ROle Models
LUCY WILLIAMS
Job Title: Assistant Editor at the Royal Astronomical Society
Disability: Visually Impaired (Oculocutaneous Albinism)
Why did you want to work in STEM?
As a child I was always super curious and bombarded my parents with all sorts of questions about the world around me. Studying science in school showed me that science (especially my favourite, physics!) could answer a lot of the questions I’d been asking. Science is all around us! Although my glasses don’t correct my vision, they certainly help, and it’s through physics that lenses were invited. Perhaps this is what also inspired me to pursue a degree and career in science.
I was always particularly fascinated by space. Although I couldn’t see the stars very well, I could make out the blob in the sky as the moon, and the fact that humans had been there was incredible! Maybe I could one day? I carried this interest to University, where I studied for a Physics and Astronomy Masters. We got to use the large telescopes there, and I was at no disadvantage as we were looking at objects too far away for anyone to see! I continued this interest beyond University, and I now work at the Royal Astronomical Society.
What’s your favourite thing about your job or about working in STEM?
Through my job I’m constantly looking at new research in astronomy. The fact that we still have so much to find out and discover about space is just as exciting to me now as it was when I was a child! I love interacting with people daily who are passionate about astronomy too.
I graduated in 2018, so I’m still fairly new to working in STEMM. I did love University but often struggled to keep up with the workload, as everything takes me longer with my vision. I’ve found having a work-life balance much easier now, and it’s actually been really good for my eyes to have these set hours where they have to concentrate, and then relax. For my job I work in central London, which I also really love. Although it still needs a lot of improvement, London is much more accessible than most places in the country. I can’t drive due to my vision so I feel very free and independent whizzing around on the tube like everyone else!
I disclosed my disability in the application process for my job, which felt scary but my colleagues have been very supportive. I’ve tried to become increasingly open about my disability when I meet people in the field; astronomy isn’t as diverse as it should be but it will get better if more of us talk about it. There are some brilliant people doing great work to improve diversity and inclusion within the astronomy community and STEMM as a whole, and it’s really exciting to be a part of this positive movement.
What are your top tips for a disabled young person interested in STEM as a career?
STEMM is for everybody, there are great examples of disabled scientists breaking down barriers, and there’s no reason why this can’t be you.
If you have a hidden disability it might be scary telling people about it. But know that you have a right to pursue any career you want, and a right to any adjustments to help you achieve this. Sometimes you have to be demanding to get what you need, but you’ll gain more confidence in doing this with time. I learnt this during school, such as asking teachers to write much bigger and to use black pens. This then gave me the confidence to do this at University and now with my job. If you go to University you can apply for DSA (Disabled Students Allowance). Through this I got a zoom camera and laptop which I could use to help read the board, and an A3 printer so I could print things really big! There’s a lot of help and support out there if you look for it.
Try not to compare yourself to people who aren’t disabled. When I was younger I often felt very jealous of people who had good vision, but now I know that being Visually Impaired has made me adaptive, resilient and tenacious.
Find other people like you! Having a disability can feel isolating sometimes but meeting people with the same disability can be both refreshing and rewarding. Charities and Organisations like the LIghtyear Foundation are brilliant for this, as well as through social media.
What advantages has your disability given you in your field?
Growing up being Visual Impaired has given me loads of skills that are useful at work and day to day.For starters, I’m constantly solving problems without realising it, whether that be working out the safest route for me to get from A to B, or figuring out what’s on the menu in a café. This has helped with both my physics degree and now in my job.
Also, I’ve got good at managing my time well. At school and University, I had extra time in exams, but you don’t get extra time in life! Everything takes me longer with my vision, so I’ve learnt to be very organised in order to get everything done, whilst also knowing my limits and being able to find a good balance with other aspects of life. These skills are really useful in STEMM careers, where you have to manage different projects with varying timescales and priorities.
Astronomy is an international community, with scientists from all over the world collaborating to make new discoveries; recent examples being the first direct observation of gravitational waves and the first image of a black hole. The best work in STEMM is achieved when you have a diverse community working together, so it’s really important that disabled people like us go into STEMM as we can offer new perspectives and ideas.