It was a special day at Teddington's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) last week as the first £50 note featuring Alan Turing arrived in Teddington.

Staff at the lab proudly posed with the note after they received it on the morning of June 23 - Turing's birthday and the day that his new banknotes entered circulation in the UK.

NPL was sent the new note by the Bank of England, in recognition of the lab's links with the pioneering computer scientist.

Turing did some of his most groundbreaking work at NPL where he was employed between 1946 and 1948.

It was here that he made his initial designs and test model of the ACE computer , the first ever complete specification of an electronic stored-program digital computer.

He also laid the groundwork for the study of Artificial Intelligence at the lab, work which continues today.

On the day they received the note, NPL paid tribute to Turing in a blog post highlighting his work at NPL and wider legacy.

They wrote: "Whilst best known for his work devising code-breaking machines during WWII, Turing played a pivotal role in the development of early computers, first at NPL and later at the University of Manchester.

"His ability to see the world differently led to scientific developments that have shaped the modern world, this was likely strongly influenced by the different perspectives he had to those of many of his peers as a member of both the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities and likely shaped and influenced his ability to think outside the box."

They added: "Today we understand the value of diversity of perspective, and the modern field of AI and data science is actively embracing difference, with recognition that ethical and trustworthy AI can only be achieved through a diverse and inclusive multidisciplinary research approach.

"As we develop data standards and platforms to help collect, connect, and comprehend data, as well as evaluate uncertainty to support traceability and reliable decision-making, inclusive innovation and removal of bias from systems are critical to helping us address some of the world's biggest challenges.

"NPL's scientists are using a multidisciplinary research approach to help organisations analyse and use data with confidence to address some of these challenges.

"None of which would be possible today without the work by Turing and his team 75 years ago.

"While Turing's work was celebrated, at the time his difference was not.

"As a gay man he was persecuted and as a consequence of that a great talent was lost to not only science but the world. Some of the concepts he left behind are still not understood to this day.

"The impact of pioneers like Alan Turing continues to inspire new generations of scientists to value and harness the power of diversity."

Dr Peter Thompson FREng, CEO of NPL, said: "Alan Turing's time at NPL and the development of the pilot ACE are an important part of NPL's scientific history.

"With both Turing and the ACE being depicted pictorially on the £50 note we have a lasting reminder of something we, as an organisation recognise to be the most significant thing in not only scientific endeavour, but in endeavour in general, that via teamwork and the coming together of different perspectives, we can solve problems and overcome some of the biggest challenges of our time.

"For any organisation, scientific or other, fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce creates an environment where innovation thrives and everybody feels safe and secure in their workplace.

"As we receive the bank note, it will be a constant reminder of this to all at NPL, so I extend my thanks to the Bank of England on this special occasion."

Louise Wright, Head of Digital Metrology at the lab, added: "Turing's greatest legacy at NPL was the people he worked with and inspired.

"He and his colleagues laid the foundations for NPL to develop expertise in the numerical analysis and uncertainty evaluation techniques required to support metrology as it moved into the computer age.

"Now as we move towards delivering more of our metrology digitally, his ideas around artificial intelligence remain relevant and his work at NPL continues to inspire scientists across the laboratory to deliver confidence in data through the kind of digital technologies that would be unthinkable without his foundational work on stored-program computers."

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