Storytelling and science: sparking a passion for STEM

Simon Singh

Author, journalist and TV producer

After completing a PhD in particle physics at Cambridge University and CERN, Simon Singh decided that he wanted the rest of the world to be as excited about science as he is. And so he joined the BBC’s Science Department to work on programmes like Horizon and Tomorrow’s World, setting out on a career that seeks to inspire everyone with the wonders of science and mathematics.

In his closing keynote talk, Simon will talk about his work as an award-winning journalist, producer and author, and the lessons that he has learned in making complex ideas accessible to all. From a BAFTA-winning documentary on Fermat’s last theorem, to uncovering the mathematical secrets hidden in The Simpsons, Simon will excite and inspire us to think creatively about the storytelling of science, and opening the doors to the magic taking place inside our institutions even further.

About your speaker

Simon is a British author, physicist, and TV producer known for making science and mathematics fun and accessible. He’s written several popular books, including Fermat's Last Theorem, The Code Book (about cryptography), Big Bang (about the origins of the universe), Trick or Treatment? (exploring alternative medicine with co-author Edzard Ernst), and The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets (revealing hidden math in The Simpsons and Futurama).

In 2012, Simon started the Good Thinking Society to promote critical thinking and created a website called "Parallel" to help students with maths. He's also made documentaries, worked on TV shows including Tomorrow’s World, and is involved with various organisations, including being a trustee at the National Museum of Science and Industry, a patron of Humanists UK, and co-founder of the Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme.