Our people

A bit about me...

I joined We The Curious in 2000, when we were still At-Bristol. I continue to be so inspired by the mission and love engaging the curiosity of our visitors and partners. My role is to lead the charity in line with our manifesto pledges, goals and values. I feel incredibly privileged to be part of We The Curious, having been on this journey every step of the way, and am very excited to see what the future holds.

Best thing about working in We The Curious?

I love being part of something where I feel like we’re making a real difference to the world. I believe that science has never been more important than it is now and am grateful that my job allows me to be a part of that.

Image credit: Lisa Whiting

A bit about me...

My name is Lydia and I'm part of the Leadership team. I lead on the development and implementation of the commercial and operational strategies. I get involved in all kinds of projects and jump between long term planning and reactive operations. I love being outdoors and spend any free time cycling, running, walking, paddle boarding and open water swimming.

What makes me curious...

I am curious about how we can use science to help us reach carbon net.

Image credit: Lisa Whiting

A bit about me...

As Audience Director at We The Curious I lead the marketing and inclusion teams. I guide the charity’s strategic mission to create visitor-led programmes, spaces, and experiences. I am passionate about how cultural spaces can celebrate and be led by their communities to create more inclusive and relevant experiences for everyone. At We The Curious we do this by developing long term partnerships across the city and the South West and working with our visitors in different and new ways. From the city-wide consultation that led to our rebrand in 2017 to Project What If, the first exhibition of its kind developed around the curious questions of Bristol, I am always amazed by what we can create when people come together to explore ideas. It's so exciting and hopeful. Outside of We The Curious I sit on the Bristol One City Children and Young Peoples Board, and enjoy Bristol exciting cultural and music scene. 

What makes me curious...

Oh tough question - everything?!! I have always been amazed by the structures and patterns that occur in nature how that can be used in bio architecture (as a little girl my mum often found my pockets fully of nuts, plants and seeds!). More recently I am becoming fascinated by emerging technologies and what that means for how we live and connect with each other - what will our lives look like in the future?

Image credit: Lisa Whiting

A bit about me…

I joined We The Curious in May 2022, just after our closure following the fire in April, so it was certainly an interesting time to start. I originally trained as an accountant at PwC, specialising in their not-for-profit sector, as I love working with charities. I have worked in senior finance roles across the charity and not-for-profit sector for the past 12 years and still genuinely love all things numbers — I’m a bit of a spreadsheet geek! Alongside this, I was a member of the ICAEW Charity Committee for over six years and served as Vice-Chair during that time.

At We The Curious, I lead the Finance, IT and Development teams. It’s a varied mix that keeps me on my toes, and I enjoy supporting teams across the organisation to turn ambition into reality.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and am kept busy by my two young boys. I also enjoy gardening and growing my own fruit & vegetables, being outside in nature, reading (when I get a chance!), and Pilates.

What makes me curious...

I’m curious about lots of things, from the everyday — how systems work, how people think, and how small changes can have a big impact — to the bigger questions about what makes us happy and why we make the choices we do. So many things to be curious about!

Image credit: Lisa Whiting

A bit about me

As Sustainability and Science Director, I have been responsible for Sustainable Futures at We The Curious since 2010. During that time, I have introduced a sector-leading programme of environmental best practice, innovative technologies, and organisational change. In 2019, I led We The Curious to become the first science centre in the world to declare a climate emergency and pledge to meet ambitious decarbonisation targets by 2030, implemented alongside climate change adaptation.

Beyond We The Curious, I have held positions as Head of Environmental Sustainability at UKRI, Elected Director of the Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, Mentor of Arizona State University’s Sustainability in Science Museums Global Fellowship, Chair of the ASDC Decarbonisation Group, Sustainability Advisory Group for Bristol Zoological Society, and member of the Bristol One City Environment Board. My background is in science communication and stand-up comedy.

Best thing about working in We The Curious?

Being able to make a real difference in tackling the climate crisis.

Image credit: Lisa Whiting

A bit about me...

Tom Betts is Chair of the Board of Trustees for We The Curious. He is also the Founder of data and AI advisory firm Many Numbers and Non-Executive Director at the UK Hydrographic Office.

