Bev Townsend

Dr. Bev Townsend is a BRAID Research Fellow at York Law School (University of York), collaborating with Microsoft Research Cambridge to develop regulatory policies for AI-supported medical technologies. Her work focuses on law and ethics in emerging digital technologies, including AI, robotics, and biotechnologies. She holds advanced degrees from the University of Cape Town and the University of Oxford.

Education:

• BA LLB LLM PGDip LLM (cum laude) – University of Cape Town
• MSt (with distinction) – University of Oxford
• PhD – University of Cape Town

Research Interests: Law and technology intersections, AI governance, medical device regulation, data protection, bioethics, and global health policy. Her work bridges legal frameworks with socio-ethical challenges in autonomous systems, particularly in healthcare contexts.

Projects:

• BRAID Fellowship (AI medical regulation)
• DOMINOS Project (responsible AI development)
• Reimagining TAS with Disabled Young People (AI accessibility)

Collaborations: Works with global institutions like the WHO and engages African perspectives in digital governance. Active in South African policy debates on genome editing, telemedicine, and data transfer agreements.