The British Science Association (BSA) have today announced the list of Scientific Section Presidents for 2018. Since the foundation of the British Science Festival, the BSA’s Sections have played a key role in its content development, advising the BSA on hot topics in their subject areas, as well as suggesting leading figures who could be involved.  

Comprised of science professionals, the Sections contribute to the programme's events and arrange activities such as talks, demonstrations, and debates.  

Each year, the Sections nominate an individual who has made a significant contribution to their scientific field for Presidency of the Section. They are also invited to give their Presidential Address at the British Science Festival in September to mark the start of their year-long Presidency. 

The list of Sections and their corresponding President for 2018 are: 

Sociology and Social Sciences, Professor Louise Archer  

Louise Archer is Karl Mannheim Professor of Sociology of Education at the University College London, Institute of Education. She is also the BSA’s Vice-President for Education and sits on Council (the board of trustees). 

Biological Sciences, Professor Jeremy Pritchard  

Jeremy Pritchard is Professor of Life Sciences Education at Birmingham University, where he is also a Teaching Fellow.  

Physics and Astronomy, Professor Jon Butterworth 

Jon Butterworth is a Professor of Physics at University College London, working on the ATLAS experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. 

Geology, Dr Jennifer Huggett 

Jennifer Huggett is a Consultant Petrographer & Clay Mineralogist and has published over 60 scientific papers. 

Psychology, Professor Steve Tipper  

Steve Tipper is Professor of the Department of Psychology at the University of York, where his current research investigates the relationship between perception, action and emotion. 

Science and Arts, Anna Dumitriu 

Anna Dumitriu is a visual and performance artist based in Brighton, specialising in BioArt. 

Engineering, Professor Cliff Jones  

Cliff Jones is Professor of Physics at the University of Leeds, with special interests in soft matter, liquid crystals, displays, optoelectronics and photonics.   

Agriculture and Food, Professor Martin Broadley  

Martin Broadley is Professor of Plant Nutrition, in the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham. 

Mathematical Sciences, Dr Jennifer Rogers  

Jennifer Rogers is Director of Statistical Consultancy Services at the University of Oxford. 

Archaeology and Anthropology, Dr David Robinson  

David Robinson is a Reader in Archaeology and member of the Archaeology Research Group at the University of Central Lancashire.  

Medical Sciences, Dr Beth Healey  

Beth Healey is a British medical doctor who spent a year in Antarctica at Concordia Station, a French-Italian base, as a Research MD. She worked for the European Space Agency, researching the effects of physical and psychological isolation on a group of people. 

Chemistry, Dr Jacqueline Hamilton  

Jacqueline Hamilton is in the department of Atmospheric Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry at the University of York. 

History of Science, Dr James Sumner  

James Sumner is a Senior Lecturer in History of Technology at the University of Manchester, focusing mainly on nineteenth- and twentieth-century Britain.  

Education, Dr Andrew Morris

Andrew Morris is chair of the Coalition for Evidence Based Education and is an independent consultant. He is also an honorary senior lecturer at UCL Institute of Education.  

General, Dr John Durant  

John Durant has been director of the MIT Museum and adjunct professor in the Science, Technology & Society Program since 2005. He is a founder of the international Science Festival Alliance and founding editor of the quarterly peer-reviewed journal Public Understanding of Science. 

Economics, Professor Barbara Petrongolo  

Barbara Petrongolo is Professor of Economics at Queen Mary University, Director of the CEPR Labour Economics Programme and Research Associate at the Centre for Economic Performance of the London School of Economics.  

Geography, Dr Briony McDonagh 

Briony McDonagh is a historical and cultural geographer at the University of Hull, who has published widely on the British rural landscape, on women's histories and historical geographies, and on the geographies of protest, property and the commons. 

British Science Festival 2017 event: The Sections have a large input its yearly programme

When the British Science Association was founded, there were four sections: physics, chemistry, geology and natural history. Now there are 17, covering the wide variety of subjects mentioned above. The sections have been crucial for the success of the British Science Festival, ensuring that it's programme remains current and relevant for modern audiences.  

For more information on how we support our sections, please see the volunteering policies and practices page. 

If you’re interested in being involved in one of our Scientific Sections or learning about our other volunteering opportunities, please visit our volunteering page. 

If you're already a Section member, you can download the Sections Handbook here