New book explores the origins and foundations of computer science

A new book, recently presented at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley and at the Science Museum, London, explores the origins and foundations of computer science from the early days of computers in the 1930s to the cutting-edge research of the present day.

Co-authored by Dr Gyuri Pápay of the IT Innovations Centre and Professor Tony Hey, former Head of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at the University of Southampton, ‘The Computing Universe: A Journey Through a Revolution’ aims to stimulate interest in the wide range of career opportunities in computer science as well as giving an understandable and accessible account of how computers work.

Within the book, Pápay and Hey explain ideas behind developments from hardware, software and algorithms through to artificial intelligence machine learning and quantum computing. They also introduce scientists and engineers in this field such as Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, Professor Sir Tim Berners Lee and Bill Gates.

Bill Gates himself has acclaimed The Computing Universe, saying: “Tony Hey has made significant contributions to both physics and computer science and with The Computing Universe he and his co-author share the knowledge and history that have inspired us all.”

Dr Gyuri Pápay is a senior research fellow at ECS research group, the IT Innovations Centre. Until last year Professor Tony Hey was Microsoft Research's vice president and he has held positions at the University of Southampton including Head of ECS and Dean of Engineering.

The Computing Universe is published by Cambridge University Press.