Alumni Spotlight: Dr Kymani Armstrong-Williams Wins Prestigious Royal Society Fellowship
Dr Kymani Armstrong-Williams, who completed both his MSci and PhD studies in Physics at Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, has been awarded a prestigious four-year fellowship from the Royal Society.
The Career Development Fellowship (CDF) supports outstanding early-career scientists and aims to promote the retention of researchers from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. This four-year postdoctoral fellowship provides funding for high-quality research, along with mentoring, training, and networking opportunities to help fellows build successful research careers in the UK.
Reflecting on this milestone and his journey with us for over 8 years, Dr Kymani Armstrong-Williams said:
“I arrived at Queen Mary back in 2017 to start a MSci in Physics and have been here ever since. After the completion of my integrated Masters’ degree with first-class honours, I started a PhD in Theoretical Physics within the Centre of Theoretical Physics (CTP), which I have now recently completed.
I chose to study at Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences because of its reputation for academic and research excellence as well as its commitment to fostering an inclusive community.
Queen Mary brings to the table a unique mix of local students indigenous to London, of which I am one, as well as students from further afield, and indeed across the world. What is even more unique is the student community that evolved from this melting point of cultures and views, which itself is reflective of the wider community of East London.
Winning the Royal Society’s Career Development Fellowship has been a deeply meaningful milestone. It reflects not only my academic growth but also the resilience I have built over the years. In addition, it is also a great compliment to my own scientific field that this work has been recognised by the Royal Society. I am excited to see how it advances over the course of my fellowship.
If I could give any advice to the current cohort of undergraduates, especially those in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, it is that science is for everyone. It doesn’t matter what background you’ve come from; if you have an interest, passion as well as determination to pursue a career in science, go for it!"
Dr Armstrong-Williams’ story is a remarkable achievement that highlights Queen Mary’s values and inspires others to join our vibrant community and pursue their own paths to excellence.