Alex O'Brien Keynote Speaker

Alex O’Brien is a London based science writer, thinker and professional poker player. She is also vice-chair of Association of British Science Writers.

Her work has appeared in publications such as The Guardian, BBC, New Scientist and The Times. An advocate for early critical thinking, O’Brien’s mission is to encourage young people to ask big questions and interrogate information they are given. This is why in 2022 she founded the National Young Science Writer Award. The award is aimed at engaging state-educated young people toward a career in STEM related subjects. It is proudly supported by The Royal Institution and the BBC.

Asking better questions is also central to the theme of her book ‘The Truth Detective’ (2023) in which she combines her two passions: Science and Poker. O’Brien is a popular poker player who competes internationally. In this book she writes in-depth about the sciences that underpin a poker player’s skillsets, and thus presents the case why using poker as a framework for problem solving and critical thinking can help you make better, more effective decisions. In a world full of uncertainty and incomplete information, this is a book about getting to the truth.

With a high profile in both science communication and poker, she is a regular face in the media and a sought-after speaker and presenter. O’Brien uses her expertise and insights from both fields to present a new fresh way of seeing the world and thinking about problems. She has captivated broad ranging audiences from sports teams, financial institutions, corporate law firms to tech companies and schools, too.