Kate Bellingham
Encyclopedia
Kate Bellingham is a British
engineer and television presenter most widely known for her role presenting popular BBC
science show Tomorrow's World
from 1990-1994. Following a period pursuing other interests and raising children, she resumed her broadcasting career in 2010.
on Dalton Terrace (A59
) in York, followed by the University of Oxford
, where she studied Physics. She graduated in 1984.
- a tour of live shows for school pupils around the UK. A BBC Schools producer saw her perform and she was offered a presenting role on a new Design and Technology programme called Techno.
She returned to her engineering training, but soon applied for Tomorrow's World
. Spotted as a talented communicator of science and a potential role model for young women in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she was offered the chance to join the team of presenters working on the BBC's flagship popular science show in 1990 for four years.
Programmes she has presented include:
After around five years of regular television work, hosting numerous live events and presenting countless corporate video programmes, Bellingham decided to focus first on her young family and then to follow her core professional interest by returning to university to secure an MSc
in Electronics.
(science, engineering, technology and maths) to general public audiences, particularly school pupils. She is the DCSF
's STEM Careers Champion (NSCC), and is Education Ambassador for the Bloodhound
Engineering Adventure, which plans to break the world land speed record. Kate returned to TV screens in March 2010 as a regular co-presenter for Museum of Life
a documentary series for BBC2 about the Natural History Museum
. In October 2010 Kate was on the judging panel for the British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEAs), an event, organised by British based Eureka and New Electronics
, which aims to promote the engineering achievements of British companies. During the awards Kate was wearing the e-dress designed by Abigail Williams from Amman Valley School and created by Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz of CuteCircuit. The dress provided Kate with the opportunity to discuss the role of Design Technology (DT) in schools and its significance to British Engineering in the future.
. In 2003, she received an MSc
in Electronics from the University of Hertfordshire
. She is President of Young Engineers, the national network of engineering clubs in schools and colleges. She is also a Patron of WISE
, a charitable organisation that encourages young women to pursue careers in Science, Engineering and Construction.
In 2011 she was awarded a Women of Outstanding Achievement Award, partly in recognition for her work as National STEM Co-Ordinator for Sheffield Hallam University's Centre for Science Education.
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
engineer and television presenter most widely known for her role presenting popular BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science show Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
from 1990-1994. Following a period pursuing other interests and raising children, she resumed her broadcasting career in 2010.
Early life
Bellingham was educated at the independent Mount SchoolThe Mount School, York
The Mount School is a Quaker independent day and boarding school in York, England, for girls aged 11–18. It was founded in 1831. Its preparatory school is called Tregelles, and it accepts only girls from 2012 onwards and has a nursery department. There are two or three forms in Year 7 to 11 and...
on Dalton Terrace (A59
A59 road
The A59 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside, to York in North Yorkshire.-Merseyside:The A59 begins in the centre of Liverpool at the mouth of the Birkenhead Tunnel, and heads north out of the city, first as Scotland Road in Vauxhall, then Kirkdale Road,...
) in York, followed by the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, where she studied Physics. She graduated in 1984.
Broadcasting
Bellingham was a BBC radio engineer working in the BBC Broadcasting House in 1988 when she was selected to co-host the annual Faraday Lecture sponsored by the Institution of Electrical EngineersInstitution of Electrical Engineers
The Institution of Electrical Engineers was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. The I.E.E...
- a tour of live shows for school pupils around the UK. A BBC Schools producer saw her perform and she was offered a presenting role on a new Design and Technology programme called Techno.
She returned to her engineering training, but soon applied for Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
. Spotted as a talented communicator of science and a potential role model for young women in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she was offered the chance to join the team of presenters working on the BBC's flagship popular science show in 1990 for four years.
Programmes she has presented include:
- Radio Five LiveBBC Radio 5 LiveBBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
- The Acid Test from 1994-7 and Splitting the Difference in 1996 - BBC School RadioBBC School RadioBBC School Radio is the audio division of BBC Schools, the educational division of the BBC. It is aimed at primary schools.-History:BBC School Radio began on 4 April 1924 when the BBC was still the British Broadcasting Company . The first school broadcast was given by the composer Sir Walford...
- Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
- Testing Times (four-part series in November 1999) - BBC2 - Working in Engineering in 1999
- The Open UniversityOpen UniversityThe Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
- Children's ITV - The Big BangThe Big Bang (TV series)The Big Bang is a CITV science show that broadcast from April 15, 1996 - September 8, 2004, produced by Yorkshire Television. It is notable for being one of CITV's longest-running science programmes...
from 1996–2004
After around five years of regular television work, hosting numerous live events and presenting countless corporate video programmes, Bellingham decided to focus first on her young family and then to follow her core professional interest by returning to university to secure an MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Electronics.
Promotion of engineering (especially for women)
She went on to train and work as a maths teacher until July 2007, but has now returned to her media work, and to promoting STEMSTEM fields
STEM fields is a US Government acronym for the fields of study in the categories of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The acronym is in use regarding access to work visas for immigrants who are skilled in these fields. Maintaining a citizenry that is well versed in the STEM fields...
(science, engineering, technology and maths) to general public audiences, particularly school pupils. She is the DCSF
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
's STEM Careers Champion (NSCC), and is Education Ambassador for the Bloodhound
Bloodhound SSC
Bloodhound SSC is the name of a project aiming to break the land speed record with a pencil-shaped car powered by a jet engine and a rocket designed to reach approximately...
Engineering Adventure, which plans to break the world land speed record. Kate returned to TV screens in March 2010 as a regular co-presenter for Museum of Life
Museum of Life (documentary)
Museum of Life is a 2010 BBC2 documentary, that takes a look behind the scenes at the British Museum of Natural History. It is introduced and co-presented by Jimmy Doherty, who was a volunteer at the Natural History Museum ten years previously...
a documentary series for BBC2 about the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
. In October 2010 Kate was on the judging panel for the British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEAs), an event, organised by British based Eureka and New Electronics
New Electronics
New Electronics is a British bi-weekly magazine dedicated to UK electronic engineering design. It was established in 1968 and is published by Findlay Media...
, which aims to promote the engineering achievements of British companies. During the awards Kate was wearing the e-dress designed by Abigail Williams from Amman Valley School and created by Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz of CuteCircuit. The dress provided Kate with the opportunity to discuss the role of Design Technology (DT) in schools and its significance to British Engineering in the future.
Awards
In 1997, she received an honorary doctorate in Technology from Staffordshire UniversityStaffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a university with its main campus based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and with other campuses in Stafford, Lichfield and Shrewsbury.- History :...
. In 2003, she received an MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Electronics from the University of Hertfordshire
University of Hertfordshire
The University of Hertfordshire is a new university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, England, from which the university takes its name. It has more than 27,500 students, over 2500 staff, with a turnover of over £181m...
. She is President of Young Engineers, the national network of engineering clubs in schools and colleges. She is also a Patron of WISE
The WISE Campaign
The WISE Campaign encourages young women, under 19 years old, to value and pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths or Construction related courses in School or College and move on into related careers...
, a charitable organisation that encourages young women to pursue careers in Science, Engineering and Construction.
In 2011 she was awarded a Women of Outstanding Achievement Award, partly in recognition for her work as National STEM Co-Ordinator for Sheffield Hallam University's Centre for Science Education.
Personal life
She married BBC maintenance engineer, Martin Young, in 1995. They met after she was working on a TV set as a trainee BBC engineer when it exploded and he fetched her a cup of tea. They have a son (born January 1998) and daughter (born May 2000). They live in HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
External links
- Kate Bellingham's Official Website
- Her Agent
- IMDb
- Science: So what?
- Young Engineers
- Receiving a Silver Medal from the Royal Academy of EngineeringRoyal Academy of Engineering-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
in June 2004. - http://www.theukrc.org/women/women-of-outstanding-achievement/the-winners-2011/kate-bellingham
Audio clips
Video clips
- Tomorrow's World 15 April 1994 from the BBC Archive