A giant artwork of Alan Turing has been installed at the heart of GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) as the wartime hero becomes the first LGBT person to feature on a UK banknote.
The first £50 notes depicting the famed mathematician, who is often considered to be the father of computer science, will be issued from today (Wednesday 23 June) - which is also Mr Turing's birthday.
To mark the occasion, a 10m by 10m rainbow-colored canvas inspired by the LGBT Pride flag has been unveiled at the centre of the GCHQ hub in Benhall, Gloucestershire – a building known as the Doughnut.
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Mr Turing played a pivotal role in breaking the Enigma code at Bletchley Park – GCHQ’s home during the Second World War.
The artwork, which lies flat facing the sky, was created by 3D artist Joe Hill in collaboration with GCHQ’s Pride network and features Mr Turing inside the wheels of the British Bombe – the machine he designed to crack the Enigma code.
The artwork also contains 15 hidden codes for viewers to decipher, and will later be donated to organisations chosen by GCHQ’s Pride Network.
“Alan Turing was a genius who helped to shorten the war and influence the technology that still shapes our lives today,” said GCHQ director Sir Jeremy Fleming.
“He was embraced for his brilliance but persecuted for being gay.
“Turing’s legacy reminds us every day that diversity is essential and inclusion is mission critical to our organisation.
“Turing was and remains a beacon of hope for all who dare to live and think differently.”
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Born on 23 June 1912, Mr Turing studied mathematics at King’s College, University of Cambridge, gaining a first-class honours degree in 1934. He was elected a Fellow of the College.
In 1936 his work On Computable Numbers is seen as giving birth to the idea of how computers could operate.
His “Turing test” also examined the behaviour necessary for a machine to be considered intelligent – the foundation for artificial intelligence.
After his efforts during the Second World War – which are credited with saving millions of lives – Mr Turing was later convicted of gross indecency for his relationship with a man.
On Christmas Eve 2013, Queen Elizabeth II pardoned the computing pioneer. Elected officials throughout the years have also apologised for Mr Turing's treatment during and after his conviction.
The British government had forced him to choose between chemical castration and imprisonment; he chose castration, which meant taking estrogen pills. The pills made him impotent and grow breasts, and also left him with depression.
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On 7 June 1954, aged 41, Mr Turing ate an apple before bed that had purportedly been injected with cyanide, and he died.
“Alan Turing is a role model for many here at GCHQ and a global icon as an LGBT+ person in the field of science and technology,” said Skylar, whose second name cannot be revealed for security reasons, the head of GCHQ’s Pride Network.
“Though we should never forget the tragedy of his life being cut short, we should always endeavour to learn from his legacy and create a safer and better future for LGBT+ people.
“I am proud to see GCHQ recognising the importance Alan Turing has for LGBT+ people, owning its shared history with our community and doing so in such a public and bold way.”
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Alan Turing's legacy continues to inspire and help people worldwide, including here in Northern Ireland.
In March of this year, one of the Smart Nano NI Consortium team members, Professor Damien Coyle of Ulster University’s Magee campus was awarded the prestigious Turing AI Acceleration Fellowship.
Named after Mr Turing, the fellowships give 15 of the UK’s top artificial intelligence researchers the resources to work with industry to bring their innovations to the real world.
Following the UK's decision to not participate in Erasmus post-Brexit - a scheme in which higher education students can travel abroad periodically to study - NI students have also been encouraged to take part in the UK's new replacement Turing scheme.
Again named after the mathematician, overseas exchanges and placements under the Turing scheme are due to begin in September 2021, and the UK government said it would target students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Sources: Press Association