Caryl Williams

Personal statement:

A Social Science Advisor by background I have worked across UK Government departments providing advice on Environmental Social and Behavioural Science and leading on cross-cutting social science and trans-disciplinary strategic evidence projects. My current role within Welsh Government involves:  

• setting priorities and Vision for WG strategic evidence 
• external engagement to identify collaborations to help deliver WG evidence priorities  
• providing leadership on social science and building policy capability to effectively apply social and behavioural evidence.   

 I am a member of a Wales wide Community of Practice on Behavioural Science, and a cross-government Societal Change analysis group. I also sit on a number of UK wide evidence coordination groups.

Key topic areas of research or interest:

Most of my experience has focused on land-use I also have a keen interest in:  

• Public engagement with nature and wider environmental issues e.g. understanding measuring and effectively representing social and cultural impact of our natural resources in wider ecological assessments.  
• How policy combines with other levers to bring about behavioural and systemic cultural change e.g. application of different approaches/frameworks to achieve societal change in range of contexts – from behavioural insights to more participatory approaches. I have a particular interest in cultural shifts which help to address multiple policy challenges – e.g. biodiversity net gain, reducing pollution and meeting net zero targets.