Communications Expand I’m Louise Ogden, Head of Communications. I lead our fantastic marketing and communications team to design and deliver the promotional campaigns for our programmes, as well as oversee our organisational tone of voice, brand, and messaging. I’m also a member of the BSA’s strategy group, where I work with our senior leadership team to set the strategic direction for the BSA. I’m interested in finding new ways to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of our comms output, and I have a real passion for the power of words and language to tell the story of the BSA’s work and our history. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Anissa Alifandi, Deputy Head of Communications. I work on developing communications activities in line with our mission, vision, and strategic objectives – whether that’s through our own channels, in the media, or interactions with other organisations and audiences. I'm leading on the delivery of British Science Week 2023 and also support on our thought leadership programme, For Thought. If you're interested in getting involved in the British Science Week campaign, let me know! (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Kushie Amin, Communications Officer. I work on the communications delivery of our key campaigns and events through social media, website content, press coverage and more. I work closely on the Smashing Stereotypes campaign, as well as Community Engagement communications and the British Science Festival. I believe that science is a force for change that should be accessible to all. Get in touch if you want to get involved or learn more about our work. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Beth-Louise Sturdee, Communications Manager. I oversee communications for our public-facing programmes including The Ideas Fund, our grants programme which enables the UK public to develop and try out ideas that address problems related to mental wellbeing. And also, the British Science Festival – a celebration of people, stories and ideas at the heart of science. I have a passion for bringing brands to life and telling a story by growing digital communities and creating real-world connections. In my current role, I have been developing plans to implement the Disability Confident scheme accreditation with a focus on neurodiversity, web accessibility, and recruitment. Get in touch if you would like to know more about or have ideas on how you think we can achieve this. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I'm Violet Yang, Communications Manager for Education. I mostly work on the communications and marketing of our education programmes, including CREST Awards, British Science Week, and other projects. I’m interested in enhancing our public profile in the science education sector and building a strong brand and reputation among educators, schools, and parents. I believe in the power of science education, which can bring life-changing opportunities for young people. Get in touch if you’re interested in how we promote our Education programmes. Whether it’s about our overall strategy or the nitty-gritty – like planning and delivery, to evaluation (and everything in between). I am open-minded and always welcome questions, creative ideas, and collaborations. [email protected] I’m Orna Herr, Communications Officer for Education. I work on promoting our education programmes, and discussing issues and ideas around STEM education in blogs and social media. I work closely with the Education team on CREST Awards and British Science Week. I am always keen to find new ways to communicate to teachers how CREST can be used to engage students with science, particularly students from groups underrepresented in STEM. Equitable education is the key, so I play a role in promoting various grants we have for schools in challenging circumstances. I lead the communications side of our popular British Science Week activity packs, from their initial development to shouting about them on social media in the run up to the Week! I run the British Science Week Twitter account year-round so follow for news and interesting facts! I also write the education newsletter, so send any questions about that my way. (She/her/hers) [email protected]
Senior Management Team Expand I'm Hannah Russell, Chief Executive. I’m responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership to maximise and demonstrate our impact. This includes championing our vision and goals with funders, policymakers, partners and other stakeholders as well as leading the team to bring our mission to life through our activities, communications and programmes. I am passionate about the power of science education and engagement to transform people’s lives. Please get in touch if you would like to support or partner with us. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Gill Riches, Director of Programmes. I lead the British Science Association's Education, Community Engagement, The Ideas Fund and Festival teams. The programmes that these involve include CREST Awards, the British Science Festival, the UK Science Festivals Network, The Ideas Fund and our collection of Community Engagement programmes which are for communities underrepresented in science and research. I’m passionate about creating opportunities for communities and young people to be able to engage with science and research on their terms and on topics which are relevant to them. I’m always keen to hear about new ways of doing this so do get in touch if you’d like to discuss this. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I'm Vijay Jassal, Director of Development and External Relations. I lead the External Relations Department, helping to raise awareness of our important mission and work, and the difference we're making across the UK. Our Communications, Policy, and Development teams work with like-minded people and organisations, including policymakers, businesses, and funders, to bring us closer to achieving our vision. The collaboration and support from our partners is vital in helping us to engage more people with science, especially people and communities who are often not included. Please do get in touch if you share our vision and would like to work together to achieve it. (He/Him/His) [email protected] I'm David Lloyd, Director of Finance. I lead the finance function at the BSA. I’m responsible for financial oversight, guiding financial strategy and innovation. This includes providing assurance to the Trustees, the rest of the Senior Management Team and stakeholders of strong financial process and management, and integrating the financial performance into the overall strategic plan of the BSA. I am the story teller converting numbers on a page into the bedrock for efficient and effective decision making across the organisation. As a chartered member of the ACCA with 12 years’ experience across the charity sector, I am as passionate as ever about the sustainable impact charities have on society. (He/Him/His) [email protected]
Engagement Expand Festivals I'm James Brown, Head of Festivals. My work involves setting the strategy and overseeing the development and delivery of the British Science Festival (BSF) and chairing the UK Science Festivals Network (UKSFN) which consists of more than 40 festivals across the UK. I lead the Festival Engagement team in ensuring that the British Science Festival is a vibrant and accessible festival which engages with diverse communities, especially those currently underrepresented in science. I’m passionate about making research and innovation relevant for everyone and providing opportunities for science to be part of the cultural landscape. Through the UKSFN, we are able to share best practise, innovate new methods of engagement and advocate for the importance of a healthy science engagement sector. Please do get in touch with me to discuss anything to do with the British Science Festival, public engagement with research or would like to find out more about the UKSFN. (He/him/his) [email protected] I'm Valia Giannakaki, Events and Festivals Operations Manager. My work mostly involves managing the logistical planning and delivery of the annual British Science Festival and the UK Science Festivals Network conference. I specialise in environmental and social sustainability and have a passion for making the BSA’s events greener and more accessible each year. I also oversee the recruitment for our temporary Festival Assistant positions, focusing on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and providing pathways to employment for people without much experience or those who are underrepresented in the events sector. Please get in touch if you have ideas on how to improve our event operations, would like to get involved in running next year’s British Science Festival, or are interested in all the Health & Safety work we did to be able to deliver an in-person festival in 2021! (She/her/hers) [email protected] Credit: Jack Powley Photography I'm Emery Howarth, Festival Engagement Manager. I mostly work on the British Science Festival, overseeing the management of the programming, from the initial planning phase to the post-festival evaluation (and all the bits in between!).I'm also involved in a number of related projects such as the British Science Festival Community Grants and the UK Science Festival Network (UKSFN) Making Connections programme - working to engage a variety of different audiences with these programmes. Ask me anything about the British Science Festival programme, engagement, and participation. Always happy to chat. (They/them/theirs)[email protected] I'm Louise Cooke, Festival Engagement Officer. I work on developing the programme for the British Science Festival and aiding its delivery. This includes engaging with a variety of audiences with the Festival and monitoring Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion practises within the wider sector. My role also involves bringing festivals together as a community of practice as part of our UK Science Festivals Network (UKSFN). Through this, we coordinate various projects and events to support our members, such as our annual conference and the Making Connections project. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you are interested in joining the UKSFN, are curious about the British Science Festival, or have an opportunity for science festivals that you would like us to shout about! (She/her/hers) [email protected] Community Engagement I'm Kate Orchard, Head of Community Engagement. I lead our Community Engagement team to co-create exciting Community Engagement Programmes designed to support diverse communities and inspire them to engage with science and research sector. We put inclusivity and accessibility at the heart of what we do. Importantly, we want to celebrate the talent, skills and insight of communities and provide opportunities for them to help shape the programmes we deliver. Our current Community Engagement programmes include the Community Leaders and Buddies programme which use principles of community organising to link researchers with community group leaders. In addition to, the Highlands and Islands Climate Change Community Grant, and a new Community Engagement Pilot testing out approaches to place-based, community-led research. Please do join our Community Engagement Network to stay updated on the BSA’s work with community groups. Do get in touch if you are interested in discovering more about our Community Engagement Programmes, or would like to explore partnership opportunities and collaborations. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Kareem Dayes, Community Engagement Manager. I mostly work on increasing the BSA’s engagement with grassroots community organisations and communities under-served by science and research. I also work on helping to grow the BSA’s Community engagement programmes portfolio and support the BSA’s Community Engagement Network. I have 15 years’ experience working as a community organiser and social entrepreneur building power for positive social change. Currently I’m really interested in cybernetics, machine learning and the power of data. My heritage is mixed Black Afro-Caribbean and White British and I have experienced first hand how science and maths can seem inaccessible or ‘not for you’. I’m deeply motivated to join the efforts to challenge and change these kinds of perceptions within society. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about our existing programmes or if you have an idea for a community-led science project you’d like to explore. (He/him/his) [email protected] I’m Heather Thomas, Community Engagement Officer. I work on the BSA's ongoing community engagement projects, including the British Science Week Community grants, the Highlands and Islands Climate Change Community Grant and the Community Led Research Pilot, whilst also supporting the wider Community Engagement Network. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about our community engagement work or if you’d like to join the Network! (She/her/hers) [email protected]
Policy, Partnerships and Impact Expand I’m Clio Heslop, Head of Policy, Partnerships and Impact. I lead a small team working to influence organisations from policy, business, civil society, media, research, and engagement sectors. I’m interested in making science institutions and spaces more inclusive to all, and in involving people in decision-making about science. I manage the BSA’s role in the Sciencewise consortium, I oversee events and activities for For Thought, plus I support my colleagues to run the Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, and our Future Forum programme. I have also been heavily involved in thinking through how to make the BSA more inclusive, through our Sustaining Excellence grant and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) action plan. I’m always keen to hear from other people working on EDI, so get in touch if you have questions, suggestions, or resources to share. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Natalia Grzomba, Policy and External Relations Manager. I manage the Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, which includes leading inquiries and liaising with parliamentary members and external partners. Together with colleagues in the Policy, Partnerships and Impact Team, I also develop activities and partnerships for the For Thought events and support the BSA’s role in the Sciencewise public dialogue consortium. I’m interested in bringing together stakeholders from across science, business, policy, and civil society. Get in touch if you would like to discuss cross-sector partnerships or if you have any questions about the APPG’s work. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Giorgio D'Agostaro, Development Manager. My role involves forming and managing partnerships with external organisations which align to the BSA’s vision and mission, and ultimately help us work towards achieving them. Over the past 5 years, I have worked on delivering successful corporate partnerships for British Science Week, the British Science Festival, the CREST Awards, For Thought and our Future Forum series. If you would like to support the BSA’s work across one or more of our programmes, please do get in touch. [email protected] I'm Carolyn Bishop, Partnerships and Advocacy Manager. I lead the Future Forums programme, helping to empower young people to share their views on issues and cutting-edge innovation that will affect their futures. My special interests lie in youth voice work and advocacy with young people (aged between 14 -18). I also work on other engagement and advocacy projects across the organisation, helping to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in science engagement and civil society organisations. I’m passionate about the place of science in society, and am focused on seeking system-wide change to allow greater agency among underrepresented people and communities. I’m always interested in learning from, and collaborating with, like-minded organisations, so please do get in touch if you’d like to share ideas, ask a question, or explore ways that we can work together. (She/her/hers) [email protected] - I'm Agasty Baylon Yogaratnam, Development Officer. I work closely to support the BSA’s partners, both new and current, to enable us to work together to achieve a future where science is more relevant, representative, and connected to society. As part of this, I work across a wide range of BSA programmes, managing partnerships for British Science Week, For Thought, Future Forums, CREST Awards, and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM. Interested in supporting the BSA, or have any questions about partnerships for the programmes listed above? Feel free to get in touch. [email protected]
