Olympic Torch Relay and Alan Turing Alan Turing -­‐ The Founding Father o f Computer Science Professor Qiang Shen, Head of the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, carried the Olympic Torch through the outskirts of Aberystwyth on Sunday 27th May, cheered on by colleagues, students and members of the public. Professor Shen dedicated his leg of the Olympic Torch relay to the memory of the father of modern computing, Alan Turing. Colleagues cheering on Professor Shen Professor Shen said after his run that "2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alan Turing, the founder of computer science and artificial intelligence and a figurehead for the code breaking efforts of WWII. It was a great honour to be selected to carry the Olympic Torch and to dedicate my participation in his memory. Turing created one of the first designs for a stored-­‐program computer and laid the foundations for the field of Artificial Intelligence. These achievements led to the computerised era we live in today, and prepared the way for the research we are working on here at Aberystwyth University. Above all, his work is an inspiration to future generations of scientists and engineers. It was also a pleasure to have this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of colleagues and students at the Department and the University, with the local community”. Professor Shen passed the Olympic flame to pensioner William Williams, who is a very active supporter of various local and national charities, despite being a sufferer of the no-­‐known-­‐cause, no-­‐known-­‐cure, chronic progressive disease Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). His illness has motivated him to help fellow-­‐sufferers and other charities. Coincidentally, Mr Williams used to work for GCHQ where Alan Turing created the code-­‐breaking history. Professor Shen and Mr W illiams jointly raised their Olympic torches in the name of Alan Turing Professor Shen with pupils at Gwynfryn County Primary School Since his participation in the torch relay, Professor Shen has visited a number of schools with the aim of celebrating the Olympics and the life of Alan Turing, and also to inspire future generations to become leaders in science and engineering.