Samson Abramsky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samson Abramsky
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Abramsky in May 2005
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| Born | 12 March 1953 |
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| Thesis | Domain Theory and the Logic of Observable Properties (1987) |
| Doctoral advisor | Richard Bornat |
Samson Abramsky (born 12 March 1953) is a British computer scientist. He is a Professor of Computer Science at University College London. Before this, he was a special professor at Wolfson College, Oxford, from 2000 to 2021.
Professor Abramsky studies how computers work at a very deep level. He looks at the basic rules and ideas behind computer programs. His work helps us understand how computers process information. He has explored many areas, including how games can explain computer processes and how quantum physics relates to computing.
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What is Samson Abramsky's Education?
Samson Abramsky went to Hasmonean Grammar School for Boys in Hendon. He then studied at King's College, Cambridge. There, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1975. He also got a Master of Arts (MA) in Philosophy in 1979. Later, he received a Diploma in Computer Science.
He continued his studies at Queen Mary, University of London. In 1988, he earned his PhD in Computer Science. A PhD is the highest university degree you can get. His research supervisor was Richard Bornat.
What Has Samson Abramsky Done in His Career?
Since 2021, Professor Abramsky has been a Professor of Computer Science at University College London. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2004. This is a very important group for scientists in the UK.
His research focuses on several key areas. He helped create something called "game semantics." This is a way to understand how computer programs work by thinking of them like games. He also works on "categorical quantum mechanics." This field uses advanced math to understand how quantum computers might work.
Where Has Samson Abramsky Worked?
Professor Abramsky has worked at many important places.
- From 1976 to 1978, he was a programmer at GEC Computers Limited.
- He was a lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, from 1980 to 1983.
- He worked at Imperial College London for many years. He was a lecturer, then a reader, and finally a professor from 1983 to 1995.
- From 1996 to 2000, he was a Professor of Theoretical Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh.
- He was the Christopher Strachey Professor of Computing at the University of Oxford from 2000 to 2021.
What Are Samson Abramsky's Main Research Areas?
Professor Abramsky has made big contributions to computer science.
- Game Semantics: He played a leading role in developing game semantics. This idea uses games to explain how computer programs behave. It helps us understand how different parts of a program interact.
- Quantum Computing: He has also worked on high-level methods for quantum computation. Quantum computing is a new type of computing that uses the rules of quantum physics. It could solve problems that even the fastest regular computers can't.
- Other Contributions: His work also includes "domain theory," which is about the mathematical foundations of computer programs. He also studied the "lazy lambda calculus" and "concurrency theory," which deals with how multiple tasks can run at the same time in a computer.
What Awards and Honors Has Samson Abramsky Received?
Samson Abramsky has received many important awards and honors for his work.
- He is a Fellow of the Royal Society (since 2004).
- He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (since 2000).
- He is a member of Academia Europaea (since 1993). This is a group of top European scientists.
Key Awards and Recognitions
- In 2024, he received the EATCS Award. This award is given for major contributions to theoretical computer science over a whole career.
- He was chosen as a Fellow of the ACM in 2014. This was for his work on game semantics and quantum mechanics.
- He was given the BCS Lovelace Medal in 2013. This medal recognizes outstanding achievements in computing.
- Three of his research papers won the LiCS Test-of-Time award. This award celebrates papers that have had a lasting impact 20 years after they were published.
- His paper "Domain theory in Logical Form" (1987) won in 2007.
- His paper "A Fully Abstract Game Semantics for General References" (1998) won in 2018.
- His paper "A categorical semantics of quantum protocols" (2004) won in 2024.
- In 2007, he received a special research fellowship from EPSRC. This was for his work on the basic structures of quantum information.
