Pure Potential

Special Advisors

Our advisory board consists of outstanding people from Secondary Education, Higher Education, recruitment, politics and industry. We are delighted to introduce the first members:

Professor Julia King

Vice Chancellor, Aston University

Professor Julia King (CBE, FREng) graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Natural Sciences. Remaining in Cambridge, she completed a PhD in Materials, and took up a research fellowship. Julia joined Rolls Royce where she held a number of senior executive positions in engineering and manufacturing. In 2002 she became Chief Executive of the Institute of Physics, returning to academia in 2004 as Principal of the Engineering at Imperial College, London. In this time, she received a CBE for her services to  Engineering in the 1999 Queen’s birthday honours and was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Julia has been Vice-Chancellor of Aston University since 2006 and is a passionate supporter of initiatives to widen participation in university education. 

Professor David Philips

Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Imperial College, London

David Phillips (OBE) is Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and Senior Science Ambassador at Imperial College, London. He graduated with a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Birmingham and has continued his academic studies ever since having written over 580 publications including over 400 refereed research papers and many textbooks. He is an inspiration to young scientists and is passionate about the availability of educational opportunities irrespective of background, having started Imperial’s Outreach initiatives 20 years ago. He has received many awards over the years and was recognised for his vast contribution to science with an OBE in 1999. He spoke at the 2007 Pure Potential event at Imperial College and became the first member of our Advisory Board later that year.