Jocelyn Bell Burnell (Belfast 1943) is an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland, who belongs to the group of illustrious scientists (with Lise Meitner or Rosalind Franklin) candidates for the Nobel. Her interest in astronomy led her to study at the University of Cambridge, in the group of Anthony Hewish, where in 1967 she detected the first wireless signal of a pulsar.

It is remarkable her contributions to the discovery of the pulsars, neutron stars, which due to their density, rapid rotation and non-alignment of their spindle with their magnetic axis, emit electromagnetic radiation beams. The detection of this wireless signal has allowed contrasting the theory of stellar evolution.

She is one of the most influential scientists in the United Kingdom and has received numerous awards.

Among them, the Herschel Medal of the Royal British Society of Astronomy in 1989 for her discovery of the pulsars, and the honorary titles of Lady Commander of the Order of the British Empire, as well as a fellow of the Royal Society. In June 2015, she was awarded the Gold Medal of the CSIC.

The appointment was approved by the Governing Council of the Universitat de València at the meeting held on Tuesday, 26 July, 2016.