Andy Williams

Andy Williams is a lecturer at Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. He was previously the RCUK Research Fellow in Risk, Health and Science Communication (2008-10). He has a number of research interests which intersect journalism studies and cultural studies. His current major research interests relate to news sources and the influence of public relations on the UK media, especially in the area of science, health and environment news.

Andy has provided expert opinion and advice to a number of government bodies, media groups, and professional associations including the BBC, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the Expert Group on Science and the Media, the National Union of Journalists, and the Welsh Assembly’s Broadcasting Subcommittee.

He regularly contributes to the UK national and regional press and broadcast media (recent media input includes Times Higher Education, Nature News, the New Statesman, national BBC Breakfast News, the Guardian Unlimited, Press Gazette, OpenDemocracy, and BBC Wales television and radio news).

In addition to this he is committed to disseminating research findings in a variety of other contexts:
- he regularly carries out media training workshops across the UK with scientists who want to gain a deeper insight into how science journalism works;
- he has formed partnerships with Bryncelynnog Comprehensive in Beddau (his old school), and Treorchy Comprehensive in the Rhondda, where he speaks to media studies and science pupils about his research; and
- he has contributed lectures in collaboration with the University of the Third Age (U3A).