[FOM] ATY/TCAC March 2013 update [from Barry Cooper]

[S Barry Cooper]

We are still waiting for the new Alan Turing Legacy website, but in the
meantime, here is a brief catch-up on all the things been happening in the
early months of 2013.

(1) First thing to mention is the "Great British Innovation" Vote,
supported by the Royal Society, the Science Museum, etc, which has Alan
Turing's Universal Machine, supported by Stephen Fry:
http://www.topbritishinnovations.org/PastInnovations/UniversalMachine.aspx

in the top 3:
http://www.topbritishinnovations.org/About.aspx

Of course, it will be a miracle if an abstract idea which underlies the
computer revolution and today's digital age, gets the popular vote -
though it gets support from the Science Museum:
http://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/insight/category/alan-turing/

the Royal Society:
http://royalsociety.org/exhibitions/century-british-innovation/universal-machine/

Still a day or 2 to vote.

(2) Talking of the Science Museum, some of the beautiful Turing centenary
exhibitions are still going, though soon to close. The exhibition "Alan
Turing - Legacy for Computing and Humanity" actually ends today:
http://www.ufrgs.br/alanturingbrasil2012/eng/expo.html

Though they will have a permanent exhibit of their Enigma machine
purchased specially for the centenary:
http://www.ufrgs.br/alanturingbrasil2012/eng/area2.html#1

and accompanied by a small exhibition based on the King's College
Cambridge archive, and funded by IOS Press in the Netherlands.

Still time to visit the acclaimed Science Museum exhibition "Codebreaker ­
Alan Turing's life and legacy":
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/galleries/turing.aspx

It runs until June 30, 2013.

Must also mention the exciting art exhibition "inspired by Alan Turing in
Jerusalem:
http://www.mada.org.il/en/exhibitions/other-lives?from=ref-inpage

Entitled "Other Lives", it runs until April 4, 2013 at the Bloomfield
Museum.

(3) Of course, the big UK petitions in support of Turing have now closed.
The petition for a pardon broke all records, getting 37,401 signatures:
http://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/23526

more than the 32,286 got by the famous 'Turing apology' petition started
by John Graham-Cumming. Of course, John did a lot of the early work
bringing Turing into better public recognition.

The "Put Alan Turing on the next 10 pound note" petition closed with a
remarkable 27,089 signatures just yesterday:
http://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31659

We are left still with no memorial to Alan Turing's huge contribution to
science and the UK at national level.

But the legacy is still with us, and while Bletchley Park and Turing
continue to get support from all round the world - from Google
particularly, and from wonderful people in so many countries - there is
lots to encourage us in the ongoing efforts to spread the word.

(5) In London, a particularly exciting event is the opening of the new
musical "The Universal Machine" about the life and death of Alan Turing:
http://newdiorama.com/whats-on/the-universal-machine

Of just 24 performances at the New Diorama Theatre, starting on April 16,
five are already sold out. We noticed critic and author Bonnie Greer
favourited a publicising item about the musical on Twitter.

(6) Also, must mention the ongoing performances of the fabulous film
"CODEBREAKER", with screening planned for Sao Paulo in Brazil, and 9 US
cities on April 9th - see:
http://www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/turing2012/Images/codebreaker_brasil.jpg
http://tickets.todpix.com/codebreaker/

(7) By the way, more from Brazil - the wonderful people at the Federal
University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil are
organising an "Alan Turing Road Race" (tomorrow) to conclude their
excellent "Brazillian Turing Year":
http://www.ufrgs.br/ufrgs/noticias/ufrgs-promove-corrida-alan-turing

And should thank the UK embassy in Brazil for all their support - even if
Turing has disappeared off their frontpage, they still are due many thanks
for all their efforts for the science and international friendship:
http://ukinbrazil.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-with-brazil/ukbrasil-season1/

(8) A nice way to finish is by reminding everyone of the unique Captain
Jerry Roberts collecting his MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace in
February:
http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/news/docview.rhtm/686548/article.html
http://www.tnmoc.org/news/notes-museum/congratulations-capt-jerry-roberts-mbe

It is great to see Jerry and the Bletchley Park contribution being
honoured, even at this late date.

And more to tell, to save for another update. The LGBT History Month went
by with great events all over the UK, and there was much interest in the
news that the movie "The Imitation Game" was actually taking shape, with
no less a "Turing" than Benedict Cumberbatch lined up:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/feb/04/benedict-cumberbatch-alan-turing
http://bit.ly/Y4kBDw
http://bit.ly/105AozK
http://bit.ly/XYFxYn

Also to come, news from Italy, Hong Kong, the Bletchley Park renovations,
from Madurai and Chennai in India, lots on publications, and already some
as-yet unplicisable news about a special Alan Turing inspired choral event
at London's Barbican Hall in 2014.

All for now, we too must run. (Excuse typos and omissions.)


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  ALAN TURING YEAR                           http://www.turingcentenary.eu
  Email:                                               pmt6sbc at leeds.ac.uk
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