The British Science Association (BSA) today (Tuesday 5 September) awarded Honorary Fellowships to broadcaster Dr Adam Rutherford, Swansea University Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott and renowned choreographer Wayne McGregor.

Each year, members of the BSA are invited to nominate individuals to be considered as Honorary Fellows. These are people who have made an outstanding contribution to promoting science, or who have engaged and inspired people directly through science.

Adam, Hilary and Wayne join the Association’s illustrious rank of Honorary Fellows alongside individuals such as Sir David Attenborough, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Professor Brian Cox, Lord Browne of Madingley, and Professor Alice Roberts.

Dr Adam Rutherford said: “Many of us have had a secret agenda for all of our careers, which simply is to normalise science in our culture, for it to be integrated into our national and international lives. It's a great honour to be chosen as an Honorary Fellow for the BSA, whose agenda has been much the same for more than 180 years.”

Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be named as an Honorary Fellow of the BSA, particularly following on from the huge success of the British Science Festival at Swansea University last year. I'm looking forward to continuing our important public engagement work, with events such as the Swansea Science Festival, for years to come. I'd like to thank everyone at the BSA for their support.”

Katherine Mathieson, Chief Executive of the BSA, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Adam, Hilary and Wayne as Honorary Fellows of the British Science Association. Each, in their own unique way, has made a significant contribution to science in society and endorsing it as interesting, inspiring and inclusive. They are wonderful supporters for broadening the appeal and definition of science and diversifying its audiences; I look forward to working with them in the future as we work to embed science as part of society and culture.”

Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott will give the women in science keynote address at the British Science Festival on Tuesday 5 September. Her talk, entitled ‘changing culture, improving diversity’ will address what universities can do to combat the lack of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dr Adam Rutherford will participate in two events on Friday 8 September – a special screening of Psycho and a discussion around how it has shaped mental health narratives – and a panel event exploring the way the creative industries have influenced our notion of alien life.

The British Science Festival will close with a special screening with a full-length screening of Atomos followed by a Q&A with multi award-winning choreographer and director, Wayne McGregor.

Tickets to all British Science Festival events are free, but booking is required. This year’s Festival takes place in Brighton – co-hosted by the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex – from 5 – 9 September. www.britishsciencefestival.org.