senior press officer, Science Media Centre
Fiona has worked as a press officer at
the Science Media Centre for about six years; before that she did a PhD in science
in Edinburgh. The Science Media Centre
aims to increase the accuracy of media reporting of science, health and
environment stories by making sure journalists can get hold of top quality
scientists, and by encouraging scientists to engage with the media when their
area of expertise hits the headlines, especially on the messy and controversial
topics like statins, antidepressants, e-cigarettes, alcohol, GM, fracking, the
badger cull, and genome edited babies.
student, Oriel College, Oxford
Maya is a second-year undergraduate at Oriel College, Oxford, reading for a BA in History. She is President of the Oxford University History Society and ambassador to the digital-archives company Gale Cengage,
After the History Society
was criticised for inviting BBC Radio 4’s Jenni Murray, and protests at the
Oxford Union aimed to “no-platform” Steve Bannon and Marion Maréchal, Maya grew
disillusioned with the culture of censorship at Oxford and founded the
Oxford Society for Free Discourse.
With this active community
of students and academics, Maya has organised debates and demonstrations to
promote the values of free and respectful debate in an increasingly polarised
world. Prospective speakers for next term include Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of Index
on Censorship and Jacop Mchangama, executive director of the
Justitia think-tank.
As a result of her work
with OSFD, Maya has also become involved in the production of “Clear and
Present Danger”, a podcast on the history of free speech.
alumnus, Debating Matters; student, Durham University
Georgina finished second with her sixth form in the Debating Matters National Final back in 2016 and has taken an interest in the devilishly tricky topics this competition explores ever since. She has just completed her second year studying English Literature and Philosophy at Durham University, where she plays university-level Football, contributes opinion-pieces to Palatinate and is on the editorial team of The Bubble, contributing primarily sport-themed pieces.
Over the summer Georgina will begin research for her undergraduate dissertation, which will be on the influence of fantasy worlds and the gothic in the works of the Bronte sisters, and their legacies in 19th and 20th century literature.
chief operating officer, National Consortium of Intelligent Medical Imaging at University of Oxford
Claire is a senior research management professional, with experience of working both directly as an academic researcher and also as a senior research administrator.
Claire obtained her Doctorate in Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, and held research fellowships in Oxford and the United States before moving into a career as a research management professional. Claire worked for the Medical Research Council, the largest of the seven publicly funded government agencies responsible for coordinating and funding research in the UK. Claire supported the research funding and governance activities of 700 researchers across the MRC Units and Institutes in the South East, and was involved with establishing the first MRC University Units- a new strategic concept for the MRC.
Claire then returned to the University of Oxford, to establish the CRUK Oxford Centre. The Centre was a new type of entity for the University, being a virtual centre with the mission to facilitate research across a variety of disciplines and different Departmental structures to enhance cancer research activity at the University and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Centre’s research mission to harness world leading science to cure cancer is delivered through a model of boundary spanning networking and facilitation of new research activities.
Claire has supported a range of high-profile multidisciplinary and pan-Divisional grant initiatives for the University, and has most recently focused on early detection for cancer and the use of AI for health care. Claire is now leading the delivery of one of these initiatives, as COO for the new National Consortium of Intelligent Medical Imaging, which will be the launchpad for further growth of AI for health care in the university.
She also oversees new strategic initiatives in cancer research across the university, through her role as the Head of Strategy and Innovation for the CRUK Oxford Centre.
headteacher
Rickleton Primary School
Colin Lofthouse started his working life as an archaeologist before retraining to teach and never looked back.
He has been a headteacher in 3 schools,
is an Ofsted lead inspector and supports education leaders as a mentor and
advisor.
He is a published author on educational matters including curriculum design and teacher development and is a conference speaker. He is a trustee with Schools North East, the influential charity representing all schools in the region.
Recent areas of interest and expertise
include children’s mental health through his work on the Healthy MindEd
Commission and the impact Adverse Childhood Experiences have on learning. He is an advocate, as an adoptive parent to 3
children, that those who have had a tough start to life can achieve and reach
their true potential.
