The 2013 ASDC National Conference Speaker Biographies

Dr Teresa Anderson

Director of the University of Manchester's Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank

Dr Teresa Anderson is Director of the University of Manchester’s new Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank, a project she was responsible for developing and delivering from its inception to its opening in April 2011. She also led the successful bid to have Jodrell Bank put on the UK’s shortlist for World Heritage Site status.

An alumnus of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester, she also has a PhD in Electrical Engineering, alongside many years experience working in Science policy and engagement. She was awarded an MBE for services to Astrophysics in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2013.

The new Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre aims to ‘inspire the scientists of the future’ by engaging visitors with the high profile Astrophysics research being carried out at the Observatory. The Centre currently receives over 130,000 visitors per annum, including 12,000 school pupils who receive curriculum-linked Education sessions. Visitor numbers are rising steadily and expansion is planned to accommodate new audiences over the coming years.

The Centre takes a strategic approach to reaching new people, such as the inception of a new ‘Galaxy Garden’ based on astronomical themes and the ‘Live from Jodrell Bank’ Science-Music festivals, which reach around 25,000 attendees each summer.

Sir Mark Walport FRS FMedSci

Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government and Head of the Government Office for Science.

Previously, Sir Mark was Director of the Wellcome Trust, which is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health by supporting the brightest minds. Before joining the Trust he was Professor of Medicine and Head of the Division of Medicine at Imperial College London.

He has been a member of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology since 2004. He has also been a member of the India UK CEO Forum, the UK India Round Table and the advisory board of Infrastructure UK and a non- executive member of the Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research. He is a member of a number of international advisory bodies.

He has undertaken independent reviews for the UK Government on the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors: ‘Data Sharing Review’ (2009); and secondary education: ‘Science and Mathematics: Secondary Education for the 21st Century’ (2010).

He received a knighthood in the 2009 New Year Honours List for services to medical research and was elected as Fellow of The Royal Society in 2011.

Andrew Cohen

Head of Science, BBC Productions

Andrew Cohen is Head of the BBC's award-winning Science Unit with production bases in London and Glasgow. The BBC Science team produce a wide range of high-profile programmes including Stargazing Live; Bang Goes the Theory; Pompeii, Horizon; Operation Iceberg, Dara O' Briain's Science Club, Rise of the Continents, The Challenger, Planet Ant and Wonders of Life to name just a few recent successes.

Having worked in BBC Science for over 18 years Andrew has worked at every level of production from runner to executive producer, starting his film making career on Tomorrow's World before progressing on to Horizon and other landmark series such as Brain Story and How to Build a Human. In 2005 he was appointed Editor of the Horizon strand which he ran for 5 years and was also Executive Producer of series such as Wonders of the Solar System, Inside the Human body, Planet Dinosaur and a number of spin off series for CBBC.

He has won numerous awards including RTS, Broadcast, BPG, Peabody and BANFF and represents the BBC in a number of partnerships with The Royal Society, Cheltenham Science Festival and the World Congress of Science Producers.

Clare Matterson

Director of Medical Humanities and Engagement , Wellcome Trust

Clare Matterson is Director of Medical Humanities and Engagement at the Wellcome Trust. She has responsibility for medical humanities, public engagement, education, media and communications, the Wellcome Library and Wellcome Collection, the free destination for the incurably curious. Clare led the Wellcome Trust’s plans to establish the National Science Learning Centre – a major initiative with the UK Government to drive improvement in science education.

Clare joined the Trust in 1999 as Head of Policy, and produced the Trust’s first Strategic Plan. Prior to her time at the Trust, Clare worked as a Management Consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) advising universities, government departments and funding councils in the UK and overseas. She was a Senior Policy Adviser to the 1999 National Committee of Enquiry into Higher Education and has also worked for the Higher Education Funding Council and the Higher Education Quality Council. She spent two years at the State University of New York, following receipt of a Fulbright Fellowship.

Imran Khan

CEO, British Science Association

In April 2013, Imran took over as Chief Executive of the British Science Association – a charity which advances the public understanding, accessibility, and accountability of the sciences and engineering in the UK. He originally studied Biology at the University of Oxford, and Science Communication at Imperial College London. His professional experience includes a working as a freelance science writer, being a parliamentary researcher in the House of Commons, and running the Campaign for Science and Engineering, a political advocacy group for the science sector.

Abigail Appleton

Head of Commissioning, BBC Learning

Abigail Appleton is Head of Commissioning for BBC Learning which aims to create, connect and magnify powerful opportunities for learning across the BBC, working through radio, TV, online and public events. Current projects include a major new online product for knowledge and learning.

Before joining BBC Learning, Abigail was Head of Speech Programmes for BBC Radio 3 where she was the driving force behind the launch of BBC Radio 3's annual festival of ideas, Free Thinking. Throughout her career with the BBC Abigail has developed partnerships with many cultural organisations

Roger Highfield

Director of External Affairs, Science Museum Group

Roger Highfield was born in Wales, raised in north London and became the first person to bounce a neutron off a soap bubble. He was the Science Editor of The Daily Telegraph for two decades and the Editor of New Scientist between 2008 and 2011. Today, he is the Director of External Affairs at the Science Museum Group. Roger has written seven books and had thousands of articles published in newspapers and magazines.

Dr Penny Fidler

CEO, The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres

Dr Penny Fidler is the CEO of The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres, a membership organisation bringing together over 60 of the nation's major science engagement organisations. Together they engage 20 million people every year with the wonders of science.

Penny gained her PhD in neuroscience from Cambridge University and has fourteen years experience working in the field of science engagement, including setting up a millennium science centre and running a Science Exhibitions and Neuroscience Consultancy. As CEO of ASDC, Penny has created and directed many national strategic science engagement projects on subjects ranging from astrophysics to molecular biology. Each has an emphasis on bringing the latest excellent science and scientists to the fore, to enable adults and children across the UK to share in the delights of science. She has also consulted and worked worldwide and has spoken in the UK parliament on the importance of informal science learning.