Meet Zoë Ayres

Zoë’s work has examined the positive and negative roles analytical science can play in environmental sustainability, while advocating for improvements within the field. She has also contributed to initiatives supporting diversity in analytical science. “To solve the challenges of tomorrow, we need to ensure that everyone feels welcome and able to contribute within the analytical community,” she says.

Her current interests include the design of accessible laboratory spaces and how neuroinclusive environments can help scientists perform at their best. She also expects sustainability to become increasingly important, with growing demand encouraging instrument manufacturers to develop more environmentally friendly equipment.

In 2023, Zoë was elected President of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Analytical Science Community Council, completing her term in July 2026. The experience, she says, “taught me the importance of backing myself, and also encouraging others to see their potential too.”

Looking at the field more broadly, she identifies scientific integrity, the role of AI, and maintaining public trust as analytical science’s most pressing challenges.