Dr Rachel Williams joins the BSA Council as a trustee

On 13th of March 2025, the British Science Association (BSA) has announced that two new trustees have joined the Council - the governing board of trustees for the organisation. 

The UCL Ear Institute celebrates the newly appointed trustee, Dr Rachel Williams,  a neuroscientist, bioinformatician, and science communicator specialising in the science of the senses. As a postdoctoral researcher at the UCL Ear Institute, Dr Williams explores the reasons why most mammals, including humans, lose their hearing as they age - but birds don't. Her work in the Lipovsek Lab asks whether making our ears more "bird-like" might be the key to treating hearing loss by uncovering the genetic differences between the ears of birds and mammals.  Dr Williams completed her PhD at King’s College London, using microscopes and maths to study the brain circuits that allow zebrafish to hunt for food and escape deadly predators.  She has previously held a trusteeship at King’s College London Students’ Union during her term as Vice President for Welfare and Community 2015-2016.   

Dr Williams is an experienced science communicator and has featured on broadcast, live, and livestreamed events for festivals, schools, and learned institutions across the UK including the BBC, the Royal Institution, the British Science Festival, and Cheltenham Science Festival. She has also provided expert scientific advice for children's book 'All Brains Are Wonderful', named as one of The Book Trust's 'Best New Books' in February 2025.  

Dr Williams says: 
 "I applied to be a trustee of the British Science Association as I share the BSA’s ethos of putting people at the heart of science. Science is a way of engaging with the world that can empower people and communities to make positive changes aligned with their needs.  
  
I hope that my experiences as a Black, queer, early-career researcher and science communicator can be used to support the BSA’s goals over the coming years. I’m particularly keen on supporting the BSA’s work on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in science, amplifying the voices of young people, and bringing researchers and communities together through festivals and grant programmes. "  
 
Source:

• British Science Association Council