Theme: Aspire to Inspire

TEDxFrome is a unique 1 day event that draws from the remarkable wealth of innovation, creativity, and inspiration found within Frome and beyond. Frome is a trailblazer, it has embraced the independent, the free-spirited, has looked to the future and reshaped it. But we think we can go further. Who are the visionaries of our future?

Merlin Theatre
Bath Road
Frome, Somerset, BA11 2HG
United Kingdom

Abigail Thomson

Sustainable Technologies scientist

PhD research student at the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies (CSCT), University of Bath. The CSCT is a multidisciplinary research centre, focusing on developing new molecules, materials and processes for sustainability. Abigail’s current research is within a team who are using computational modelling to predict the carbon dioxide capture and utilisation technologies that we should consider investing in, as well as the infrastructure and transport required to see them implemented.

Andy Hawkings

Composer/Musician

Andy Hawkings demonstrates why Collective Songwriting is such a powerful and important tool. He has since used the technique as a team building exercise with many organisations including the UN, BBC, Barnardo’s, Youth Connect, Edventure and twentyfifty. Andy writes, records and produces his own and other’s music, and teaches music and guitar throughout the South West. He regularly performs with his rock band for kids – ‘Rocktopus’.

Asier Marzo

Engineering Scientist

Asier Marzo was born in 1986 in Pamplona (Spain) he studied Computer Science in the Public University of Navarre (Spain). Across his PhD he research in Mobile Applications for Education, Augmented Reality and finally in Acoustic Levitation. Currently, he works as a Research Assistant at Bristol University (United Kingdom). His research interests are to achieve individual acoustic manipulation of thousands of objects for tissue engineering or novel displays as well as to bring acoustic levitation to the general public.

Christof Lutteroth

Computer Scientist /

Christof Lutteroth is a lecturer at the University of Bath, specializing in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. Originally from Germany, Christof did a PhD at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2008. After being a lecturer in Auckland until mid-2016, he moved to Bath where he is working on gaze user interfaces and virtual reality.

Hettie Colquhoun

Aid Field Manager

Hettie Colquhoun currently works in Northern Greece as Field Manager for the British grass roots organisation Help Refugees, previously working in the unofficial refugee camp known as ‘The Jungle’ and other smaller camps in Northern France.

Ioannis Costas Batlle

Sport Educationalist

Ioannis is a PhD student in the Department of Education, at the University of Bath. Until he figures out how to describe himself – ‘inter-disciplinarian’ could really mean anything – he’s just a ‘dude’ (with aspirations to become The Big Lebowski’s ‘The Dude’). When not making references to cult films, he researches how charities use sport to help disadvantaged young people. As a stand-up comedy enthusiast, Ioannis has written about how researchers can use comedy to share their ideas. He has also performed mildly amusing stand-up routines about his own research.

Jessica Lee

Student

A Dyslexic view on Dyslexia. Year 10 Frome College Student Jessica Lee will tell her story of what it’s like being in the education system with the gift of Dyslexia. The learning difficulty that has funny spelling mistakes and pronunciations. She will talk about what it is, how you can help and the sliver lining.

Joseph Hyde

Composer, sound and media artist

Joseph Hyde has a long experience as a composer of electronic music, and has also diversified into audiovisual work and collaborations with technologists and scientists. Currently he is building a huge and crazy analogue synthesiser. He runs the Creative Sound and Media Technology course at Bath Spa University.

Kit Yates

Mathematician

Kit Yates is a lecturer in Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath and a popular science writer. Kit’s research has demonstrated, unexpectedly, that mathematics can be used to describe all sorts of phenomena from embryo formation to locust swarming and from sleeping sickness to egg-shell patterning. He is particularly interested in the role that randomness plays in Biology. He completed his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Oxford in 2011. His research into Mathematical Biology has been covered by the BBC, the Guardian, the Telegraph, the Mail, RTE and Reuters amongst others. Independently, his writing about the enjoyment and ubiquity of Mathematics has appeared in the Times, the i, the Independent, the Mail, and popular science publications such as Scientific American and IFLscience. He has also made appearances on the BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory and even on Watchdog! Kit has also set real-world-based mathematical puzzles which have appeared in a range of newspapers, on tube adverts, on the radio and on Dara O’Briain’s School of Hard Sums. You can find out more about Kit’s research and science communication on his website - http://kityates.com/

Rob Wortham

Computer Scientist

Currently undertaking a Computer Science PhD at the University of Bath researching autonomous robotics, with a focus on domestic applications and ethical considerations. How does human natural intelligence (NI) interact with AI, and how do we make the behaviour of these systems more understandable? What are the risks and benefits of AI, and how can we maximise the benefit to society, whilst minimising the risks? I am interested in real world AI for real world problems. Previously Founder and CFO of RWA Ltd, a major international company developing IT systems for the leisure travel industry. Proven leader in the analysis, design and delivery of large and complex systems.

Russell Clayton

Creative Manager

Russell grew up in Kent, studied Maths at the University of Warwick. After 5 years of studying and partying he decided that despite being completely in love with the subject, a maths-based career wasn’t going to work out for him and he embarked on a career in Marketing, Events and Creative Strategy. He is now the Managing Director of Rosie Lee, a creative agency with family values at its heart. Since its inception 16 years ago Rosie Lee has evolved from a collective of designers into a creative agency with offices in London, Amsterdam, New York and Frome. In addition to managing Rosie Lee, Russell is also a partner in Vintage Mobile Disco Ltd and Canvas Tales Ltd.

Victoria Scowcroft

Astronomer

I’m originally from Derbyshire, and I got my undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Leeds in 2006. I got my PhD from Liverpool John Moores University in 2010. After that I went to The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Pasadena, CA, USA for 7 years, first as a postdoctoral research associate (5 years) then as a senior research analyst (2 years) from 2009 – 2016. I moved to the University of Bath in October 2016 as a Prize fellow. My research is focused on variable stars, in particular using the Spitzer space telescope to study them in the infrared.