Tom’s executive career has focused on the transformative power of technology, data and AI and spans several different sectors. Tom helped lead the digital transformation of the Financial Times where he held the role of Chief Data Officer and board member. He has also worked in education as VP Analytics for Pearson Plc where he led the use of advanced data analytics to improve language learning. At the FTSE100 group (owner of B&Q and Screwfix) he built the first global data and AI capabilities and applied them to improving supply chain efficiency and personalising shopping experiences for customers.

Tom holds 2 degrees in artificial intelligence and is passionate about allowing everyone to be curious about science.

What makes me curious...

I’m curious about how AI and data will change science. I’m fascinated by how they can help make the invisible visible, revealing hidden patterns in genomes, galaxies, and ecosystems to drive new discoveries. I’m excited to see how these tools will open new frontiers in science and how they will redefine what we believe is possible.

A bit about me...

Chris Sims has been a Trustee since 2014, and was between Chair between April 2016 and September 2021. He is keen that We The Curious has a dynamic and challenging ethos, one that inspires all stakeholders – visitors, staff, and Trustees - and the wider audience.

A qualified Chartered Accountant, Chris worked for 20 years in the Bristol area, firstly as Finance Director of Bakers Dolphin Travel, and subsequently of Brandon Hire PLC. He was a governor of John Cabot Academy for many years and served as Finance Director of Bristol Cathedral Choir School, and of City Academy, Bristol.

Semi-retired, Chris co-owns a café and bed & breakfast business, and is an active shareholder and employee of Edge Equipment Hire Ltd.

A bit about me...

Currently I am Head of Engagement at Imperial College London, where my team and I support hundreds of researchers, staff and students to engage the public with the amazing science they work on. My role is about embedding a culture of public engagement within the university, so that public and community voices are valued, involved and can make an impact. I am passionate about evaluation and research within engagement, and through my PhD and research positions have worked on topics relating to science capital and science education.  I previously worked at We The Curious back when we were @Bristol! It was one of my first steps into a career in science communication and I have very fond memories of developing activities for Toddler Takeovers and Brownie Sleepovers. My other roles include at Wellcome, the Natural History Museum and as an evaluation consultant with partners from the Royal Institution to ZSL London Zoo. Two common themes in my work have been helping researchers to build skills and motivation in engagement, and understanding more about inclusion and equity within engagement.  I bring experience and passion around evaluation and research, inclusion, science communication, and impact and strategy to the board. 

What makes me curious...

I love it when people have a passion. It can be anything at all, but when someone chooses to dedicate time and energy to a particular thing it just makes me want to find out more! I guess I use this a lot in my professional life – uncovering what has made someone spend their whole career following a particular species of worm, investigating a particular phenomenon or area of science is a great tool to engage others. But I also find it fascinating discovering the weird and wonderful passions of my friends and family – from baking skills, to favourite authors, sports teams or collections of clocks. I love the idea that so many different and varied things can bring each of us joy, and we can all become an expert in something. Even seeing someone engrossed in a sudoku on the tube makes me smile! 

A bit about me...

Simon Cooper is Communications Lead for the United Nations Development Programme Food Systems team, which works with food producing nations to combat deforestation and climate change. Simon has led strategy work at international sustainability organizations such as the Alliance for Water Stewardship, Better Cotton Initiative, ISEAL Alliance, Textile Exchange, Pesticide Action Network UK, Cotton Made in Africa and the Social and Labour Convergence Project. Simon previously spent 25 years as a broadcaster before becoming Communications Director at Classic FM. With a first degree in Geography from Cambridge University, he graduated in 2005 with an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice at the University of Bath. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

What makes me curious...

I am always curious about different worldviews, and working for an international organisation like the UN I am lucky enough to have many colleagues to supply them. I realised that, despite these conversations, my worldview remained male and Eurocentric, so I decided to stop reading books by white men. Since that change I’ve been to many different worlds in the company of great female and global majority writers, visiting 1984 with Julia, Winston Smith’s lover, and Zanzibar with a Nobel Prize winner. Now I’m curious about the next small change I can make to get a big result.

A bit about me...

Professor Kathreena Kurian is a Professor of Neuropathology and Honorary Consultant specialising in brain tumour diagnosis and research. She focuses on improving access to molecular diagnostics to deliver personalised care,  for children,  young people and adults. I am passionate about We the Curious, public engagement, patient involvement, and mentoring future scientists and doctors.

She has lived and worked in London, Edinburgh and Cambridge. She now lives in Bristol with her husband and two daughters and they love visiting We the Curious.

