Our team includes associates from a wide range of fields, all of whom have extensive experience of space-related science, engineering, business, education, communications or technology.
We also work with a wider network of freelancers, young professionals and sometimes students with expertise in space-related fields.
Some of the key members of our team are listed below.
Ravi Kapur is the founder and Managing Director of Imperative Space and GovEd Communications. He has extensive experience in science communication, education and media innovation, and has worked on numerous space-related creative communications and education projects. He is a strategic communications and project management expert, and has a previous track record of over fifteen years as a film-maker. Ravi's previous roles include Head of Innovation Challenges for NESTA, Head of Communications for Teachers' TV, and he also currently acts as chief operating officer for Carbon Visuals Ltd, GovEd's ground-breaking joint venture company with CarbonSense, focussed on the visual communication of greenhouse gas emissions.
Chris Riley is one of the leading space and science communication specialists and educators in the UK. He has been involved in science education, journalism, broadcasting and film-making for over twenty years, and is familiar to many for his regular appearances on radio and television. He regularly presents astronomy and space programmes across the BBC's TV and radio channels and web sites. He is the author of more than thirty science articles and books on astronomy and planetary science and produced the BBC's blockbuster space drama-documentary series Space Odyssey, in 2004, winner of the UK's prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award. He co-directed the globally successful In the Shadow of the Moon, and is the producer/director behind First Orbit. He is also the founder and director of online film archive company Footagevault.com, an Imperative Space portfolio project.
Adam Nieman is an award-wining science communicator, with a PhD in the visual culture of science and over twenty years of experience in science, education and the creative arts. Adam has developed innovative projects for clients ranging from ESA to Creative Partnerships, and is the innovator behind Space Signpost. He was the lead education and design consultant for GovEd on the school lab design consultation, Project Faraday. He has authored major multi-media resources for public and specialist audiences and has lectured in new media theory as well as science communication. Adam is a member of the British Interactive Group, the Space Education Council, and serves on the committee of the General Section of the British Science Association. He is also the Creative Director of both GovEd Communications and Carbon Visuals Ltd.
Becky is one of the leading space science educators in the UK. A former Senior Lecturer in physics at the University of Kent, she is now Head of Physics at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury, and Director of the Langton Star Centre, which allows school students to work alongside research scientists. She has been a Special Adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology, pioneered the introduction of particle physics into A level courses, and is leading development of the LUCID cosmic ray detector, due to launch on Techdemosat in 2012. She also established CERN@school and has presented for Horizon on BBC2. Becky advises on a range of Imperative Space projects. She is also a judge for the YouTube Space Lab competition, on which she also acted as an educational adviser.
Nick is a freelance writer focussing on astronautics, aviation and the space sciences. He has written for Spaceflight, Aerospace International and Air International magazines, as well as the BBC’s Focus science magazine, the Times Eureka website and the Guardian Unlimited science pages, plus the Journal of the BIS (JBIS) and the influential Space Policy Journal. Nick has given public lectures and broadcasted as a commentator on human spaceflight for BBC TV News and Russia Today TV, BBC Radio 4, the World Service and BBC Radio 5 Live. He has travelled in the USA and Russia and interviewed both engineers and astronaut/cosmonauts of NASA, Roscosmos and ESA, together with private space participants. He has taken part in two zero-g experiment parabola flight campaigns on the “ZERO-G” A-300 aircraft flying from Bordeaux with ESA.
Chiara Bello is a young Italian space entrepreneur, and is the innovator behind ZeroGastronomyTM Ltd, the first ever Zero Gravity gastronomic experiences provider. Following four years of research in a range of fields, Chiara has created a unique expertise in bringing together design, food and microgravity. Chiara is recognised as a leading UK expert on space food. She has presented about ZeroGastronomy to the major Space Agencies across Europe, and to space tourism providers, including Virgin Galactic, Space Adventures, and SpaceLand. Chiara has a background in architecture and design, and brings a visionary and innovative approach to the Imperative Space team. Her ambition is to design and deliver cutting-edge experiences for the next generation of human beings.
Dr Simeon Barber is a planetary science specialist, based at the Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space & Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) at the Open University. He is an experienced project manager, currently responsible for the UK's "Ptolemy" instrument that will land on and study a comet as part of the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission in 2014. Simeon chaired "UK goes to the Planets" from 2006-8, the consortium of academic, industry, educational and outreach experts that works to raise awareness and understanding of UK involvement in planetary science and space exploration. He works to exchange knowledge and capabilities between academia and industry, developing opportunities for each sector. He is particularly interested in combining new technologies and contemporary scientific research to produce interactive educational and outreach resources.
