Theme: New Realities: The Big Questions Shaping Our Future

‘New Realities: The Big Questions Shaping Our Future’ will explore how we can empower young people to navigate a future of uncertainty, changing expectations, fresh challenges, competing priorities, and jobs that do not even exist yet.

This evening will share ideas of challengers who have emerged from unexpected places and backgrounds; who aren’t afraid to question approaches and change lanes while reshaping their communities for the better.

Oxford High School
High School, Belbroughton Rd
Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 6XA
United Kingdom

Alice Millar

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Alice is a sixth form student at Oxford High School who is hoping to go on to do a Natural Sciences degree at university to study Physics and Biology together. As part of the ‘Orbnet’ team she spent most of her time coming up with original designs for the innovation and animating these in an easy-to-understand format. Outside of her passion for science, she spends time playing rugby and practising the cello.

Alice Zhao

Student at Oxford High School GDST

My name is Alice, and I am a keen reader, writer, speaker and musician. I moved to Oxford when I was 10, and have been going to Oxford High ever since then. My favourite thing to do is to read books while listening to Taylor Swift.

Alicia Qiao

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Hello, my name is Alicia and I am 13 years old. I am an art and academic scholar and I love to listen to music, swim and talk with my friends. I've had an interest in computer science and coding from a young age and I absolutely love it to this day.

Amy Webster

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Hello, my name is Amy, I’m in Year 11 currently getting ready to take my GCSEs. Science is my passion, especially chemistry and physics. In the future I would like to work in material science, I’m particularly interested in the application of science to tackle climate change. In my spare time I enjoy playing electric guitar and ukulele. I also have an extensive collection of rocks and minerals!

Aneesa Zameel

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Hi, my name is Aneesa, and I am 13 years old. I am an Academic, Sports and Art scholar, I love maths and languages, but I also enjoy sketching, playing Tennis and Cricket. My team and I went on to win the national CyberFirst girls competition. Right now, I absolutely love cybersecurity-based challenges and games, especially web exploitation which is so cool.

Claire Davenport

CEO, NED, Angel investor

Claire currently sits as a Non-executive Director on the Board of Trustpilot plc, the global consumer reviews website and is a CEO mentor – and occasional interim CEO - at scale-ups and public companies. In her spare time, Claire runs WITSEND, a network for senior executive women in tech companies in the UK and Europe. From 2019 to 2022, Claire was CEO of notonthehighstreet and was previously CEO of HelloFresh UK, the country's largest recipe box delivery company. Having started her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, Claire has held executive roles in a variety of consumer companies including RTL Group (television), Skype (video calling), Bigpoint (online games) and VoucherCodes.co.uk (digital coupons). She has also played interim roles on the executive teams of FutureLearn (EdTech), Infogrid (B2B SAAS) and Treatwell (salon marketplace). Claire has an undergraduate degree from Cambridge University and an MBA from INSEAD.

Emilia Norstrand

Student at Oxford High School GDST

I am a keen debater from Oxford High School and have debated in competitions such as the International Competition for Young Debaters and Oxford Schools Debating Competition. I have also participated in several school-arranged competitions.

Emma Lackenby

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Emma is a Year 13 student at Oxford High School who is looking forward to studying Biology at university. Throughout her time in sixth form, she has particularly enjoyed running the school’s STEM magazine and participating in a range of science-based competitions. In her free time, she loves running, cooking, and baking her friends' cakes.

Esther Keeley

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Hi, I’m Esther – I study A Level English, Art, RS, and History. In 2023 I won the Tower Poetry Prize with my poem, ‘The Flâneur’. Before moving to Oxford, I lived in Ethiopia and China, and I love to write in my spare time.

Evie Hills

Student at Oxford High School GDST

My name is Evie, I love debating and I am very excited for this chance to try public speaking. I like playing sports and practising the violin. I started debating at Oxford High and I am so grateful for all the opportunities my school has given me like this one.

