We're delighted to introduce our speakers:

Power to the People: reclaiming research as social intervention
(Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah - CEO, New Economics Foundation)

Message in a Bottle: Creating safer spaces for marginalised voices in research and policy-making
(Professor Jason Arday - University of Cambridge)

New practices – new challenges? Ethics in Social Research
(Reema Patel - Founder and Director, Elgon Social Research and Dr Holly Taylor-Dunn - Freelance Consultant)

Panel: What makes a good funding application?
(Alex Beer - Nuffield Foundation and Beccy Shipman - ESRC UKRI)

Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah is Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation and author of "Power to the People: Use your voice, change the world" (Headline Press, 2024). Danny's previous roles include CEO of Oxfam GB, Secretary General of CIVICUS, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Interim Director of the Commonwealth Foundation and various posts at the Institute for Public Policy Research. He is a Trustee of the Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation and a member of the Quadrature Climate Foundation’s Advisory Board, and has previously been a Trustee of the Baring Foundation, Comic Relief, Disasters Emergency Committee and Praxis Community Projects. Danny's opinion pieces have been published in newspapers in more than thirty countries, and he regularly appears on broadcast media, including current affairs shows such as Hard Talk, Today and Question Time. He is a member of the United Nations’ High Level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs and has previously served on two UN High Level Panels, on digital co-operation and humanitarian finance. Danny holds a Masters and Doctorate from Oxford University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Sydney.

Jason Arday is Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education and a Fellow at Jesus College. Jason is a Patron of the Adult Literacy Trust (ALT) and Get Further. He was formerly a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading Race Equality Thinktank for 11 years. Presently, he is a Trustee of the British Sociological Association (BSA) and Autism Action. Jason sits on the NHS Race and Health Observatory Academic Reference Group and the ITV Cultural Advisory Council. Professor Arday’s research focuses on the areas of race and higher education, intersectionality and education, mental health and education, neurodiversity and cultural studies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reema Patel is Founder and Director of Elgon Social Research, an inclusive research, design and practice agency known for its deep expertise in inclusion,  participation and futures thinking, particularly regarding emerging technology. She is a strategic advisor to the UKRI funded Sciencewise programme, where she supports its work on AI governance. Previously she was Head of Deliberative Engagement at Ipsos, and she also co-founded the Ada Lovelace Institute, where she was part of the pandemic response team, and where she shaped its work on civic participation and on rethinking data. Her forthcoming book on AI governance 'Accountable AI', published as part of the Palgrave Pivot series, makes the case for society's continued engagement with emerging technologies in the AI and data driven age.

Dr Holly Taylor Dunn is is an experienced social researcher who has worked with, and researched with, survivors of trauma for 25 years. She began her career working with survivors of abuse, before moving to academia where she led research projects for charities, police forces and government departments. More recently, Holly led evaluations in a social research agency, before taking over as Head of Evaluation. Holly is currently working as a freelance consultant and is passionate about using her professional and lived experience of trauma to help others design safe and inclusive research.

 

 

 

 

Alex Beer is Assistant Director of Strategy at the Nuffield Foundation, responsible for the Foundation’s Strategic Fund and delivering strategic priorities through bold new projects and collaborative partnerships, alongside leading Grants Operations and contributing to the development and management of the Welfare grants portfolio. Prior to joining the Foundation, Alex was a senior economist in government, with over 15 years of professional experience leading evidence-based policy change. She led development of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Evidence Strategy, ran the department’s Model Development Unit and worked across government to establish and lead the first cross-departmental Child Poverty Unit as its Head of Strategy and Analysis. .