Two academics at the University of Bath – Professor Kit Yates and Dr Adwait Sharma – have been awarded 2025 fellowships with the Association of British Science Writers. The fellowship scheme, which runs annually, provides practising scientists, clinicians and engineers with the opportunity to spend two to six weeks working at the heart of a major media outlet.

The aim of ABSW Media Fellowships is to bridge the gap between journalists and scientists, and to give scientists the confidence to engage with the media, with a view to building better understanding between science and society, and to tackle science-related mistrust and misrepresentation.

Professor Yates completed his PhD in mathematics at the University of Oxford and is now professor of Mathematical Biology and Public Engagement at Bath. He is also an author and broadcaster, regularly commenting on the role of maths and science in society for a range of media outlets and on the radio, television and in documentaries. He was also part of Independent SAGE during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing independent scientific advice to policy makers and the public.

He said: “I’m really excited about the opportunities the ABSW media fellowship will bring. It’s a great chance for me to extend and broaden my media experience and to see how things work behind the scenes.”

Dr Sharma leads the Advanced Interaction and Sensing Lab in the Department of Computer Science at the University. His research focuses on developing design and technical solutions for situations where conventional ways of interacting with a device – such as the touchscreen of a phone – are not practical or effective, particularly when a user's hands are occupied.

Dr Sharma holds a PhD from Saarland University (Max Planck Institute) in Germany and has worked with research groups across six countries, including the National University of Singapore, the Media Interaction Lab in Austria, and Meta Reality Labs in Toronto.

He said: “I'm truly honoured to have been selected as an ABSW Media Fellow, and grateful to the University of Bath for this incredible opportunity. My research in human-computer interaction focuses on making technology more intuitive, accessible, and meaningful in people’s lives. This fellowship provides a valuable platform to enhance my science communication skills and learn how to share these ideas more effectively through the media.

“By working closely with media professionals, I hope to effectively translate research into engaging narratives, and foster meaningful dialogue between researchers and the wider public.”

The two media fellowships are jointly funded through the ESRC and EPSRC Impact Acceleration Accounts at the University of Bath.