Wolfgang von Kempelen Prize
The Wolfgang von Kempelen Prize for the History of Computer Science is named after the inventor and writer Wolfgang von Kempelen (1734–1804). Due to its numerous innovations such as the use of the magnetic principle for information transmission or mechanical speech generation, it is considered one of the most important forerunners of computer science .
The Austrian Society for the History of Computer Science , the Austrian Computer Society and the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology award the prize for the history of computer science in the categories of science and art. The Wolfgang von Kempelen Prize is endowed with a total of 10,000 euros and is awarded every two years as part of the MEDICHI workshop at the Alpen-Adria-Universität in Klagenfurt .
In both categories, works are awarded that deal creatively with the work of important computer scientists, a corresponding personality or a relevant concept and with the tension between computer science and society. The prize was launched in 2005 on the initiative of László Böszörményi , head of the Institute for Information Technology at the University of Klagenfurt.
Objective of the price
Young scientists and artists are encouraged to devote some of their time to the history of computer science. The prize is also intended to bring the culture-bearing and culture-creating role of computer science closer to a broader public.
Award winner 2005
- Science category 2005: “Work on Konrad Zuse and the history of the computer”, Raúl Rojas and his team,
- Art category 2005: " Kurt Gödel and Mathematical Logic", Werner DePauli-Schimanovich
- Science Award 2005: "Vision and Reality of Hypertext and Graphical User Interfaces", Matthias Müller-Prove
2007 award winner
- Science category 2007: “The past of the future”, Friedrich Genser
- Category Art 2007: “Weizenbaum. Rebel at Work. ", Documentary by Peter Haas and Silvia Holzinger with and about Joseph Weizenbaum ,