Core support Expand I’m Sarah Day, Operations Manager. I’m responsible for Human Resources, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Data Protection, Internal Policy & Procedure, CRM systems and Contracts at the BSA. I work closely with all the BSA Programmes and Teams to support our people and continuously develop operational efficiency. I am passionate about building best practice to help the BSA deliver its mission and always interested in knowledge sharing with other organisations, so please get in touch. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I'm Katie Griffiths, Operations Officer and Committee Secretary. I support the BSA’s Council and their sub-committees in their governance of the organisation, and I provide HR and operational admin and support to the whole staff team. I am passionate about inclusivity in STEM and using my skills to support the BSA’s mission. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I'm Peter Benjamin, Finance and Office Manager. [email protected] I'm Noor Badshah, IT Manager. [email protected]
Education Expand I’m Maria Rossini, Head of Education. I oversee the Education team, and our work with educators, young people, and their parents and guardians. This includes our flagship young people’s CREST Awards scheme and the schools’ resources for British Science Week. I regularly present at events and conferences, as well as contribute to blogs and articles, and am passionate about equity in education. Ask me about strategy, funding our education vision, authentic learning experiences, Science Capital, STEM equity, speaking engagements, or partnership opportunities with CREST or British Science Week. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I'm Estelle Whewell, CREST Product & Partnerships Manager. Being a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) engagement professional, I enjoy developing partnerships and innovative programmes of activities that enable young people from all backgrounds and abilities to find the inspiration, skills, and confidence to pursue STEM career pathways. I strongly believe that by working together, we can support young people’s progression, celebrate their achievements, and empower them to make a difference. Be it in their own lives, or their communities - contributing to the world at large. So please contact me to discuss how the CREST Awards scheme could provide your organisation with a trusted framework and resources to connect young people, from the ages of 5 - 19 years old, to ‘real world STEM’. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Cristine Alcantara, Education Operations and Data Manager. I'm committed to ensuring your CREST Awards experience is as smooth as possible. I mostly work on supporting stakeholders with their general queries about CREST projects including application, submission, payment, assessment, and certificate printing and delivery. I also enjoy working on organising entries for the annual poster competition for British Science Week. Ask me about the CREST Awards process, missing certificates, or the poster competition. If you have suggestions for how we could improve our CREST Awards process, you are most welcome to let me know. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Susan Matambanadzo, Education Manager. I think science really is for everyone! I’m interested in finding new ways to inspire, connect and support teachers in schools with high numbers of young people less likely to be represented in STEM with great quality science engagement resources and opportunities to share their knowledge and experience with others. Ask me about the Engage teacher community and the BSA’s two grant programmes for schools in challenging circumstances: Kick Start for British Science Week activities and the Engage grants to fund CREST Awards. I am always keen to hear from schools and other organisations working toward a more diverse and inclusive STEM landscape. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Catherine Davies, Education Resources Manager. I mostly work on creating and developing BSA education resources, from conception through to final product. These range from British Science Week activity packs to new CREST Award activities and kit boxes. With a background in teaching and education, I’m passionate about finding inclusive ways to inspire and enthuse young people about science, giving them opportunities to make meaningful, real-world connections and helping them to see that STEM is for them. Ask me about how we develop high quality, engaging and relevant STEM resources and how these can be used in schools and beyond! (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Ellie Weightman, Education Officer. I mostly work on supporting projects across the education team, including our flagship CREST Awards, our British Science Week grants, and with our Engage community. I am passionate about encouraging and supporting young people in exploring STEM and widening opportunities to do so. Feel free to get in touch with me with any questions about CREST Awards, Engage and STEM engagement in general. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Carys Hubbard, the BSA’s Education Officer. I mainly work within the education team on resource creation, programme and event coordination, and supporting our audiences, in particular for Engage, the CREST Awards, and British Science Week. I strongly believe that science should be representative of, and accessible to, all young people and therefore enjoy working with educators to achieve this. Please get in touch with me if you have any questions about Engage! (She/her/hers) [email protected]
