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Professor Halligan gained qualifications in psychology, philosophy and education at University College Dublin. A research psychologist and neuroscientist by background, he has worked in neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry and neuro-rehabilitation. In 1985, he moved from Ireland to work at Rivermead, a specialist NHS neuro-rehabilitation Centre in Oxford as a research psychologist while also perusing a PhD in neuropsychology. In 1987, he joined the Neuropsychology Unit at the Department of Clinical Neurology in Oxford University and in 1997 following a MRC Senior Research Fellowship award joined the Department of Experimental Psychology in Oxford. In 2000, he moved to Cardiff’s School of Psychology as a Distinguished Research Professor. In 2003, he became the founding Director of the Cardiff University’s Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) and later in 2006 Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies at Cardiff University. In 2012, he joined Universities Wales as Head of Strategic Futures as part of a 2 year secondment. From there he became Chief Executive of the Learned Society of Wales in 2015.

At Cardiff, he played a central role in establishing Cardiff University’s Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Wales Research and Diagnostic Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Centre (PETIC), Wales Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (WICN), the UnumProvident Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research, the Cardiff Cognitive Neuroscience Seminar Series, School of Psychology MindArt project, the Haydn Ellis Distinguished Lecture Series and Cardiff’s University Research Institutes.
 
His own research has been reported widely in the national and international media including New York Times, Conversation, Economist, New Scientist, Guardian, Western Mail, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, BBC Radio 4. He is Co-editor of the international journal Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, and has published over 200 papers including papers in Nature, BMJ, Lancet, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Trends in Cognitive Science and also edited 10 books.

He was a former Director of the British Neuropsychiatry Association, and is a member of QS World University Rankings Advisory Board and Science Advisory Council for Wales.

In 1993, he was awarded the British Psychological Society’s early career Spearman Medal for outstanding published research and in 2005 the BPS Presidents’ Award for outstanding contributions to psychology. He is recognized as a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Psychological Society of Ireland, Academy of Medical Sciences and Royal Society of Biology. 

From 2010-2014, he was Chair and Academic lead of the Welsh Crucible, the all -Wales staff leadership programme for early career researchers. This flagship researcher development programme, showcased at the European Commission in Brussels, won the Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to Leadership Development in 2013. 

In March 2018, he moved from the Learned Society of Wales to become the third Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, working with the Welsh Government.

Kirsty Williams has been Wales’ Education Minister since May 2016. She entered government following an agreement with the previous First Minister, leading a “national mission of education reform” at all levels. 

The current First Minister and Education Minister affirmed their commitment to this progressive agreement in December 2018, updating it with additional education priorities and responsibilities, including further education, science, research and innovation.

Ms Williams leads the Government’s education programme, which includes reducing infant class sizes, delivering the most equitable and progressive student support system in Europe, and transforming the school curriculum.

She has been the Assembly Member for Brecon & Radnorshire since 1999, and was leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats 2008 – 2016. She was the first female leader of a Welsh political party. She is married to a farmer and the couple have three daughters. They live on the family farm outside Brecon.

Tom is Professor of Digital Education & Policy at Swansea University. His academic interests sit at the research/policy interface: STEM education, science/innovation policy, digital public services, data science, intelligent systems, and infrastructure for the digital/data economy. He has been heavily involved in curriculum reform in Wales: in 2013, he chaired the Welsh Government’s review of the ICT curriculum; chaired the development of a national Digital Competence Framework in 2016; and in 2017 was invited to lead the development of the Science & Technology area of learning and experience in the new Curriculum for Wales (with the first draft published in April 2019).

Tom is also a Commissioner of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, as well as a Vice-President of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. Twitter: @ProfTomCrick

Russell George AM has been the Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire since 2011. He is Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure and currently chairs the National Assembly's Economy, Infrastructure & Skills Committee which holds the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters on issues pertaining to economic development; transport; infrastructure; employment and skills.
 
Russell’s priorities include supporting and encouraging new business start-ups and small business growth. He has also been previously involved in promoting improved transport infrastructure in Mid Wales including the Newtown bypass and has also campaigned for improvements in the availability of superfast broadband and mobile coverage in rural Wales.

 

Dai Lloyd was born in Tywyn, Gwynedd. He studied at Lampeter Secondary School, going on to study at the College of Medicine in Cardiff.

After graduating, Dai Lloyd became a GP in Swansea. Before entering the Assembly, Dr Lloyd was a County Councillor in the city and county of Swansea.

Key interests and achievements
His political interests naturally lie in the fields of health and local government. Dai is also the Chair of Governors on Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg y Login Fach. He also is a lay preacher, and regularly gives sermons in Christian Chapels around Britain.

Dr Nigel Newton is a Research Associate at WISERD, Cardiff University. He has recently co-ordinated a Welsh Government funded project exploring the potential impact of curriculum reform in Wales on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He is interested in the place of knowledge in education and ways students encounter and engage with it. His previous research involvement includes work on graduate employees, student course choice, formative assessment and school culture.

