David Robert Grimes (PhD, CStat) is a scientist, broadcaster, speaker, and author. His expertise includes public understanding of science, critical thinking, medical disinformation, mathematical modelling, and research integrity. He has contributed to outlets including the Guardian, Scientific American, The New York Times, BBC, the Financial times, the Irish Times, and many more.

He speaks and consults worldwide, and is a recipient of the Nature/Sense about Science John Maddox Prize for standing up for science and Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and Royal Statistical Society. He is the author of the critically acclaimed "The Irrational Ape - Why we fall for disinformation, conspiracy theory, and propaganda" (Simon & Schuster, 2019) with North American title "Good Thinking - Why flawed logic puts us all at risk, and how critical thinking can save the world" (The Experiment, 2021)

AnneMarie MacRae is a highly specialist speech and language therapist and rights-advocate who authored the influential report Giving voice to all of Scotland’s children—a call to action to uphold and realise children’s language and communication rights across Scotland. Her work highlights how speech and language therapy plays a vital role in ensuring that every child’s voice is heard and that their rights, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, are fully respected and protected. Through this report, AnneMarie aims to empower professionals and policymakers to prioritise communication as a fundamental human right and to drive systemic change that benefits all children.

Katherine Broomfield qualified as a speech and language therapist in 2001, later completing a master’s in clinical leadership. She worked clinically with adults who acquired communication disability in multi-professional, post-acute and community rehabilitation teams before specialising in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and leading an AAC service in Gloucestershire.

Katherine was awarded her PhD in 2024 for research on the experiences of using AAC and developing a patient reported outcome measure. She is currently working as a senior research fellow across North Bristol NHS Trust and Cardiff Metropolitan University. Her research includes applying accessible and creative qualitative methods for inclusive research, developing person-centred outcome tools, and innovating AAC and assistive technologies.

Julie Regan is Associate Professor in Speech and Language Pathology in the Department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies at Trinity College Dublin. She holds a BSc, MSc and PhD from TCD, having completed her PhD in the School of Medicine with support from a Health Research Board Healthcare Professional Grant. Her research focuses on instrumental assessment of swallowing and evidence-based dysphagia rehabilitation in cancer and neurological populations.

She has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers and five book chapters, is Secretary General of the European Society of Swallowing Disorders (ESSD), a member of the Dysphagia Research Society International Interprofessional Committee, and Co-Editor of Advances in Communication and Swallowing. Julie teaches across adult neurology, dysarthria and dysphagia, received a Trinity Teaching Excellence Award in 2020, was appointed Visiting Professor at KU Leuven, and was awarded Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin in 2025.