About the Discovery Decade

Alok is a science correspondent for The Economist where he covers everything from climate change to particle physics and coronavirus to AI. He presents the weekly “Babbage” podcast, and writes The Economist’s “Simply Science” newsletter. Before that, he worked as a science correspondent for ITN and the Guardian, covering daily news and current affairs for more than a decade. He has also written and presented multiple TV and radio series for the BBC and podcasts for the Guardian and others. In 2018, he spent a year as a Wellcome fellow, researching storytelling formats for complex topics. He is also the author of three popular science books, including The Water Book.

Alistair’s role includes leadership of governance, communications, development, marketing, legal, inclusion, regulatory compliance and supporting partnerships with federation members. He was Chief Executive of Universities UK (UUK) from 2017 to 2022. Leading the representative body for the UK’s 140 universities – a registered charity and six subsidiary entities – his role included influencing policy, political engagement, strategy and member engagement. Before this, he was UUK’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of External Relations since 2013. Previously, he was a Director at the University of Birmingham and has also held external engagement roles for national organisations in the public and private sectors. Alistair received a CBE in 2022 for services to Higher Education and Supporting the Higher Education Sector in its response to the Covid-19 crisis. He was educated at the Universities of Kent, Leicester and the Institute of Education, UCL​.

Liz Hutchinson is Director of Communications and Marketing for the British Academy, the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. She was previously Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Goldsmiths, University of London and has held communications roles in organisations including the Electoral Commission, the General Social Care Council and The Learning Trust. She is a trustee of charities Music for Youth and Bridging Arts and a member of the British Library Advisory Board.

Ravi is the Chief Executive of Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good. Before joining in December 2019, Ravi previously co-founded the Airbel Impact Lab at the International Rescue Committee where he was responsible for designing, testing and scaling products and services for people affected by crisis in over 40 countries. Ravi has held several roles in central and local government, including Director of Strategy at the Department of Energy and Climate Change and strategic advisor to the Foreign Secretary. Ravi is also a Governor of the Health Foundation, and on the board of the Environmental Defense Fund, Europe.

Michelle works with governments, multi-lateral governmental bodies and international development organisations in all aspects of public policy, political advisory and public affairs. She is recognised as an innovator in the use of evidence to inform decision making, and in approaches to programme evaluation. She is an expert in applied behavioural approaches and public communications and is the founder of the WPP Executive Education Programmes in Public Communications and Behaviour Change at the University of Oxford and the National University of Singapore.

Tabitha is an advisor to government, academia and business on all things AI. She’s the Exec Director of Innovate Cambridge, starting a conversation about an ambitious and inclusive innovation vision for The Greater Cambridge Region. Tabitha is also Chair of the UK government’s AI Council and a member of the DCMS Digitial Economy Council. Most recently she co-founded CogX, an app, festival and leadership summit for emerging technology, now a friend supporting the company’s event in the autumn. Tabitha was also the co-founder of video distribution company Rightster (IPO 2011.) Tabitha is the author of How To Talk To Robots – A Girlsguide to a World Dominated by AI.

Tim directs Ulster’s research strategy, governance and administration, and guides its commercial output through knowledge transfer and intellectual property commercialisation. He also holds the position of CEO of Innovation Ulster Ltd, Ulster University’s award-winning venturing and investment company. He is an experienced and skilled member of the Board of both young companies and mature public Institutions, including serving as a Director of many of Ulster’s spin out companies, Invest NI and the Knowledge Transfer Network, and is currently Chair of Young Enterprise NI and trustee of Blick Shared Studios.