Manchester Airport backs Turing bursary

MANCHESTER Airport, Manchester Pride and easyjet have teamed up to offer an outstanding computer sciences student a £1,000 bursary.

The award is being made in honour of Alan Turing, the mathmatician who carried out ground-breaking research on artificial intelligence at Manchester University.

The bursary, which will be granted to a student wishing to continue their studies in computer sciences at any educational institution within the United Kingdom, has received the backing of the Turing family.

The student will also undertake a week’s work experience shadowing the IT departments of easyJet and Manchester Airport.

Turing was prosecuted for homosexuality in 1952 and accepted chemical castration as an alternative to prison. He died in 1954 from cyanide poisoning.

The airport’s chief executive Charlie Cornish said: “Our joint sponsorship of the Manchester Pride festival, alongside one of our largest airlines, easyJet allows us to demonstrate our commitment to the LGBT community as we prepare to welcome thousands of international visitors to the region over the Bank Holiday.

“We are pleased to further cement this commitment by working together to launch the Alan Turing bursary and are pleased to support this move to carry on his legacy.”

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