Bio
A Science Troubadour
As a musicals composer, singer-songwriter and graduate in the history and philosophy of science, the career path was clear. My mission was to light the understanding of muddied minds with clear, comic songs. I was to become a science troubadour.
Since my songs were featured on the Guardian Science Weekly Podcast I have been at the forefront of comic science communication. I have shared stages with the likes of Robin Ince and Professor Brian Cox, Bill Bailey and Professor Richard Dawkins. I have lit up such eminent scientific institutions as CERN in Geneva and the Royal Institution of London.
As a qualified science teacher with an MA in science education, I am an expert in using songs in the classroom, as a revision tool and a means to communicate complex information in a simple, engaging way.
My Philosophy
Why is science important? Two reasons.
1. Scientific ideas are amazingly interesting!
2. Scientific understanding is key to making decisions about our health, our environmental impact, and many of the other big decisions we make as a society.
Scientific knowledge should be understandable and accessible for everyone regardless of age, training, gender or culture. But many people are put off from science. Why? Four reasons:
1. They don’t like technical language
2. They think you have to be really clever to understand science
3. They weren’t taught in a fun way at school
4. They believe that science and creativity can’t be combined
As a science troubadour I battle against these barriers to science. I produce resources, shows and experiences that bring science to life, making it understandable and memorable for all types of audience.
With songs and songwriting you can:
ENGAGE – create an emotional connection to science.
FAMILIARISE – introduce difficult words and in a friendly way
HELP UNDERSTANDING - lay out information clearly and succinctly
ENHANCE MEMORY - melody, rhythm and rhyme help embed memories
BRIDGE THE “GAP” BETWEEN ARTS AND SCIENCE - help people who define themselves as not “sciency” to identify with scientific ideas