Wendy Sadler
Wendy Sadler is the founding Director of science made simple – an award-winning social enterprise that offers science shows to schools and families across the UK and internationally. Since 2002 they have reached over half a million people with their engaging STEM presentations and have worked in over 30 countries. The company has a serious mission to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and to raise the profile of STEM within popular culture. In 2008 the ERA Foundation (along with IET and EPSRC) was one of three core funders that helped launch ‘Engineering Explained’ – a project focused on promoting what engineering is to schools and festivals. Wendy is a former Welsh Women of the Year and one of the UKRC’s Women of outstanding achievement. Science made simple was awarded the Rooke Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2009 for their work in the promotion of Engineering.
Wendy is also employed as a lecturer for Cardiff University and is a former member of the Science Advisory Council for Wales – advising Welsh government on STEM issues. She delivers public engagement training for researchers and has worked with Royal Society Fellows, The Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Physics to train their members to become better at engaging diverse audiences with their work.
David Price
David Price has been the Manager of Science Made Simple North from 2007 until present day. In his day-to-day role he has to understand the balancing act of running a social enterprise that has a variable mix of grant and sales income. He oversees the international development work of the company and supports new staff in their presenting development. He started his science communication career in 1998 as an exhibit builder, presenter and then science outreach coordinator of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. He is the recipient of the Manchester Science Festival Josh award for outstanding innovation in science communication for his work in developing and popularizing science busking techniques. Using these techniques as a form of peer—led learning, he went on to establish school busker training programmes which led to the Learning Outside the Classroom award for Innovation. David has gone on to specialise in this hugely mobile and inspirational form of science communication as an international performer and trainer dedicated to the grass roots communication of science. He has trained hundreds of researchers on how to engage wider audiences with their work, and worked in 26 countries. Currently he is working in this capacity on the European project “PERFORM”. David has also spent time in the voluntary sector on the board of Trustees for the Light Year Foundation Ghanaian educational charity.
Rachel Mason
Rachel Mason is a respected project manager engaging UK publics with the sciences, with specialism in operational and change management, and training/skills development for professionals in the STEM engagement industry. Her experience spans event and visitor centre management, strategic planning, budget, staff planning, recruitment and training, stakeholder management, evaluation, exhibition production and activity development/delivery.
She graduated from Keele University with a BSc combined honours degree in Biology and Psychology and after a period in Touring Theatre in Education, went on to gain a Masters degree in Communicating Science.
She divides her time between working on science made simple’s collaborative research projects and on consultancy services for a variety of corporate and public sector clients. Rachel is science made simple’s project manager for PERFORM.
Bethan Parkes
Bethan Parkes graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA in Geography in 2012. She went on to study for her PhD at the Open University, which she was awarded in 2016. She researched how volcanic gases from Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua affect the plants growing downwind and during her PhD fieldwork she worked with Earthwatch volunteers. She is now working part time for science made simple as Project Manager for PERFORM.
Leanne Gunn
Leanne collaborated with Science Made Simple during the first phase of the PERFORM project. She is a science communicator working for science made simple and manages their newest regional branch at The Open University in Milton Keynes, England. She has a PhD volcanology and loves encouraging people to take a closer look at the world around them in order to discover how it works. Leanne’s passion for science communication meant she has always jumped at any public engagement opportunity that came her way. She regularly presented science talks and workshops in local schools, did science busking in festivals with the British Ecological Society and was a learning volunteer at the Natural History Museum, London. While working for science made simple Leanne has presented science shows in schools and at events all over the UK and Ireland.