Speaker biographies
Mrs Pamela Agar
Pamela Agar is the Head of Digital Media and Marketing for the Communications Division at Imperial College London. She has over ten years of higher education communications, events and project management experience, and was recently responsible for managing the redesign of Imperial’s website and the College’s centenary celebrations in 2007. In her current role, Pamela manages Imperial’s institutional web presence and video production capabilities, experimenting with new styles and approaches to tell College research and education stories in a compelling way. In the past year, her team has launched Imperial on Twitter, an Imperial YouTube channel, a student blogging initiative and embedded video into College news stories online.
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Professor Jim Al-Khalili
Jim Al-Khalili is a professor of physics at the University of Surrey where he lectures and carries out research in theoretical nuclear physics. He also holds a chair in the Public Engagement in Science there and spends half his time as a science communicator. He is author of several successful popular science books and is a regular contributor to radio and television science and history programmes, including presenting two recent BBC series, "Atom" and "Science and Islam". He is currently writing a book on medieval Arabic science to be published by Penguin Press next year. In 2007, he received the Royal Society’s Michael Faraday medal and prize for science communication. Jim is a trustee and vice president of the British Science Association and a senior advisor to the British Council on science and technology.
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Miss Claudine Anderson
The Wales Gene Park is a partnership between Cardiff University, Techniquest and NHS Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. One of the key objectives of the Wales Gene Park is to raise public awareness of genetics and this is being achieved through a range of innovative projects. As the Public Engagement Officer, Claudine develops, delivers and evaluates projects which raise the public and school audiences’ awareness of genetics and encourage discussion about the wider issues surrounding advances in genetics.
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Mr Edward Andersson
Edward Andersson is the Deputy Director of Involve, a leading not for profit organisation specialising in public and stakeholder engagement. Edward has the lead responsibility for developing and managing Involve’s practical participation projects and is an expert advisor for peopleandparticipation.net - one of the UKs most comprehensive participation sites. He also advises a number of organisations on public engagement strategies; including the OECD and various UK Government Departments, including the Ministry of Justice and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. In the past Edward has delivered participatory processes with the BBC, the Northern Ireland Office, the NCVO, the States of Jersey and numerous local authorities. He is a member of the International Association for Public Participation and the International Association of Facilitators.
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Dr Kat Arney
Kat Arney joined Cancer Research UK in 2004, after spending six years as a laboratory researcher. In her role as a Science Information Officer, she translates science-speak into plain English, so that everyone can understand the charity’s vital work.
Kat loves talking about science, and regularly comments in the media on the latest discoveries as well as giving talks to staff and supporters. She presents and produces the showcase Cancer Research UK podcast, helps to write the charity’s Science Update blog, and also co-presents the highly successful Naked Scientists BBC Radio show in her spare time. She is also a freelance writer and musician, and rarely sleeps.
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Mr Atul Arya
Atul Arya is the Chief Advisor for Energy and Climate Policy for BP. He is responsible for analyzing the impact of energy and climate policies on BP’s long range participation choices and for developing BP’s strategic and policy response. Atul joined BP in 1988 and has held various commercial, technical, planning and strategy leadership roles in BP’s Exploration & Production business, BP Solar and the Corporate Headquarters. He spent the early part of his career as an oil industry consultant in US, UK and the Middle East. Atul is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Council. He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and has previously served on the boards of Tata BP Solar, Green Mountain Energy Company and the US Solar Energy Industry Association. Atul holds a doctorate in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Mr Chris Bagot
Christopher Bagot is a founding director of Softroom Architects. For over a decade, Softroom have developed a reputation for design excellence, creative innovation and skilful delivery, working on a wide spectrum of projects including buildings, bridges and interiors for public, educational, residential, retail and commercial uses, transport and exhibition design. Chris has overseen many of these projects, including the new Sackler Centre for Arts Education in the Grade 1 listed Henry Cole wing of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the new student facilities at Glyndwr University and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow.
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Mr Mike Barry
Mike Barry is Head of Sustainable Business at the UK retailer Marks & Spencer.
He was part of the small team that developed the company’s groundbreaking Plan A, a 100 point, 5 year plan to address a wide range of environmental and social issues. He helps provide the vision and the energy to affect change and ensure a leading but efficient approach to sustainability across the company.
He deals with issues as diverse as sustainable fish sourcing, chemicals in products, labour standards in factories, animal welfare, food miles, privacy and data protection, genetic modification, fair trade, wood sourcing, community investment, cotton sourcing and climate change. His working life is broadly divided into three parts. Listening to and prioritising stakeholder expectations of Marks & Spencer, integrating them into corporate strategy and working with shops, business units and suppliers to deliver more sustainable products and wider business activity.
Prior to joining Marks & Spencer in 2000, he worked as an environment manager in the engineering sector and as an environmental consultant. He is a chemistry graduate from Sheffield University.
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Dr Philippa Bayley
Philippa Bayley trained in developmental biology and neuroscience, always looking to engage a wider audience in her work, particularly neuroscience. She now supports academics across the University of Bristol with public engagement work, helping them to find funding, execute projects and share learning across the institution.
