SAM BRIGGS
Communicator | Educator | Researcher
- About
Sam Briggs received his first degree in Chemical Physics with Industrial Experience, and his Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from the University of Bristol, UK, and is about to embark on a career in technology-based consultancy. He has extensive experience in scientific research and writing, project management, problem solving, and event management. He has tutored students for A-level success and written for science communication magazines and scientific journals. In his spare time he enjoys cycling, cooking, and reading sci-fi.
Science communication
Sam has worked as a STEM ambassador, experimental demonstrator and outreach associate of the University of Bristol in the southwest of England for four years. He has performed on stage at Science Showoff and the Three Minute Thesis and has participated in the online competition I’m a Scientist Get Me Out of Here. He has delivered talks, demos, and workshops at primary, and secondary schools with the RSC and the BIG network. He has also participated in the PERFORM European science communication initiative where he worked closely with schools to engage young students with drama and performance to communicate new science ideas to their peers, whilst developing research responsibility and innovation skills and knowledge base. Sam has worked with the general public in two communication roles to date with the hands-on museums, We the Curious in the UK, and Scienceworks in Melbourne, Australia.
Scienceworks
Sam presenting a physics of light demonstration.
School Outreach
Sam working for Bristol ChemLabS at a local primary school about to present a Gases in the atmosphere show.
Copy writing and editing
Sam has written a Masters and PhD thesis during his academic career. He has, alongside these large project texts, written short pieces for Chemistry Explored, Chemistry Review Europe, and has written a series of presentations on Science and university outreach. He is comfortable poof-reading, writing to a brief, and also keeping to tight deadlines and objectives.
Website management
Sam can administer and produce web content. During his PhD he ensured the upkeep of three academic research group websites, uploading new content in regards to new publications and changes to group membership, whilst also organising payments to secure the unique domain names ( http://www.bristolcomc.co.uk/, http://www.bristolprotolife.co.uk/, http://www.stephenmann.co.uk/). He is very happy to undertake projects involving web development and has learnt HTML, CSS, and WordPress. Sam is also happy running social media campaigns, having deployed thunderclap campaigns to direct traffic to custom event sites across multiple platforms including Twitter and Facebook.
Event Production
Sam has worked as part of a small team to source funding and academics for an international conference. He has experience of human resources mediation, grant application writing having secured £2000 from a funding body for the conference, and liaising with international speakers to coordinate travel and speaking schedule throughout the conference. Sam is keen to put these skills into practice again and envisions putting his people skills into action for small festivals or seminar type events promoting science education and communication.
INASCON 2017 Event team
Sam is pictured here at the end of a successful conference standing alongside the other fantastic members of the event team.
Tutoring
Sam has expertise and materials available for tutoring AQA and Edexcel Chemistry A-level courses. To date, he has tutored in a one-on-one capacity upper sixth form students, and helped them achieve, on average, a two grade improvement in their exams. Sam has a degree in Chemical Physics, and A-levels in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Further Maths. He is DBS checked and is available for skype and face-to-face tutoring at competitive rates. Please do get in contact with Sam if you, or someone you know may, like to work on their exams in this capacity.
- Research
Sam has received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Bristol. His field was Origins of Life chemistry and employed various physical and chemical techniques to generate self assembling compartments which could communicate via inorganic stimuli. His doctoral thesis is available through the University of Bristol. He is trained in the following techniques:
UV-VIS spectroscopy, brightfield and phase-contrast microscopy, confocal microscopy, FLIM, AFM, TEM, SEM, XRD, SAXS, NMR, FTIR, CD spectroscopy, DLS, and also has experience of chemical database management and reporting, proprietary software management and IT infrastructure care and liaising with IT services, lab management, coordinating booking of instrumentation and weekly group meetings and guest speakers for three years.
Voice work
Sam is about to launch a series of audio-books and a podcast, and is very interested in any voice acting opportunities. Samples of his voice work can be found here.
Contact Sam
Please do get in contact with Sam with any requests for services that you might require. He is happy to communicate via e-mail, via skype, or to meet in person and is currently based in Bristol, UK. His full CV is available here.