Originally from New Zealand, Max Alexander is an editorial and commercial photographer, who has been based in London for twenty years. He works for a large number of prestigious publications, organisations, and book publishers around the world. For the past five years he has photographed extensively for the astronomy and space science sectors. His easy rapport with people, and a quest for spontaneity, characterise his photographs. Max has initiated several space-focused photography and creative arts projects, including Explorers of the Universe - a year long project, capturing portraits of leading space scientists. He is also working on Stellar Monoliths – Dark Sky Park ‘landscape installations’ across the UK, that show the scaled distances between the stars. Max has had a lifelong interest in astronomy and space science, is a Fellow of the RAS, and has a diploma in astronomy from UCL. He is also represented by the Science Photo Library, and his personal website and portfolio can be found at: http://www.maxalexander.com.
Former astronomer Garry Hill is a multi-skilled software developer and web designer, who has lead the technical development of several digital media and interactive technology projects for Imperative Space and GovEd Communications. He has been working on the internet since before Netscape 1 and honing the cutting edge of digital technology for over 14 years. His experience ranges from programming interactive CD-ROMS (winning a BAFTA for his collaboration with AudioROM on "ShiftControl", a groundbreaking interactive music CD-ROM) to conceiving, designing and building world-class content management systems. A rare mix of aesthetic sense and technological mastery enables Garry to make interfaces as efficient, powerful and intuitive as possible. Garry is also the Technical Director of Carbon Visuals Ltd.
Ben Lavington Martin is a leading post-production supervisor, animator and director in film and television. He has worked extensively in education and science films, and has recently won widespread acclaim for his Bafta-nominated short film Dust, a fictional drama set in the era of the Apollo moon landings. During his career Ben has worked with high profile clients on many varied projects ranging from Hollywood feature films to music videos, independent shorts to educational documentaries. Descending from a long line of teachers, Ben periodically teaches Photography and Stop-motion Animation to a variety of different age groups and abilities, through organisations such as the Outreach Programme at Kensington Palace (HRP). As an experienced Editor, Cameraman, Animator and Sound Designer, Ben gives a unique, creative and technical input into all areas of production. He is also a director of FootageVault.com, an Imperative Space portfolio project.
Shira Rubin is an award-winning teacher and educational innovator, with a background in Natural Sciences, Physics and Chemistry. She originally entered teaching through the presitgious Teach First programme and taught science at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School for three years as science co-ordinator. Her experience as a teacher has included developing new schemes of work for the Twenty First Century Science Curriculum, training and mentoring NQTs, providing enrichment courses for the science GCSE, implementing cross-curricular science and arts film projects, developing pupil to pupil tutoring schemes and organising collaborations with many universities and community-based organisations. In 2006 Shira was awarded the Garnett Excellence Award for using innovation and inspiration in the classroom to raise pupil achievement. She is now a member of the Teach First Ambassador Board, advising on the direction and strategy for social change. She has recently worked on a major space education project with the Imperative Space team, and on a project for Eco Schools with GovEd Communications.
Christopher Phillips is based at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hawai'i, where he started as a visiting researcher in 2009. His work includes producing 3D stereoscopic full dome visualizations of astronomical data from the world's greatest astronomical observatories on Maunakea, Hawai'i. Christopher is also active in education programs involving various school-based activities, as well as educating the community in astronomy and Hawaiian celestial navigation through outreach activities on the mountain of Maunakea. Christopher began his career as an independent science writer. In 2006, he received the Thinking Bloggers Award as a science writer for his astronomy blog. Christopher also held the position of Science Educator and Planetarium Presenter in 2005 at Think Tank Science Museum - the UK’s first full dome digital planetarium. He is also active in the international field through his work with Astronomers Without Borders where he recently took up a seat on the Project Council. Christopher serves as a coordinator in establishing astronomy and science education in developing countries, particularly with portable full dome Planetaria and education workshops in countries such as Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan, with upcoming projects in Africa and Asia.
Dr Chris Welch is Chair of Trustees for the Space Education Trust, and is a member of the Resident Faculty of the International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, France. He is the Chair of YuriGagarin50 and board member/trustee of the World Space Week Association, Spacelink Learning Foundation, the British Interplanetary Society and The Arts Catalyst. Chris is also the winner of the 2009 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Space Education. Chris advises on a range of Imperative Space projects.
Imperative Space