• 2023-ongoing Deputy Science Leader for Ice Dynamics and Palaeoclimate (IDP).
• 2010- present Ice sheet modeller, British Antarctic Survey
• 2005-09 PhD University of Glasgow, Department of Mathematics. Title: “Pattern formation and hydrogen production in suspensions of swimming green algae”. Date awarded: December, 2009.
• BSc (First Class) in Mathematics, University College London, 2002-2005.

Research interests

I am an ice sheet modeller specialising in combining physics-based models with remote and field observations and machine learning. I am interested in improving projections of the future of Antarctica by bringing together data assimilation and a deeper understanding of the important physical processes within the ice sheet and its interactions with the ocean and atmosphere. I am part of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration MELT project and the NERC-funded ENSO-WAIS project, which aims to quantify the retreat of  the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the context of both anthropogenic change and natural variability. Previously at BAS I have worked on NERC-funded projects to investigate the propagation of ocean-driven ice-shelf thinning and consequences for the interior of Antarctica and global sea level, and on model initialisation as part of  the EU funded ice2sea programme.

I am a mathematician by training and have previously worked on constructing, modifying and evaluating mathematical models of biological systems. Projects I have worked on include modelling the collective swimming behaviour of microorganisms and constructing a dynamical model of hydrogen production from green algae.

Current and recent grants:

2024-2028: Co-Investigator and Work Package lead (PI: Professor Tony Payne), Interacting ice Sheet and Ocean Tipping – Indicators, Processes, Impacts and Challenges (ISOTIPIC),  NERC Highlight Topic.

2022-2026: Co-Investigator and Work Package Lead (PI: Dr Louise Sime), SURface FluxEs In AnTarctica (SURFEIT), NC-International.

2021-2022: Co-Investigator (PI: Dr Scott Hosking), Towards an Antarctic Digital Twin for instantaneous decision-making . NERC feasibility study (5 months),

2019-2024: Co-Investigator (PI: Dr Robert Arthern), West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat in the context of ENSO variability (ENSO-WAIS), NERC Standard Grant.

2018-2025: (PIs: Dr Keith Nicholls and Professor David Holland) Melting at Thwaites grounding zone and its control on sea level, International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC-MELT). NSF/NERC.

• Williams, C. R. and Bees, M. A. 2011 Photo-gyrotactic bioconvection, Fluid Mech., 678, 41-86 (doi:10.1017/jfm.2011.100)
• Williams, C. R. and Bees, M. A. 2011 A tale of three taxes: photo-gyro-gravitactic bioconvection, Exp. Biol., 214, 2398-2408 (doi:10.1242/jeb.051094)

• • Featured in ‘Inside JEB’, 214, 2011 and ‘Nature research highlights’, 474, page 544, June 2011.
• Williams, C. R. 2009 Pattern formation and hydrogen production in suspensions of swimming green algae, PhD thesis, University of Glasgow, December 2009. Available online at http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1370/

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

• Hank, K., Arthern, R., & Williams, C. (2025). Acoustic impedance misfits and basal sliding law probabilities for Pine Island Glacier (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/c560ce43-7aa0-4474-90ed-d4ee5f5768ea

• Bett, D., Bradley, A., Williams, R., Holland, P., Arthern, R., & Goldberg, D. (2024). Amundsen Sea sector MITgcm/WAVI coupled model output forced with idealised ocean boundary conditions over 180 years (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/baa5097e-5139-4d8b-8986-3cc84c3319b7

• Arthern, R., Williams, R., Hindmarsh, R., & Pritchard, H. (2022). Fields and parameters related to the flow of ice in the Antarctic Ice Sheet recovered using inverse methods and satellite data (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/5f0ac285-cca3-4a0e-bcbc-d921734395ab

1. Understanding Greenland’s changing ice

   GIANT is a pioneering science project that will test the potential for early warning of a critical climate tipping point.

   Read more of: Understanding Greenland’s changing ice

   

2. Antarctic surface mass and energy exchanges

   SURFEIT unites UK and international scientists to study Antarctic ice and atmosphere interactions, improve sea-level projections, and support climate action.

   Read more of: Antarctic surface mass and energy exchanges

   

3. Digital Twins of the Polar Regions

   This project is developing digital twins of Antarctic and Arctic environments and resources. A digital twin makes it possible to test “what if” questions far more quickly than traditional computer models.

   Read more of: Digital Twins of the Polar Regions

   

Ocean-driven ice-shelf thinning in Antarctica

Melting at Thwaites Grounding Zone and its Control on Sea Level – British Antarctic Survey (bas.ac.uk)

1. New ‘live lessons’ offer interactive learning for kids

   Antarctica Live Lessons – a new and exciting learning resource, launches today (13 November). Aimed at engaging and inspiring the imaginations of young learners, the platform introduces an array of live, interactive lessons about Antarctica, offering a unique opportunity for students to hear from leading ice experts.

   Read more of: New ‘live lessons’ offer interactive learning for kids