The IST is delighted to welcome our newest Fellow – Margaret Ross MBE, who is emeritus professor of software quality and research fellow at Solent University. Margaret received an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2009 from Prince Charles for Services to Higher Education.
EurIng Professor Margaret Ross MBE, MSc, BSc, FHEA, FBCS, CITP, CSci, CEng, HonFBCS. FIScT
Margaret was awarded an honorary doctorate from Staffordshire University in 2004, became a Freeman of the City of London and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Engineers in 2001. Already an FBCS, she was awarded an Honorary FBCS in 2007 – of the 104 awarded since 1969, she is one of the seven women to have received this. Margaret was also awarded the BCS John Ivison Medal in 2011 and was identified by Computer Weekly in 2016 as one of the top “ 50 Most Influential Women in UK IT 2016”.
In 2001, she won the national PAWS Special Award for a TV soap idea that if televised could raise the profile of engineering and attract youngsters, particularly girls, to computing and technology. She is currently working with colleagues in Finland, trying to develop an internet/radio based series, through drama, to raise awareness of IT, particularly for SMEs. Its aim is also to address the shortage of computer professionals by encouraging girls and women to consider careers in IT.
Margaret’s area of interest is quality, education and gender issues within a computing context. She has also been conference director since 1992 of the annual series of software quality management international conferences, aimed at benefits to industry, and since 1995 of the annual series of international educational INSPIRE conferences. She has edited over fifty books, and is on the editorial board for two journals. She was previously the assistant editor responsible for Europe for the refereed Software Quality Journal, and has published about two hundred papers, many jointly with colleagues from outside the UK. Margaret has been Keynote to various conferences and invited international visitor, including to Scandinavia, Spain, Austria and Australia.
Margaret has been the external examiner for BSc and MSc courses and for over 30 PhDs, She has supervised many successful PhD students on various aspects of quality, and currently lectures part-time.
Research interests
Margaret’s research interests include quality within a computing context, quality associated with web-based and distance learning education:
- Quality within a computing context.
- Quality associated with web-based and distance learning education.
- Promoting access to IT for all.
- Encouraging youngsters, particularly girls, into computing and technology.
More information about Margaret’s background and interests.
We are delighted that Margaret has joined our list of Fellows and we are really forward to working with her in the future.