace Medal for Education due to his contributions to computer science education across research, policy and practice. He is recognised internationally for leading the major STEM education and skills reforms in Wales over a sustained period, alongside wider leadership in UK digital, engineering and technology policy to support a thriving digital and data-driven economy.

Find out more about the selection criteria

Eligible candidates

Nominations are accepted from anyone, anywhere in the world but it is expected that nominees are academic, industry or education professionals who have a direct connection with the UK. Nominators and nominees do not need to be BCS members.

Nominees will have had major, notable impact in their field, and be widely recognised for their excellence as well as their wider contribution to the computing community.

They will have furthered knowledge or public understanding, or driven a transformational change in their discipline. They may have made a breakthrough, opened a new area of research, or advanced the efficacy or availability of computing education, including through public policy.

There are no career stage restrictions or expectations with this prize, the emphasis is on impact.

Selection criteria

Selection of the Lovelace Medal winners is made by a Lovelace Medal Selection Panel appointed each year by the BCS Academy of Computing Board.

The Selection Panel will base their evaluations on the overall quality of relevant contributions and achievements by nominees, in relation to the selection criteria outlined below.

Research:

  • originality, significance and impact of research, innovation.
  • quality of publications and/or patents and/or software.
  • collaborations and teamwork, supporting the development of colleagues and encouraging wider collaboration.
  • consideration of ethical and societal implications within their research and its direction.
  • professional standing.

Education:

  • quality of contributions to and impact on availability and quality of educational provision.
  • raising the profile and reach of computing in the curriculum, within and across departments and disciplines.
  • scale and quality of computing talent that has been inspired, nurtured and developed through their efforts.
  • championing and advancing inclusion and diversity in computing education.
  • supporting the development of colleagues and encouraging wider collaboration.
Information to be provided

Nominations should be written for a general computing audience and submitted online.

Entries need to include the following:

  • full name and contact details for both nominator and nominee
  • a short citation to briefly describe what the nominee should be awarded for
  • Concise information on the nominee’s contributions, impact and exceptionality
  • Link to a biography or LinkedIn profile of the nominee
  • Name and email address of someone who will endorse your nomination.

Endorsers will be asked to confirm their endorsement and provide a short statement of support.

All nominators and endorsers are asked to confirm that to the best of their knowledge there is no impediment, relating to professional conduct, to their nominee receiving this prize.

Guide to nominating

Our guidance for nominators has advice on making a good quality nomination. Offline copies of the nomination form are available for download, to assist with preparing your nomination.

Prepare Lovelace Education nomination
Prepare Lovelace Research nomination

Thank you for helping us to highlight and appreciate extraordinary people and their exceptional contributions to computing.

Nominations for the 2024 Lovelace Medal are now open. They will close on Friday 14th June.​

Make a nomination

Nominate for Education

Make a nomination for The Lovelace Medal for Computing Education

Education nomination

Nominate for research

Make a nomination for The Lovelace Medal for Computing Research.

Research nomination

About Ada Lovelace

Augusta Ada King-Noel, Countess of Lovelace (1815-1852), was an extraordinary mathematician, scientist, and writer, whose legacy had a great impact on the world of computing. She is best known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine.

Ada Lovelace’s work really was ahead of her time. She’s often credited with writing the world's first computer program, as she developed an algorithm for the Analytical Engine that envisioned the potential of these machines to perform tasks beyond just calculation, even though the machine was never actually built during her lifetime. Her contributions to the field and her recognition of the potential for computers to go beyond basic calculations, have rightfully earned her a place in history as a revolutionary figure in computer science.

Nominations for the BCS Society Medal are also open...

The BCS Society Medal recognises outstanding individuals who are driving positive change in society with computing and tech. This award is all about impact, so there are no restrictions based on career stage - if their work has made a positive difference they can be nominated.