STEMalive! Spotlight On Our Speaking Stars

STEMalive! Spotlight On Our Speaking Stars

As STEMalive! at TeenTech on 16 November is only a few weeks away, we thought we’d share some insights into our super speaking stars.  We can’t wait to hear the cool science-related career stories Judith, Neil and Sasha will be sharing with our fantastic sixth form audience.  

Judith Gregory   |  GSK

Judith started her career with an education/industry mix at P&G where she obtained a degree in chemistry whilst working in an analytical department.  During her 23-year career with P&G she worked across many categories including Health Care, Oral Care, Beauty Care and Prestige; finally specialising in fragrance analysis.  Her close collaboration with perfumers included highlights like recreating the smell of cricket and the scent of the Hugo Boss racing yacht.

In 2013 she joined GSK in the Consumer Healthcare Skin Health group where she is an R&D project lead using her knowledge to transfer new initiatives from R&D into manufacturing.  As part of the Royal Society of Chemistry and GSK’s Africa partnership Judith is one of the four-person team who run workshops in Africa with the aim of training over 400 scientists in analytical techniques.

Judith has a passion for inspiring the next generation of scientists and is very active in GSK’s Science Education program where she is involved with the GSK Germ Challenge, Big Bang, SATRO and TeenTech.

Neil Phillipson   |  Outsideology

Graduating from Kent University in 2000 with a Master’s Degree in Physics with Space Science and Systems, Neil had already founded his first “serious” company – an IT consultancy based around high-end database-driven websites.  Stemming from an early project for Railtrack (the predecessor to Network Rail), he specialised in database-driven process management systems for businesses in highly regulated sectors including finance, pharmaceuticals and even exam boards.

In 2008 he founded what became the UK’s fastest-growing astronomy retailer, and from this he created a number of further spin-off businesses including a specialist builder of astronomical observatories, a sport-optics business and a touring theatre company.

Today, his main role is as technical founder of Europe’s first purpose-designed astronomy village, a development of 50 observatory-houses with cutting-edge environmental credentials in the Bulgarian mountains.  Neil is an engaging speaker on astronomy and space travel; he lives in Surrey with his wife and two children.

Sasha Dodsworth   |   The Ecology Consultancy

Following completion of her MSc in Wildlife Management and Conservation at the University of Reading, Sasha joined The Ecology Consultancy.  She has extensive experience in surveying, developing and implementing mitigation measures for a range of protected species.  These include reptiles, great crested newts, badgers, bats and riparian mammals.  She also holds a Natural England survey licence for great crested newts.

Her expertise in protected species and 9 years in consultancy have seen her lead several high-profile projects, including winning an award for ecology work on Crossrail.  A holder of a Personal Track Safety Card, allowing her to work on or near a railway line, means she has undertaken numerous rail line ecological surveys across the country.

Sasha also gets involved with habitat surveys and Code of Sustainable Homes assessments.  She has produced many applications for European Protected Species Licences and the ecological management plans required for planning. 

She cares very much about standards in her industry and is a champion for developing upcoming talent.