Jane Hillston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Hillston
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Prof Jane Hillston in 2021.
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| Born | 1963 (age 61–62) |
| Alma mater | University of York Lehigh University University of Edinburgh |
| Known for | PEPA |
| Awards | Roger Needham Award (2004), Suffrage Science Award (2018) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Edinburgh |
| Thesis | A Compositional Approach to Performance Modelling (1994) |
| Doctoral advisor | Robert J. Pooley Julian Bradfield |
Jane Elizabeth Hillston, born in 1963, is a British computer scientist. She is a professor at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She teaches about "quantitative modelling," which means using math and computers to understand how things work. She also used to lead the School of Informatics there.
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Her Early Life and Education
Jane Hillston studied Mathematics at the University of York in the UK. She earned her first degree in 1985. Later, she got a master's degree in Mathematics from Lehigh University in the United States in 1987.
She then earned her PhD in Computer Science from the University of Edinburgh in 1994. Her PhD paper was so good that it won a special award in 1995. It was also published as a book.
Her Work in Computer Science
After finishing her PhD, Professor Hillston continued her career at the University of Edinburgh. She started as a research fellow in 1994. Over the years, she became a lecturer, then a reader, and finally a full professor in 2006. She is a key member of the Laboratory for Foundations of Computer Science at Edinburgh.
Leading the School of Informatics
In 2018, Professor Hillston became the Head of the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. This is a very important leadership role. She held this position until 2023.
What is PEPA?
Professor Hillston is famous for her work on something called stochastic process algebras. This is a way to model systems that involve randomness. She created a special type of process algebra called PEPA.
PEPA helps computer scientists understand how complex systems behave. It's like building a mathematical model of a computer network or a biological process. She also helped create Bio-PEPA. This version of PEPA is used to study how tiny parts of living things, like cells, interact.
Working with Science Journals
Since 2023, Professor Hillston has been the Editor-in-Chief of Proceedings of the Royal Society A. This is a very old and respected science journal. She is the first woman to hold this top editor role in the journal's history. She also helps edit other important computer science journals.
Awards and Recognitions
Professor Hillston has received many important awards for her work.
Major Awards
In 2004, she received the first Roger Needham Award. This award is given to a top computer researcher in the UK. In 2018, she also received the Suffrage Science award for Computer Science. This award celebrates women in science. In 2021, she was given the RSE Lord Kelvin Medal.
Joining Important Societies
Professor Hillston has been elected to several important groups of scientists.
- In 2007, she became a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- In 2018, she joined the Academia Europaea.
- In 2022, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
Supporting Women in Science
Professor Hillston also helped the University of Edinburgh School of Informatics get an Athena SWAN Award. This award shows that the department is a good and supportive place for female students.
Royal Recognition
In 2023, Professor Hillston was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This special honor was given to her for her great contributions to computer science and for helping women in science.
