Erinma Ochu

About Me

As the Creative Director of the Manchester Beacon for public engagement, I've worked with three universities (Manchester, Salford and Manchester Metropolitan) in Greater Manchester, community groups and cultural organisations to pioneer collaborative approaches to make a difference to Greater Manchester.

I am also coordinating Catalyst, a University of Lancaster-based interdisciplinary research project to explore how communities use technology to create societal change.

I trained originally as a neuroscientist and have a PhD in Applied Neuroscience from the University of Manchester. Since graduating (many years ago!) I have worked as across the boundaries of science, arts and technology as a writer, researcher, creative practitioner and producer. I tend to follow and combine my interests where possible to help catalyse and achieve social impact.

I am an honorary Science Communication research fellow at The University of Manchester, a fellow of the RSA and serve in an advisory capacity on the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council Science and Society Panel.

As a writer, I am part of artist filmmaking collective, Squirrel Nation based at Islington Mill in Salford.