Keynote Speaker

Melissa has contributed as a keynote speaker, guest lecturer, panellist, panel chair, moderator, facilitator and/or workshop host at over a hundred leading international conferences, seminars, festivals, awards ceremonies, product launches, and other corporate, academic, and public gatherings worldwide. She is known for having knowledge as comprehensive as it is wide-ranging and for delivering honest, informed, and provocative yet inspiring talks that challenge our understanding of the future and the many risks and opportunities it may present. Her career spanning both industry and academia, and at multiple scales of organisation, she brings a 360° perspective to debates and discussions, and has the ability to delve deep into complex and controversial issues.

Expertise

Primary fields of expertise are planetary and biofutures inc. biodesign, bioscience, bioengineering, biotechnology, and biourbansim; emerging material, information, and production systems and their applications in science, commerce, industry, and wider society; ecological design and urban and peri-urban resilience to hazards inc. wildfires, floods, storm systems and other natural, human, and hybrid events; transdisciplinary, complexity and systems theory and practice; sustainable innovation and enterprise in fields including design, technology, manufacturing, utilities, and the built environment; and corporate social responsibility, environmental social governance, and business ethics.

Skills

In addition to her credentials as a chartered design scientist, systems theorist, biofuturist, serial founder, and transdisciplinary designer, Melissa has many years of experience working across both traditional and digital media, marketing, and communications. Having authored over sixty published articles, papers, and chapters; had herself or her work featured in over hundred and fifty publications worldwide; worked across media including film, live and pre-recorded radio, and television documentaries and live broadcast; been a media figurehead and/or ambassador to various campaigns and events; and previously led functions including marketing, public relations, brand affiliation, and sponsorship, she is equally adept at working across physical, virtual, and hybrid events and campaigns, in-house, out-of-house, and with teams at all scales.

5x15

2Degrees Live conference

A20 Technologies

Accenture

ADAPTr BioSalon

Aegis Media Russia

American Intercontinental University 

Architecture Conference & Expo

Balfour Beatty

Bathroom Manufacturers Association

BioChanges at RCA

BioEngineering Congress

Canadian Institute of Planners

Central Saint Martins

Chartered Institute of Building

City of Greater Dandenong

Clerkenwell Design Week

Coventry University

CRG Exchange

Deloitte

Ecobuild conference

Edinburgh International Science Festival

European Centre for Ecotoxicology & Toxicology of Chemicals

Festival of the Future City

Fladgate

Forum for the Built Environment

Future Cities Catapult

Global Research & Innovations in Plastics Sustainability

Greengaged by the Design Council

Grosvenor

Hay Festival

Hershey's

Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia

InterACT Participatory Media Forum

Interface

International Conference of Bionic Engineering

Inventing the Future conference

Knowledge Transfer Network

London Aware

London Design Biennale

London Design Festival

Longitude Prize

Lux Expo

Lux magazine

Manchester International Festival

McKinsey

Media Ecology & Post Industrial Production conf.

Methven

Ministry of Defence

NESTA

New Engineering Foundation

NSG Group

Oslo Architecture Triennale

Professors Without Borders

Quantum Black

Ravensbourne

Re:Work Cities conference

Schneider Electric

Sci-Fi London Film Festival

Science Museum 

Sheppard Robson

Sherborne Girls

Smart City Futures conference

Space10

Startalk Live

SUEZ group

Sustainable Business in Practice conference

Sustainable Design Network Annual Seminar

TEDxLSE - London School of Economics

The Drum - 4 Minute Warning conference

The Future We Want conference

The Future of Housing conference

The Future We Choose launch

The Monument - Masterclasses

The Woman leadership conference

Tomorrow's Natural Business conference

Toyota Motors Europe

UK Aware expo

Unbox conference

Unilever

University College London

University College of Estate Management

University of the Arts London

University of Cambridge - Festival of Ideas

University of Greenwich

University of Plymouth

University of Oxford - Climate Forum

University of Salford

University of Warwick

V&A Museum

va-Q-tec

Vision London: The Future of the Built Environment

WILD: ReNaturing the City

Wilderness festival

Women's Social Leadership Awards

World Bank

World Congress on Sustainable Technologies

Write the Future conference

UBM

Examples

Find a select list of conferences, seminars, festivals, awards, product launches and other events at which Melissa has contributed as a keynote speaker, panellist, chair, moderator or workshop host and/or facilitator here.