Professor Victor Chang Named Data Scientist of the Year at Computing’s AI and Software Development Awards 2026

Data Science of the Year 2026 Award

Professor Victor Chang Named Data Scientist of the Year 2026

BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM, May 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Professor Victor Chang, Professor of Business Analytics at Aston Business School, Aston University, has been named Data Scientist of the Year at the Computing AI and Software Development Awards 2026. The ceremony was held on 14 May at Guildhall, London, and is one of the most widely recognised events in the UK technology calendar.

Professor Chang received the award for contributions that reach well beyond academic research. His AI systems are in clinical use at hospitals in the UK and abroad. His cybersecurity frameworks protect data centres across multiple countries. And his mentorship programme has shaped the careers of more than 250 early-career researchers on six continents. As a pioneering Data Scientist and Leader, he has made the following contributions and impact.

Healthcare AI: From Research to Clinical Practice
Working with NHS trusts and international hospital networks, Professor Chang developed AI diagnostic systems that support clinicians in detecting serious conditions at the point when intervention is most effective. Over 1,000 patients have directly benefited, with diagnostic accuracy exceeding 90 percent. Hospital partners report genuine clinical reliance on the programme — it continues operating years after the initial research was published, a rare outcome in applied AI.
“Data has enormous potential to improve lives, but only if the systems around it are transparent, fair, and responsible.” — Professor Victor Chang

Cybersecurity: Protecting Infrastructure at Scale
His intrusion detection framework blocks more than 99 percent of malware threats in real time across multiple international data centres — an outcome that translates in practice to billions of prevented attacks on critical infrastructure. A UK–Japan 6G security collaboration, funded by the UK Government’s International Science Partnerships Fund, produced federated malware detection, achieving 96.8 percent accuracy at sub-0.8-second inference times, without sensitive data leaving its source device.

Responsible AI as an Engineering Discipline
Professor Chang has been a consistent advocate for ethical AI governance, contributing to institutional policy and speaking at major international conferences on AI accountability. Applied work in financial services analytics delivered measurable improvements in real-time decision-making for partner organisations, while simultaneously improving security posture and reducing environmental overhead.
“If we want technology to serve society, we must design it with accountability from the very beginning.” — Professor Victor Chang

Mentorship and the Next Generation
Professor Chang has directly mentored more than 250 early-career researchers and taught over 100,000 students and professionals. Four mentees have been promoted to senior academic positions. Colleagues supported through his grant-writing programme have secured major research funding at a 100 percent success rate. He founded five international research conferences with more than 1,000 active members combined, and more than 50 former mentees now hold leadership roles globally.
“Invest in people before you invest in outcomes. The leaders who build things that last almost always understand that outcomes are downstream of people.” — Professor Victor Chang

Research Record
Professor Chang has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, accumulated over 32,000 citations, and holds an h-index of 90, placing him among the top 0.2 percent of scientists globally by citation impact. He has secured more than £3 million in research funding as Principal Investigator, with involvement in collaborative projects totalling more than £14 million across Europe and Asia. He holds fellowships from the British Computer Society, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society for Public Health, and the Operational Research Society, among others.
“The future of AI will not be defined only by technical progress, but by the responsibility of the people building it.” — Professor Victor Chang

About Professor Victor Chang
Professor Victor Chang holds the Chair of Business Analytics at Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom. His research spans federated learning, healthcare AI, cybersecurity, financial analytics, and responsible AI governance. He has established partnerships with more than 100 institutions across six continents. He has been named among the AI Leadership Index 2026 and Cybersecurity Professional of the Year 2026 earlier this year.

Aston University research profile: https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/persons/prof-victor-chang/
Computing AI & Software Development Awards: https://event.computing.co.uk/aiandsoftwaredevelopmentawards/en/page/home
AI Leadership Index 2026: https://www.computing.co.uk/profile/ai-leaders-2026/professor-victor-chang

Media Contact

Yulin Yao
Top Applied AI & Data Scientist, Aston University
email us here

Professor Victor Chang's AI and Data journey

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.