The British Science Association (BSA) has today announced its latest cohort of Honorary Fellows.

Elected in 2025, the BSA’s Honorary Fellowships committee have named biochemist, broadcaster and producer Dr Alex Lathbridge, and technology inclusion strategist Karen Blake MBE as new Honorary Fellows.

Each year since 2001, the BSA has asked its staff, trustees, stakeholders and supporters to nominate individuals for an Honorary Fellowship who are then selected by committee.

The British Science Association Fellowship recognises people who have made a significant contribution to advancing the vision and mission of the BSA.

Fellows are people who embody the BSA’s vision and mission in a variety of ways, including bringing science to the public in a clear and engaging way; challenging the stereotypes of what a scientist looks like; and furthering the inclusion and diversity of science in society.

Hannah Russell, Chief Executive of the British Science Association said:

“I’m delighted to welcome Alex and Karen as Honorary Fellows in recognition of their contributions towards the British Science Association’s vision: creating a future where science is more relevant, representative and connected to society. We’re looking forward to working with them toward our shared goals.

“Through Alex’s work in popularising, and rendering accessible, science stories and information to wide audiences and platforming diverse voices, and through Karen’s career in pushing for action – not just words – on equity and inclusion in our sector, they are doing vital work in bringing real change to science and technology, and society’s engagement and involvement with it.”

Introducing our 2026 Honorary Fellows:

Dr Alex Lathbridge (pictured right) is a science journalist, writer and biochemist, with a background in developing novel peptide therapeutics - molecules which mimic natural body messengers – targeting “undruggable” cancers.

Alex’s career revolves around making science stories relatable and socially conscious, while championing unheard voices. He’s worked with the likes of Nature, Channel 4, Cancer Research UK, Google, and has been a scientific advisor for Marvel and Sony.

Across the BBC, Alex covers science and technology with the BBC World Service, BBC Africa, Radio 4 and 1Xtra. He presented BBC Bitesize’s first science podcast – Bitesize Biology, teaching the entire GCSE biology syllabus in 50 short episodes.

Dr Alex Lathbridge says: 

"I’m delighted to accept this Fellowship. I love to find ways to show people that science is an invaluable thread that runs through the tapestry of our world. We see physics in the cutting-edge camouflage that soldiers rely on to hide from drones, and find biochemistry at the core of any opioid crisis. And science is in the fabric of the everyday, from the domestication of urban foxes outside kebab shops to the medical chemistry of high-street Botox.

"That the BSA have considered me worthy of this award is both an honour and, perhaps, a sign that standards are slipping."

Karen Blake MBE (pictured left) is an inclusion strategist and neurodiversity advocate specialising in digital inclusion and tech sector diversity.  As former co-CEO of the Tech Talent Charter - a government-backed UK non-profit working until 2024 toward advancing diversity and inclusion within the technology sector - Karen co-authored the influential Lovelace report, an economic study examining female attrition in tech. 

In 2025, Karen was named one of Computer Weekly's top five Most Influential Women in Tech. She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2026 New Years Honours for services to technology and diversity.

Through the Tech Talent Charter, Karen helped create the largest dataset of its kind on diversity, helping companies benchmark their diversity and seek to improve and change. 

Her career spans consultancy, financial services, and the skills and education sectors, and she is frequently called on by media and organisations as an expert in equity, inclusion, technology and inclusive leadership.

Karen Blake says: 

"True inclusion in science and technology isn't about representation metrics alone: it's about fundamentally transforming how we build, lead, and innovate.

"The BSA's commitment to equity and inclusion recognises that diverse perspectives aren't just a matter of justice; they're essential to solving complex problems and advancing scientific progress. This means transforming who gets to ask the questions, not just who answers them.

"We can't keep designing tomorrow's solutions with yesterday's narrow lens or closing communities out of the scientific and tech spaces shaping their futures. Breakthrough innovation doesn't come from homogeneous teams replicating the same solutions. It comes from bringing different lived experiences to the table."

Our full list of current Honorary Fellows can be found here