She sits on the National Cancer Research Institute, Brain Tumour Group, Cancer Research UK panels, Editorial Board Journal of Pathology, BRAIN UK and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists.

What makes me curious...

I am curious about how tiny molecular changes inside cells can drive cancer and shape treatment outcomes. I am equally curious about people — how patients experience illness and how we can ensure scientific advances are accessible, equitable and truly improve lives.

A bit about me...

I am the CEO of Creative Tuition Ltd, an organisation dedicated to widening access to STEM opportunities for young people from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds. Through work experience programmes, career workshops and skills development initiatives, we partner with schools, universities and industry to help students build confidence, develop employability skills and explore meaningful pathways into STEM careers.

Alongside this work, I serve as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer in the School of Biochemistry at the University of Bristol, where I contribute to initiatives that strengthen inclusive learning environments, address awarding gaps and support student-led change within biomedical sciences education. For the past six years, I have worked with universities, educators and students to examine how science education can become more inclusive. As part of this work, I co-authored a chapter in the University of Bristol publication Can Higher Education Be Decolonised? A Situated Case Study of an Elite University in the Global North. I completed my PhD in Aerosol Chemistry in 2023, investigating the surface tension of oscillating microdroplets. In 2019, I founded the Inspirational Bristol Scientist Award and was honoured to receive the award in 2025.

Beyond my professional roles, I host BCfm’s ShoutOut, a radio programme reaching over 200,000 listeners, and serve as a trustee of Bristol’s science centre, We The Curious.

What makes me curious...

Life itself. As a former scientist and now educator, being able to use science to understand the world and how it works generates more questions and curiosity. Being curious is the greatest give to yourself because it leaves you open to be surprised, enthralled and excited.

A bit about me...

Geoff is a proud Bristolian, he is also a Chartered Accountant who has advised small and medium sized businesses and not for profit organisations for all of his working life, as a partner in a national firm and then running his own practice. Geoff was a Bristol City Councillor from 2001 to 2024 and was Lord Mayor of Bristol in 2011-12. Now substantially retired, Geoff is a trustee of a number of local charities and a keen supporter of organisations that promote Bristol’s skills, knowledge and heritage.

Geoff first served as a trustee of We The Curious from 2016 to 2021, nominated by the City Council and was then invited back as an independent trustee in 2024.

“My father-in-law was a trustee from 1996 to 2006 and was involved in the move to the current building, so I was delighted to have the chance to follow in his footsteps. I was  even more delighted that our daughter was married in the planetarium and it is exciting that our toddler granddaughter enjoys being curious.

What makes me curious….

Two contrasting themes make me curious. One is the things I don’t understand. Science is right at the top of that list, so I see it as really important that the future generation have every opportunity to develop an understanding of the power of science.  That opportunity should be available to anybody whatever their background, with no one prevented from developing an interest in science.

The other thing that makes me curious is the things I understand. As an accountant, I enjoy figures and understanding them, helping to identify trends and systems, checks and balances, helping to decide future directions. As a Trustee, it is good to be curious and ask questions of the expert management team that run We The Curious.

A bit about me...

Sasha Pratt-Taweh, is a Public Engagement Officer at the Babraham Institute, which is a life science research institute dedicated to making fundamental discoveries. 

Sasha has a very impressive background in science centres having worked both at the Science Museum and Natural History Museum and began the diversity group at the Natural History Museum. 

Sasha is particularly passionate around supporting staff back into active work and the opportunities for the future, including youth trustees. 

A bit about me...

Annabelle is a scientist and engineer passionate about creating a better future through research, innovation, and communication.

She is currently on sabbatical, studying for a Master’s in Science Communication at UWE Bristol. Annabelle has held senior roles in STEM policy and strategy, including as Head of Research Excellence & Impact at the University of Bath and Head of Research & Development at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

With a love for all things water, her international career as a flood risk engineer includes being the third woman to operate the Thames Barrier in London.

Annabelle is also a dedicated advocate for diversity in science and an ambassador for our volunteer community. She is particularly focused on the future of We The Curious, from funding and relevance to how we tackle science miscommunication in an evolving world.

A bit about me...

Eilís is Artistic Director of Talent Development at Diverse City, a pioneering inclusive performance charity working nationally across the performing arts. With a background in directing, producing, and developing talent, Eilís leads projects that champion unheard voices and create pathways into the arts for underrepresented artists. She has led community projects in Ireland, Bosnia, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Sweden for disabled and non-disabled young people.

