Press Release: De Montfort University professor voted world leader in computer ethics.

De Montfort University's (DMU) Professor Simon Rogerson has been named one of the world's top five computer ethics experts at the World Technology Awards 2003.

Professor Rogerson is Director of the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility at DMU Leicester, which is internationally recognised for its applied research and education into the ethical and social issues related to information and communication technologies.

The awards in San Francisco last week gave honours to those doing work most likely to have long-term significance in 20 different categories including Software, Biotechnology, Health and Medicine and the Environment.

Professor Rogerson was selected as one of five finalists in the Ethics category and this accolade means he is automatically made a Fellow of the World Technology Network (WTN).

The WTN calls itself a cross between a global meeting ground, a virtual think-tank and an elite club whose members focus on the business or science of bringing emerging technologies to reality. Membership comprises over 700 organisations and individuals who have been judged by their peers to be the most innovative in the technology world. Nominees for the 2003 World Technology Awards were identified by current WTN members (primarily winners and finalists of previous awards) from Dartmouth College US, De Montfort University UK, Harvard University US, Imperial College UK and Princeton University US.

"I am delighted to have been selected by my peers as a Finalist for the 2003 World Technology Awards in the Ethics category," said Professor Rogerson.

"We want to ensure that people are provided with the knowledge, skills, instruments and guidance to consider technological development from an ethical and social standpoint. The Ethics Award is an excellent way of endorsing this strategy and recognising technology is a social construct," he added.

James P. Clark, founder and Chairman of the WTN, added: "The World Technology Awards program was created to recognize truly extraordinary innovation on a global scale, the sort of work that could be described as creating our collective future and changing our world. Simon's contribution in the field of Ethics has been outstanding, and his selection as a new WTN Fellow is public acknowledgement of that fact."

Musa Mihsein, Dean of the Computing Sciences and Engineering Faculty at DMU, said: "I am both delighted and proud at the recognition Professor Rogerson has received from his peers, which he richly deserves for his hard work in the field."

ENDS

Notes for Editors. For further information please contact DMU Press and Public Relations Office on 0116 257 7021.

Professor Rogerson has published over 230 papers and books and presented papers at conferences throughout the world. He played a major role advising the UK government on electronic voting and conceived and co-directs the ETHICOMP conference series on the ethical impacts of ICT. He was also responsible for creating the world's leading World Wide Web portal on computer ethics which attracts over two million annual hits. He is also a member of the Parliamentary IT Committee, Vice President and a Fellow of the Institute for the Management of Information Systems, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce; and a founding board member of the International Society for Ethics and Information Technology.