Champion of diversity awarded fellowship from British Science Association

Imperial’s Dr Jess Wade is one of two people awarded British Science Association Honorary Fellowships for 2023.

Each year, staff, trustees, stakeholders and supporters of the BSA are invited to nominate individuals for an Honorary Fellowship. The Fellowship recognises people who have made a significant contribution to advancing the vision of the BSA – a future where science is more relevant, representative and connected to society. 

Dr Wade is an Imperial College Research Fellow investigating spin selective charge transport through chiral systems, in Imperial College London’s Department of Materials.

Her research considers new materials for optoelectronic devices, with a focus on chiral organic semiconductors. She currently works in SPIN-Lab at Imperial and previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Fuchter and Campbell groups at Imperial.

Diversity initiatives

Outside of the lab, Jess is involved with several science communication and outreach initiatives. She is committed to improving diversity in science, both online and offline, and since the start of 2018 has written the Wikipedia biographies of women and people of colour scientists every single day. She has contributed more than 2,000 entries to date.

She receives her accolade alongside Professor Jason Arday, Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge.

Dr Jess Wade said: “I’m absolutely delighted to accept this Fellowship. I have been a loyal supporter of the British Science Association since early in my career and this is a huge honour. I’m really looking forward to working with the BSA team to support forthcoming events such as British Science Week’s 30th anniversary next March.”

Hannah Russell, Chief Executive of the BSA, said: “We are so pleased that Jason and Jess have accepted Honorary Fellowships of the BSA. They have both done pioneering work to support and champion equality, diversity and inclusion in science and society. What they also have in common is that they have both made a significant impact while in their twenties and thirties.

“We believe that it is important to reward and acknowledge the contributions made by future leaders, as well as people who are long-established in their careers. Jason and Jess have both achieved so much in advancing conversations about structural racism and sexism in science and society, and we are looking forward to working with them both for many years into the future, to advance our shared goal of creating a science community that represents all of society.”

Main article image credit: Dave Guttridge