Future leaders in science, technology, research and innovation need not only knowledge of the sector they are in – be it higher education, industry, the civil service or elsewhere – but also an understanding of the other parts of the UK’s research and innovation system. The Foundation Future Leaders Programme seeks to support the leaders of tomorrow in building the links and knowledge that they will need.
The programme brings together a cohort of around 30 mid-career professionals over the course of a year, with approximately 10 representatives each from the research community, industry, and the civil service and wider public sector. Over a 12-month period, the group meet and discuss with senior figures from government, parliament, universities, large industry, SMEs, research charities and others. Just as importantly, Future Leaders present their own expertise, develop skills and make future contacts. The programme includes external visits and the development of an annual conference for a wider group of mid-career future leaders in science, technology, research and innovation.
2023 sees the fourth cohort of Foundation Future Leaders take part in the programme. Details of Foundation Future Leaders from earlier years can be found as follows:
The Foundation Future Leaders for 2023 are:
NAME | POSITION | ORGANISATION |
Dr Feargus Abernethy | Senior Spaceflight Project Officer | The Open University |
Miss Karen Ainsworth | Research Nurse/ NIHR ARC NENC Practice Fellow | South Tees NHS FT/NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria |
Dr Justine Alford | Communications and Partnerships Manager | Climate Policy Radar |
Mr Pawala Ariyathilaka | Microtarget Physicist | STFC – Central Laser Facility |
Dr Pepita Barnard | Research Fellow | University of Nottingham |
Mr Tariq Boussouara | Head of Data Acquisition and Engineering Support | TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory (TÜV SÜD NEL) |
Miss Ashleigh Burton | Project Manager | DG Cities |
Dr Louise Campbell | Research Manager | Chief Scientist Office, Directorate-General Health and Social Care, Scottish Government |
Dr Parminder Kaur Chohan | Adviser | Department for Science, Innovation & Technology |
Mr Dean Cooper | Leading Engineer (Band N) – Specialist Search Technical Services | Metropolitan Police Service |
Dr Harriet Davenport MRCVS | Researcher | Veterinary Policy Research Foundation (VPRF) |
Dr Joy Egede | Assistant Professor in Computer Science | University of Nottingham |
Mr Debo Gbakinro | Senior PRAM Engineer | High Speed Two Ltd |
Dr Eun Sun Godwin | Senior Lecturer in International Business Management | University of Wolverhampton |
Miss Jennifer Heyes | Materials Engineer | AWE |
Dr Harriet Hunt | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | University of Exeter |
Dr Orsolya Ihasz | Lecturer in Entrepreneurship | Cranfield School of Management |
Dr Adam Jellett | Senior Policy Advisor | BEIS |
Dr Rachel Kelly | Quality Specialist 3 | Merck BioReliance |
Dr Phylis Makurunje | Postdoctoral Research Officer | Nuclear Futures Institute, Bangor University |
Ms Charlotte Massey | Strategy Development Manager for Net-Zero Ecosystems | National Physical Laboratory |
Dr Owen Metters | Investment Manager | Octopus Ventures |
Dr Susanna Mills | Public Health Specialty Registrar and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Lecturer | Newcastle University |
Dr Leona Morton | Funding Manager | TWI |
Mr Mayowa Olonilua | Research Psychologist | DSTL |
Dr Amy Orben | Programme Leader Track Scientist | MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge |
Ms Katherine Page | Policy Manager | UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources |
Mrs Georgia Park | Programme Manager | The Royal Society |
Dr John Pearson | Technology Lead Innovation | Rolls-Royce Plc |
Dr Daniel Rathbone | Assistant Director | Campaign for Science and Engineering |
Dr Sandeep Sandhu | Head of Stakeholder Relationships | Innovate UK KTN |
Miss Rachel Stonehouse | Policy Research Fellow | The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining |
Mr Andrew Whitley | Head of Office to the Chief Scientific Adviser | Department for International Trade |
Dr Jing (Jill) Zhao | Senior Lecturer in Architecture | University of Lincoln |
![]() |
![]() |
Foundation Future Leaders visiting Rolls Royce on March 31st, 2022. | Foundation Future Leaders touring Rolls Royce on March 31st, 2022. |
![]() |
|
Foundation Future Leaders during a visit to Parliament, June 2023. |
Visiting the Harwell Science Campus, 2023. |
![]() |
|
At RACE (Remote Applications in Challenging Environments), Culham Science Centre, December 2019. |
Meeting of the Foundation Future Leaders at the Royal Society in London, February 2020. |
The 2023 Foundation Future Leaders Programme is partly sponsored by AIRTO (the Association for Innovation, Research and Technology Organisations). The Foundation for Science and Technology gratefully acknowledges their support.