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Pamela Agar is the Head of Digital Media and Marketing for the Communications Division at Imperial College London. She has over ten years of higher education communications, events and project management experience, and was recently responsible for managing the redesign of Imperial’s website and the College’s centenary celebrations in 2007. In her current role, Pamela manages Imperial’s institutional web presence and video production capabilities, experimenting with new styles and approaches to tell College research and education stories in a compelling way. In the past year, her team has launched Imperial on Twitter, an Imperial YouTube channel, a student blogging initiative and embedded video into College news stories online.
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Professor Jim Al-Khalili
Jim Al-Khalili is a professor of physics at the University of Surrey where he lectures and carries out research in theoretical nuclear physics. He also holds a chair in the Public Engagement in Science there and spends half his time as a science communicator. He is author of several successful popular science books and is a regular contributor to radio and television science and history programmes, including presenting two recent BBC series, "Atom" and "Science and Islam". He is currently writing a book on medieval Arabic science to be published by Penguin Press next year. In 2007, he received the Royal Society’s Michael Faraday medal and prize for science communication. Jim is a trustee and vice president of the British Science Association and a senior advisor to the British Council on science and technology.
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Miss Claudine Anderson
The Wales Gene Park is a partnership between Cardiff University, Techniquest and NHS Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. One of the key objectives of the Wales Gene Park is to raise public awareness of genetics and this is being achieved through a range of innovative projects. As the Public Engagement Officer, Claudine develops, delivers and evaluates projects which raise the public and school audiences’ awareness of genetics and encourage discussion about the wider issues surrounding advances in genetics.
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Mr Edward Andersson
Edward Andersson is the Deputy Director of Involve, a leading not for profit organisation specialising in public and stakeholder engagement. Edward has the lead responsibility for developing and managing Involve’s practical participation projects and is an expert advisor for peopleandparticipation.net - one of the UKs most comprehensive participation sites. He also advises a number of organisations on public engagement strategies; including the OECD and various UK Government Departments, including the Ministry of Justice and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. In the past Edward has delivered participatory processes with the BBC, the Northern Ireland Office, the NCVO, the States of Jersey and numerous local authorities. He is a member of the International Association for Public Participation and the International Association of Facilitators.
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Dr Kat Arney
Kat Arney joined Cancer Research UK in 2004, after spending six years as a laboratory researcher. In her role as a Science Information Officer, she translates science-speak into plain English, so that everyone can understand the charity’s vital work.
Kat loves talking about science, and regularly comments in the media on the latest discoveries as well as giving talks to staff and supporters. She presents and produces the showcase Cancer Research UK podcast, helps to write the charity’s Science Update blog, and also co-presents the highly successful Naked Scientists BBC Radio show in her spare time. She is also a freelance writer and musician, and rarely sleeps.
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Mr Atul Arya
Atul Arya is the Chief Advisor for Energy and Climate Policy for BP. He is responsible for analyzing the impact of energy and climate policies on BP’s long range participation choices and for developing BP’s strategic and policy response. Atul joined BP in 1988 and has held various commercial, technical, planning and strategy leadership roles in BP’s Exploration & Production business, BP Solar and the Corporate Headquarters. He spent the early part of his career as an oil industry consultant in US, UK and the Middle East. Atul is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Council. He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and has previously served on the boards of Tata BP Solar, Green Mountain Energy Company and the US Solar Energy Industry Association. Atul holds a doctorate in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Mr Chris Bagot
Christopher Bagot is a founding director of Softroom Architects. For over a decade, Softroom have developed a reputation for design excellence, creative innovation and skilful delivery, working on a wide spectrum of projects including buildings, bridges and interiors for public, educational, residential, retail and commercial uses, transport and exhibition design. Chris has overseen many of these projects, including the new Sackler Centre for Arts Education in the Grade 1 listed Henry Cole wing of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the new student facilities at Glyndwr University and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow.
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Mr Mike Barry
Mike Barry is Head of Sustainable Business at the UK retailer Marks & Spencer.
He was part of the small team that developed the company’s groundbreaking Plan A, a 100 point, 5 year plan to address a wide range of environmental and social issues. He helps provide the vision and the energy to affect change and ensure a leading but efficient approach to sustainability across the company.
He deals with issues as diverse as sustainable fish sourcing, chemicals in products, labour standards in factories, animal welfare, food miles, privacy and data protection, genetic modification, fair trade, wood sourcing, community investment, cotton sourcing and climate change. His working life is broadly divided into three parts. Listening to and prioritising stakeholder expectations of Marks & Spencer, integrating them into corporate strategy and working with shops, business units and suppliers to deliver more sustainable products and wider business activity.
Prior to joining Marks & Spencer in 2000, he worked as an environment manager in the engineering sector and as an environmental consultant. He is a chemistry graduate from Sheffield University.
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Dr Philippa Bayley
Philippa Bayley trained in developmental biology and neuroscience, always looking to engage a wider audience in her work, particularly neuroscience. She now supports academics across the University of Bristol with public engagement work, helping them to find funding, execute projects and share learning across the institution.
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