Florence Houghton

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Hi, I'm Florence Houghton, and I am in Year 9 at Oxford High School. I am a wheelchair user, and my talk is focused on tackling the stigma surrounding the topic of disability. I enjoy public speaking, English, Ethics and Art.

Jennie Lees

Software Engineering Lead, Google DeepMind

Jennie is a software engineering lead at Google DeepMind, the UK’s leading artificial intelligence research lab. She leads a team advancing the use of simulations for faster and safer training of AI, while also co-leading the women’s employee group. Jennie studied machine learning at Cambridge, then took a detour to California for over a decade where she worked on Chrome and Android at Google, shipped code at multiple early-stage startups, and helped create some of the most played video games in the world.

Katharina Mills

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Katharina is a year 13 student. She's passionate about science and looking forward to studying chemistry at university soon. As part of the Conrad Challenge finalist team 'Orbnet' she was responsible for researching and refining the design of their entry, as well as drafting their US provisional patent application. In her free time she enjoys drinking chamomile tea and improving her chemical skills by mixing, measuring and experimenting while trying out new recipes.

Maddie Davies

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Maddie Davies is a year 13 student at Oxford High School who is looking forward to studying Biomedical science at university. Maddie enjoys collaborating with younger years and has participated in both STEM and mentoring focused outreach programs throughout her time in the sixth form. During her free time Maddie loves running and watching quiz show.

Maia Mardas

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Debating has become one of my favourite things to do and it is enhanced by the amazing opportunities for public speaking at my school. I also really enjoy sports and academics - debating has become an amazing tool for many different areas of my life.

Maria Fargher

Student at Oxford High School GDST

I spend my time debating and swimming. Both interests have taught me the value of hard work, dedication, and clear communication, as well as always striving to improve, even in the details. Honing critical thinking and communication through debate, I've participated in, and judged, competitions, and even guided older students in the intricacies of British Parliamentary debate. I am also passionate about STEM and determined to attend a top university to explore these fields further and make a positive impact. In the debate my peers and I shall be presenting, we will explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI’s impact on the future of work.

Marina Gardiner Legge

Head of Oxford High School GDST

Marina Gardiner Legge joined Oxford High School in January 2021, having served as Headmistress at another all girls' school for the previous 4 years. Prior to her start in education Marina worked in marketing and led a mother focussed NGO in Paris, is a mother of three daughters herself and currently President of the Girls Schools' Association. A passionate believer in the power of girls-only education to change lives for the better for everyone, Marina has been described by those who have had the pleasure of working with her as fiercely intelligent and a very capable and caring educationalist.

OSH Trailblazers

Students at Oxford High Prep

We are the OHS Future Trailblazers, and we are in Year 5 and Year 6. As we are the future trailblazers, we have been looking at past heroes and trailblazers and thinking about what they have achieved and how they inspire us to follow our passions and interests to shape our own futures. The OHS Future Trailblazers include: Valerie Bergmann, Gaia Mestre, Emi Acilu, Yahavi Umasunthar, Sophie Lvovsky, Vicky Huang, Emilia Frise and Alexia Dimitriou.

Rosemarie Early

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Rosemarie Early is a Year 12 student studying English Literature, Politics, Art, and Drama, as well as running Oxford High School's Feminist Society. Outside of school, Rosemarie combines her performance skills learned in drama with public speaking - working as an activist with Streets Now and Streetworthy for two years, attending events such as the Women Of the World (WOW) Festival and doing an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live. Along with her love for acting and feminism, is her love of cats - with her own (Mindy, Peggy, Ziggy, and Violet) unfortunately unable to make the event.

Tilly Harrison

Student at Oxford High School GDST

Tilly is a Year 13 Student fascinated by the intricacies of the natural world, and human biology, who is excited to go on to study Medicine at university. As a member of the three person 2023 Conrad Challenge finalist team ‘Orbnet’ she enjoyed presenting, reaching out to experts and delving into the science of space. In her free ti