Sue Quirk is a long-standing teacher of Design and Technology. In 2013 as Head of Faculty at Ysgol Glan-y-Môr Carmarthenshire, she introduced and subsequently led a STEM enrichment programme which saw the school named Young Engineer’s School of the Year in 2016. The same year Sue was awarded the Joan Sjøvoll  STEM Leadership Award by STEM learning UK. In 2017, she was runner up in the Professional Teacher Awards Cymru in the Collaboration to Improve Learning Opportunity category for her work in bringing together a network of STEM businesses, industries, organisations, FE and HE establishments to inspire and develop her pupil’s interest and achievements within STEM. For the past two and a half years, she has been part of the curriculum working party responsible for developing the Science and Technology Area of Learning and Experience. During the last 18 months, she has also been supporting other schools in South West Wales through secondment to the ERW regional consortia and has recently taken on the role of Teacher Coordinator for South West Wales for the Royal Society of Engineering.

Nick was born and bred locally and was educated at Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School.  He went on to study at Durham and Cardiff Universities.  After a spell in the private sector and working as a political advisor, Nick was elected to Monmouthshire County Council in 2004 for the ward of Mardy near Abergavenny.  In his role as a local councillor, Nick was involved in numerous campaigns supporting residents and standing up for local people.

Nick was first elected to the Welsh Assembly in 2007 and has since held the most senior shadow ministerial portfolios including Local Government, Business and Health.  Nick is currently the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and chairs the influential Public Accounts Committee, which scrutinises expenditure by the Labour-run Welsh Government and other public bodies in Wales.  In September 2018, Nick was reappointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Conservative Party’s Membership Ambassador.

Nick was re-elected by the people of Monmouth in May 2016 with a majority of over 5,000 votes.  Nick has run numerous successful campaigns including to save Monmouthshire from abolition and has fought alongside local residents for a Cancer Patients' Fund for Wales to end the postcode lottery in access to life-extending cancer drugs.

Nick lives in Raglan with his wife Jennifer and son James.  

Professor Graeme Reid is Chair of Science and Research Policy at University College London.  He is a member of the Council of Research England.

He has spent most of his career at the interface between science and Government, having worked in the Business Department, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury and before moving to UCL.

Graeme was specialist advisor to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee during their extensive inquiries into Brexit and, more recently, industrial strategy.  He is a member of the Government’s High Level Group on EU Exit, Universities, Research and Innovation.  He has led research and innovation policy reviews for the Scottish Funding Council and the Welsh Government.

He is Chair of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, a Trustee of the Association of Medical Research Charities and strategic advisor to the National Centre for Universities and Business.

Graeme began his career at the National Engineering Laboratory.  He has a BSc in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Fellow of the Institute of Physics, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Chartered Engineer.

Jo Reynolds is a member of the Leadership Team and Director of Science and Communities at the ÂÜÀòÉç (RSC). She oversees policy, communications and parliamentary affairs, scientific community networks and inclusion and diversity. Jo has more than 20 years’ experience in the non-profit sector, focused mainly on scientific research, community engagement and strategy. Prior to the RSC, Jo spent the majority of her career in two major biomedical charities, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust. Jo is in the process of qualifying as an Executive Coach. She has a degree and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge.

Kelly Smith is a Senior Education Policy Adviser at The Royal Society. She currently leads the Society’s programme of work on creating the conditions for a broad, balanced and connected post-16 curriculum, which seeks to change the A level system within the next decade. Prior to The Royal Society, Kelly worked as a Policy Advisor in the Government Digital Service (GDS), where she led the GDS Parliamentary Unit, and worked as part of the EU Exit team looking at departmental digital preparedness. Kelly has also worked on assessment and qualifications policy at AQA, and was previously a Guidance Manager at a sixth form in Durham.

Conor started work with British Council as science adviser for Scotland and has worked overseas as Deputy Country Director in Tanzania and Country Director for Croatia and Slovenia.  He previously worked in the Scottish Parliament and has also been an elected city councillor in Edinburgh.  His current role involves advising our global network of offices on UK science policy and opportunities for partnership and research mobility, as well as ensuring the whole of the UK gets the benefit of this  He leads on research partnerships for the Americas, Wider Europe, Middle East and Africa. A scientist by background he holds a Ph.D. in earthquake seismology.

Charles Tracy is the Head of Education at the Institute of Physics. Charles started teaching in Hertfordshire in 1987. He worked as a physics teacher, head of physics, head of science and an adviser, and joined the Institute in 2006. Over the years, he has written textbooks, been involved in curriculum development and developed websites. He has led many CPD sessions for teachers and has particular interests in the teaching of energy and the notion of difficulty; he has written on both topics. He now runs the Institute’s programmatic and policy work in education, overseeing a number of major national projects – including the Stimulating Physics Network, Opening Doors and the teacher training scholarships.