Grant programmes Expand I'm Chris Manion, Head of Grants. I’m responsible for The Ideas Fund, which supports communities to work with researchers to try out ideas related to mental wellbeing. We are funding projects in four areas of the UK – Oldham, Hull, North West Northern Ireland, and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and announced our first round of grants in 2021. Projects are supported by our brilliant Development Co-ordinators, who are local to each area. We’re always interested in hearing from other funders, charities, or institutions who are doing similar work, either in the same locations or elsewhere. So please get in touch if you have examples or ideas to share! [email protected] I'm Jill Cornforth, Grants Manager. I work on The Ideas Fund which connects communities with researchers to work on mental wellbeing projects. I lead on work in two of our focus regions; North West Northern Ireland and Oldham, finding out how we can make the biggest difference to how communities work with researchers there. I work across most parts of the wider fund, helping things run smoothly – often to be found with a spreadsheet or in Salesforce, or learning about new ways to share power in funding through participatory grantmaking. Ask me what we’re learning about doing public engagement with health research differently, or get in touch for a chat about how we can make these relationships work better in Oldham or Derry & Strabane. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I’m Kirsty Neale, Grants Manager. I work on The Ideas Fund which supports communities to work with researchers to try out ideas related to mental wellbeing. As part of this programme, I lead on supporting communities to work with researchers in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and in Hull. My background is in community funding so feel free to ask me about that, alongside learnings from The Ideas Fund - from participatory grant-making to doing public engagement with health research differently. I’d love to hear from you if you have any ideas on how we can make relationships work better in Hull or the Highlands & Islands of Scotland too. (She/her/hers) [email protected] I'm Vivian Akplah, Grants Officer. I support the delivery of our amazing grants programme - the Ideas Fund. I work with the team to support our projects in Hull, Oldham, the Highlands and Islands, and North West Northern Ireland. Ask me any questions about the Ideas Fund and all the amazing things we are doing! (She/her/hers) [email protected]
Treasurer Expand Kalli Bowyer Kalli is a finance executive with a background in international energy and agricultural commodities businesses. She is a Chartered Accountant (New Zealand), and has previously worked with Royal Dutch Shell for over 20 years, holding a variety of finance roles in Upstream, Downstream and Commodities Trading businesses based in Europe and Australasia. Kalli then joined ED&F Man as Head of Strategy for Sugar and Finance Director for Agri Industrials.
Deputy Chair Expand Matt Locke, Deputy Chair Matt founded Storythings in 2011 as a creative studio helping clients tell stories in an age of digital attention. Recent clients include Google Creative Labs, Channel 4, Pulse Films, Penguin, Faber & Faber, BBC, Wellcome Trust, WWF and Dazed & Confused. Before starting Storythings, Matt worked in digital media for over 15 years, including 7 years as Head of Innovation at BBC New Media, where he led many ground-breaking open data projects, including Backstage, Innovation Labs, and the BBC/Yahoo Hackday. He then went to Channel 4 in 1997 to lead their Education department, commissioning cross platform projects for 14-19 year olds. Before leaving Channel 4 to start Storythings, Matt was Head of Multiplatform, running the team that developed projects including Million Pound Drop, Big Brother, Skins and Misfits. Matt is on the board of BAFTA’s Learning and Events Committee and Children’s Committee, and is Chair of the board of Photoworks.
Appointed members Expand Dr Emily Dawson Emily is a lecturer in science communication at University College, London. Her work focuses on how people engage with and learn about science, with an emphasis on equity and social justice. Her research explores how to disrupt rather than reproduce social disadvantages in relation to science education, engagement and communication. Over the past 10 years she has carried out research on science learning and engagement in a variety of settings including science centres, museums, scientific societies and schools.Dr Steven Hill Steven is Head of Research Policy at the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Prior to joining HEFCE Steven was Head of the Strategy Unit at Research Councils UK, covering a range of research policy issues, and had several roles in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, working on evidence-based policy making. Earlier in his career Steven was a university lecturer at the University of Oxford where his research focused on plant physiology and biotechnology. Lana Hampicke Lana is Director of Market Risk Strategy and CRO Innovation at Credit Suisse. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, she was a senior manager at IBM and a financial advisor at Ernst & Young. She holds Masters degrees in economics and pure mathematics from the University of Manchester, and a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut. She is currently studying in the Technology & Engineering faculty at Stanford University. She is a member of the Institute of Directors’ Young Directors Forum (central London branch) and a guest speaker at the University of Oxford’s Said Business School.