Top AI researcher honoured with prestigious award

The head of Essex's artificial intelligence (AI) research group has won a prestigious award in recognition of his ground-breaking research.

Professor Hani Hagras, from Essex’s School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, has won the 2026 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computational Intelligence Society Pioneer Award.

The award, which is one of the most prestigious honours bestowed by the IEEE in the field of Computational Intelligence and AI, recognises Professor Hagras’s theoretical and practical contributions to type2-fuzzy systems, fuzzy embedded agents, and Explainable AI.

It is a lifetime achievement award that celebrates the work done by scientists to push the boundaries of what is possible. Professor Hagras said: “To be recognised for this pioneering spirit is an immense privilege and a culmination of years of dedicated research and innovation.

“This is not just a personal victory, but a celebration of the power of ideas to create lasting change and a testimony for Essex leadership in the area of Explainable AI.”

The IEEE states that its award recognises the profound theoretical understanding and pioneering practical engineering applications that have shaped the very foundations of computer science and enabled real-world applications that were not possible before.

The award caps off a successful few months for Professor Hagras who was elected a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences in August.