Laurie Smith
www.nesta.org.uk/team/laurie-smith/
www.nesta.org.uk/team/laurie-smith/
Head of Foresight Research, Discovery Hub
Laurie leads on strategic foresight for Nesta.
He oversees much of the organisation's research into emerging trends, novel technologies and promising interventions. Laurie works at Nesta's Discovery Hub, which embeds strategic foresight at the heart of the organisation and helps test high-potential ideas before applying them in our programmes. At Nesta, Laurie has worked on a wide range of topics including:
Prior to joining Nesta he worked at the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, where he most recently led on emerging technologies and futures and before that managed a team focused on science and innovation policy.
Previously he worked at the Academy of Medical Sciences on policy around medical science, public health and international health. During that time he undertook secondments at the Department for International Development and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.
He studied an interdisciplinary degree that combined the biomedical and social sciences at University College London, for which he received first-class honours. He also received a distinction for a masters in science at the Open University, which he undertook while working full time.
Outside work Laurie enjoys running, reading, travel and spending time with his family. He also once taught English in a Buddhist monastery in India and briefly trained at Rada...just not in acting.
