Leibniz Society and Emergent Systems Group member Wolfgang Coy, long-time expert in the field of informatics and society, was awarded the Weizenbaum Medal 2018 sponsored by the Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung (Computer Scientists for Peace and Social Responsibility). The laudatio was held by Hans-Jörg Kreowski on 29 September 2018.

Joseph Weizenbaum was a computer scientist with German roots who made career in the U.S. and described himself as dissident. He is famous for writing the programme ELIZA that mimicked the part of a psychotherapist during sessions with a patient.

Wolfgang Coy is a logical recipient of the Weizenbaum Medal. Like Weizenbaum, Coy is a critical thinker and like Weizenbaum he has been always a warner of computer applications for waging wars.

See here the video of the ceremony.

Read here the laudatio.

See also here for more information on Wolfgang Coy.