He will begin his new role as CEO of the
SMART multi Academy Trust in August 2019.
author, Cancel Culture: Democracy in Danger; editor, upday
Kolja Zydatiss studied psychology, neuroscience and statistics. Since 2016, he has worked for a variety of online- and print-media. Currently Kolja is an editor for the German edition of the news aggregator app upday. He is also the socio-political spokesperson for the Freiblickinstitut e.V. debate institute.
Kolja’s first book, Cancel Culture: Demokratie in Gefahr (Cancel Culture: Democracy in Danger) was published in March 2021 by Solibro, Münster. It was awarded the Ferdinand Friedensburg Prize 2021 by the Ferdinand Friedensburg Stiftung e.V.
senior operations manager, Oxford Summer Courses, Bridgemark Education
As the senior operations manager of Oxford Summer Courses, an Oxford based education company, Rachel manages all of the practical elements involved in delivering short academic, residential courses to over 2000 students across a variety of national and international locations including India, Singapore, North and South America, and across the UK.
Before this, Rachel served in the British Army for 20 years
as a professional logistician, specialising in training, education, and
operational planning. Her operational
service includes tours of Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Northern Ireland. She was made an MBE in 2012 for her work in
the drawdown of UK operations in Iraq.
Rachel graduated in 1994 from Cardiff University with a First-class
honours in Archaeology, a subject which she hopes to return to, one day. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys running the
dog and dragging her long-suffering family around historical sites.
creative producer
The Forge
Beverley is the creative producer at The Forge – a specialist participatory arts organisation – where she develops innovative programmes in partnership with schools. She is particularly interested in exploring how the arts can support literacy and oracy in the classroom. Prior to joining The Forge, Beverley was a head of english in a secondary school and a regular TES columnist. She has worked extensively within the cultural and educational sectors and is currently studying for a Doctorate in Education at Newcastle University.
British actor Toby Jones is known for his roles both in the theatre and on screen. Toby has most recently been cast in both Studiocanal, NETFLIX and Blueprint Picture’s A Boy Called Christmas and theNetflix film, The Last Thing He Wanted, written and directed by Oscar nominated Dee Rees. He has also been cast in Potboiler Film’s The Sands of Venus, and the Filmscience film First Cow.
This year Toby will voice the role of the Reverend Chasuble for the animated adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost and has most recently finished filming the Netflix prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Taren Egerton. Last year he returned to the stage in Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, to high acclaim. He starred in a number of films including French comedy film Normandy Nude, Lionsgate’s World War One drama Journey’s End and blockbuster, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. He also reprised his role in Mackenzie Crook’s comedy Detectorists on BBC Four, for which he won Best Male Performance in a Comedy at the BAFTAs. Toby can most recently be seen in Don’t Forget the Driver, a series he co-wrote for BBC 2, alongside Tim Crouch.
Toby’s many other accolades include Best British Actor at the London Film Critics Circle Awards for his role as ‘Truman Capote’ in Infamous and BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his role as Alfred Hitchcock in the HBO/BBC television movie The Girl.
head of Locomotion
Science Museum Group
Sarah is head of Locomotion, part of the Science Museum Group, which can be found in Shildon, the world’s first railway town. Before joining Locomotion in August 2018 she was head of Engagement and Learning for Culture Durham, part of Durham University, where she led the team that was responsible for formal and informal learning, visitor experience and special exhibitions. Sarah’s role at Locomotion is to manage all aspects of the operational delivery on site and to lead the museum through a new Masterplan development which involves improving the visitor experience through a refresh of the existing interpretation, introducing a changed emphasis in programming, restoring the historic assets on site and building a new 4000m2 facility to increase the number of railway vehicles on display. Despite knowing next to nothing about railways and being on a steep learning curve, she is excited about helping Locomotion realise its true potential.
