KCL professor wins award for contribution to global computing education

A King’s College London (KCL) professor has been recognised for his contribution to global computing education.

Professor Michael Kölling, from the department of informatics, was awarded the Lovelace Medal for computing education by the British Computing Society (BCS).

The award, named after mathematics and computing pioneer Ada Lovelace, aims to honour individuals in the field of computing who have made exceptional contributions to advancing the field in our modern society.

As a BCS Fellow since 2018 and the recipient of the National Teaching Fellowship from the UK’s Higher Education Academy, Professor Kölling has spent more than two decades developing one of the most influential educational programming systems, KCL reports.

He has also developed two key systems for Java programming education, including BlueJ, an integrated development environment for the Java programming language.

The second innovation includes Greenfoot, an educational software designed to make programming and learning the Java language easier.

Both systems have revolutionised computer science education by engaging secondary school and undergraduate students through creative and innovative project-based learning.

This has resulted in the tools making programming and learning to programme more accessible and enjoyable.

The textbooks and pedagogical innovations have also influenced teaching practices worldwide, continuing to inspire both the students he teaches and the educators who apply his methods.

Professor Kölling said it was “an incredible honour” to receive the medal.

He added: “It is my passion to improve computer science education around the world, and it is incredibly rewarding to see this recognised.”

The professor also credited his team members, Neil Brown and Pierre Weil-Tessier, who contributed extensively to the work.

Executive dean of the faculty of natural, mathematical and engineering sciences, Professor Rachel Bearon, congratulated Professor Kölling on his achievement.

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She said: “An enormous congratulations goes to Michael for such wonderful news. He now follows in the footsteps of an impressive list of giants in the computer science world.”

The group CEO of the BCS added: “Professor Kölling represents the very best of our profession, combining innovation, influence and inspiration. The Lovelace Medals celebrate individuals whose contributions have lasting impact far beyond academia, and this year’s recipients exemplify that ideal.”

Professor Kölling will receive his medal later this year alongside Professor Mirella Lapata from the University of Edinburgh, who is the recipient of the Lovelace Medal for computing research.

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Featured image via LinkedIn and Canva