Ursula Martin facts for kids

Dame Ursula Hilda Mary Martin (born 3 August 1953) is a British computer scientist. She studies how computers work and how to make them smarter. She is also well-known for helping and encouraging girls and women to get involved in computer science and mathematics. Since 2019, she has been a professor at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh.

Before that, from 2014 to 2018, Dame Ursula was a professor of computer science at the University of Oxford. She also held a special research grant called an EPSRC Established Career Fellowship. Earlier, she was a professor at Queen Mary, University of London. There, she was also in charge of science and engineering from 2005 to 2009.

Early Life and Education

Ursula Martin was born in London on 3 August 1953. Her parents were Anne Louise and Captain Geoffrey Richard Martin. She went to school at Abbey College, Malvern.

She studied mathematics at university. In 1975, she earned her first degree (an MA) from Girton College, Cambridge. Later, in 1979, she completed her PhD degree from the University of Warwick.

Career and Research Focus

Dame Ursula Martin started her career studying a part of mathematics called group theory. Later, she moved into computer science, focusing on how computers process information using "string rewriting systems." These systems are like rules that tell a computer how to change one set of symbols into another.

She has worked at many universities. These include the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Manchester, and Royal Holloway, University of London. She also spent time visiting famous research places like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and SRI International in Menlo Park, California. In 2004, she was a visiting expert at the Oxford Internet Institute.

Working at St Andrews University

From 1992 to 2002, Dame Ursula was a Professor of Computer Science at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. This was a big achievement because she was only the second female professor at the university since it started in 1411. The first was Margaret Fairlie, a professor of medicine, in 1940.

Helping Women in Computing

From 2003 to 2005, Dame Ursula worked part-time at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. She led a special project called Women@CL. This project aimed to help and encourage more women to join and succeed in the field of women in computing. Major companies like Microsoft Research and Intel Cambridge Research supported her work. During this time, she was also a Fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge.

Mathematics and Computers

From 2014 to 2023, Dame Ursula was the main researcher for a project called The Social Machine of Mathematics. This project looked at how mathematics is a huge team effort between people and computers. She also helped organize special programs called Big Proof in 2017 and 2019. These programs brought together experts to discuss how computers can help with mathematical proofs.

Dame Ursula has also helped guide important academic journals. She was an editor for the Annals of Pure and Applied Logic and Formal Aspects of Computing.

Publications

Dame Ursula has written several important works. One of her books is:

• with Christopher Hollings and Adrian Rice, Ada Lovelace: The Making of a Computer Scientist, published by The Bodleian Library, 2018. This book is about Ada Lovelace, who is considered one of the first computer programmers.

Honours and Awards

Dame Ursula Martin has received many important awards for her work:

• In 2012, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was for her great contributions to computer science.
• In 2017, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) and the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). These are very respected groups for scientists and engineers.
• In 2025, she was given an even higher honour. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) by the King. This award was also for her services to computer science.