Emma
Skipper
From a stranger offering life-changing advice in a cafe (you know who you are and I'll be forever in your debt) and senior colleagues that have guided me through the seemingly impossible, to the advisors that I met as clients and left as peers; my life would have been all the poorer for not have received mentorship.
I want to pay their kindness and generosity of spirit and feedback forward.
From a stranger offering life-changing advice in a cafe (you know who you are and I'll be forever in your debt) and senior colleagues that have guided me through the seemingly impossible, to the advisors that I met as clients and left as peers; my life would have been all the poorer for not have received mentorship.
I want to pay their kindness and generosity of spirit and feedback forward.
From a stranger offering life-changing advice in a cafe (you know who you are and I'll be forever in your debt) and senior colleagues that have guided me through the seemingly impossible, to the advisors that I met as clients and left as peers; my life would have been all the poorer for not have received mentorship.
I want to pay their kindness and generosity of spirit and feedback forward.
From a stranger offering life-changing advice in a cafe (you know who you are and I'll be forever in your debt) and senior colleagues that have guided me through the seemingly impossible, to the advisors that I met as clients and left as peers; my life would have been all the poorer for not have received mentorship.
I want to pay their kindness and generosity of spirit and feedback forward.
From a stranger offering life-changing advice in a cafe (you know who you are and I'll be forever in your debt) and senior colleagues that have guided me through the seemingly impossible, to the advisors that I met as clients and left as peers; my life would have been all the poorer for not have received mentorship.
I want to pay their kindness and generosity of spirit and feedback forward.
Consultancy
I've spent over a decade carving a career that works at the intersection of science, community and creativity.
It was perhaps inevitable that, having left the sciences after university to pursue more 'artistic' endeavours, I now find myself working at the intersection of the two fields.
And it's safe to say they are more similar than you may think.
From paid commissions to pro-bono commitments; I aim to be intentional about the projects I embark on. As a result a lot of time and care is taken on ensuring each collaboration is set up to be as fulfilling and valuable to me as is to my partners... and the results of this approach speak volumes.
We cannot create lasting impact if we don't fundamentally unpick, empathise with and implement our shared values in this world so expect an invitation to share yours if you work with me!
Current Work
Virtual Experience Design & Production:
Out of the in-person ashes of COVID rose the infinite potential and, of course, challenges, of the virtual realm.
Working with the team at KnowInnovation and Inclusive Innovation I've spent the last year designing and optimising the virtual experience to help diverse scientific knowledge and expertise collide in order to develop novel research ideas and approaches.
Projects include:
- Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa)
A large scale digital symposium run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The first virtual science leadership workshop for new GYA members
- Africa Science Leadership Program (ASLP)
Producing closing and opening leadership workshops for the current and new cohorts of mid-career African academics, enabling them to contribute to the development of a new paradigm for science in Africa, focused on its contribution to solving the complex issues facing both Africa and the global community.
CRUK Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer Sandpit: a four day cross-disciplinary virtual sandpit to compete for funding for co-created novel approaches for early detection of the famously deadly cancer.
Community Architecture:
A great community is one that nourishes and supports itself. In this increasingly information and community saturated, yet physically isolated world, the digital spaces designed for communities to come together and create are more important than ever.
My approach focussed on the design of the scaffolding for communities to thrive.
From the digital design of the virtual environment, to the logistical processes put in place to manage and engage the space; I work to ensure communities are delightful, impactful and sustainable.
Projects include:
Global Community Lead @ WIN: Women in Innovation
WIN work to close the gender gap in the field of innovation. I was brought on board to develop the global community strategy and design their first ever online community platform; the WIN HUB.
Network Lead @ The Sense Network
A 4000+ strong network of individuals with Creative Intelligence; the outliers, misfits, rebels; the crazy ones. My role was to manage and find creative ways for Sensers to come together to reimagine what the future could look like, so global brands could design for it. This included running a global series of Supper Clubs, a member interview series and launching the Creative Intelligence newsletter.