Eilís brings a deep commitment to equity, creativity, and systems change to her work. Her experience spans participatory arts, youth engagement, and the development of new work that challenges conventional narratives. She is passionate about creating spaces where curiosity, collaboration, and inclusion thrive.

As a trustee of We the Curious, Eilís brings expertise in equity, diversity and inclusion, disability awareness, evaluation and impact, the arts sector and organisational transformation, supporting the charity’s mission to make science and culture accessible to all.

Eilís is a neurodivergent, dog loving, working class, queer and a stubborn optimist that believes in a better future that includes everybody. 

What makes you curious...

I’m curious about how people connect — across difference, across disciplines, and across generations. I’m drawn to the spaces where art, science, and lived experience intersect, and I’m fascinated by how creative processes can unlock new ways of thinking, feeling, and belonging.

I’m especially curious about inclusion: not just who is in the room, but how the room is shaped. What stories get told, who gets to tell them, and what systems need to shift to make that possible? Curiosity, for me, is a tool for change — a way to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and imagine new futures.

I’m curious about how different perspectives can disrupt the status quo in brilliant ways.

A bit about me...

Patrick McAllister is the Green Party councillor for Hotwells & Harbourside ward, where We The Curious is located. He is the only councillor representing that ward and has been our councillor since February 2023.

Since he was first elected, Patrick has worked hard supporting local residents, community groups and businesses in Hotwells and Harbourside. Patrick is dedicated to ensuring clean, efficient transport for Hotwells & Harbourside, standing up for local residents to help them make their voices heard by the Council, and properly scrutinising developments around the harbour.

Patrick’s academic background is in climate science, which left him with an understanding of the difficulties and dangers of climate change and the importance of taking action to prevent and adapt to it. He is enthusiastic about promoting scientific information and education in society and strongly believes in the inherent value of science, and was therefore delighted to join We The Curious’ Board of Trustees in 2024 to support our mission.

What makes you curious... 

Ever since I can remember I have been fascinated by volcanoes, and I have always loved reading about them – my dream is to visit an active volcano and witness an eruption for myself – but from a safe distance!

In my day-to-day, I am curious about how to bring scientific solutions to the problems facing our society. From public health to ecological protections and demographics, a good understanding of scientific principles and knowledge is essential for policymakers. And climate change, the greatest challenge facing humanity, can only be addressed through a thorough and rigorous understanding and application of science.

A bit about me...

First elected in May 2021 as a Labour and Co-operative Councillor representing Horfield ward in Bristol, Councillor Tom Renhard is the current Leader of Bristol Labour Group and member of the Local Government Association’s Inclusive Growth Committee. He is also a member of Avon Fire Authority and leader of the Labour Group on there, supporting Avon Fire and Rescue to deliver for local residents.

 From May 2021 to May 2024, Tom was the Cabinet Member with responsibility for housing, leading on several key initiatives to drive forward an ambitious housebuilding agenda, improve services for local residents and work to strengthen the protections and rights for those living in the private rented sector.

Tom’s campaigning background is in housing. This has included being involved in high profile campaigns to bring in the eviction ban at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside an award-winning campaign that as part of the End Unfair Evictions Coalition secured a government commitment to bring an end to s21 no-fault evictions in the private rented sector. He has also co-chaired Bristol’s Living Rent Commission, exploring issues affecting renters that has now influenced national legislation that has seen ‘bidding wars’ banned.

 For many years, Tom worked in mental health setting up a charity called the Independent Mental Health Network, which empowers people with lived experience of mental health problems to influence mental health support. Tom has been a Time to Change champion focusing on bringing an end to mental health stigma and discrimination and worked for national mental health charity Mind, shaping how it involves people with lived experience in its work to improve mental health support across the country. 

What makes me curious...

As a keen traveller, I am curious about how we can bring together people from different cultures and communities to focus on making the world a better place. I firmly believe that we should all have the opportunity to experience difference, learn about what motivates others, see things through their eyes and if we can, walk a mile in their shoes.

Through being curious about the lived experience of others, we can collectively find the answers to many of the biggest challenges we face, and it has never been more important than the current turbulent times that we live in.

I am also curious for my two children, who as they grow, will continue to ask me ‘why’ things happen in the way that they do. It serves as a reminder that we must never lose the curiosity that we start our lives with, as we grow older.