Where should we look for optimism about the future? Our final panel come together to share some of the ideas, innovations and discoveries that could shape the world to come for the better.

Meet our speakers and chair

Roger Highfield (@RogerHighfield) was born in Wales, raised in north London and became the first person to bounce a neutron off a soap bubble. He was the Science Editor of The Daily Telegraph for two decades and the Editor of New Scientist between 2008 and 2011. Today, he is the Science Director of the Science Museum Group, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Biology and Academy of Medical Sciences, a visiting professor of public engagement at the Dunn School, University of Oxford, and Department of Chemistry, UCL, and a member of the UKRI-Medical Research Council. Roger has written ten books and had thousands of articles published in newspapers and magazines. 

Suhair Khan (@SuhairK) is a technology entrepreneur and creative leader. She is the founder of open-ended , a platform and incubator for creative technologists working with artificial intelligence. Her work centers on impact-driven work at the intersection of design, culture and future-facing technology. In over a decade at Google and Google Arts & Culture, Suhair led initiatives which merged cutting-edge technologies with arts, design, culture, education and environmental sustainability.

Isabel Losada (@isabel-losada.bsky.social) is a British author, journalist and public speaker who combines humour with a serious look at her subject matter. She has worked as an actress, broadcaster and public speaker as well as a comedian and author. Isabel is the bestselling author of five previous books including Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment, which has sold over 100,000 copies in the UK. The second edition of her acclaimed book, The Joyful Environmentalist: How to Practise without Preaching, has been published this April by Watkins Publishing. 

Michael Muthukrishna (@mmuthukrishna, @michael.muthukrishna.com) is Professor of Economic Psychology in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE and an affiliate of the Developmental Economics Group at STICERD and of the LSE Data Science Institute. He is also Founder of LSE Culturalytik (a new approach to culture and diversity), Co-Founder of the London School of Artificial Intelligence (LSAI), and Scientific Advisor to the AI startup, Electric Twin. His most recent book, A Theory of Everyone: Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going, was published by Basic Books in 2023. 

Other speakers to be confirmed

Neil Lee (@ndrlee, @neillee.bsky.social) is Professor of Economic Geography in the Department of Geography and Environment at LSE. His research considers economic development, innovation, and public policy. Recent studies have included work on institutions and economic development in Africa and China, regional inequality and political polarisation in Europe and the United States, and innovation policy in Kuwait. He is working on a major ESRC funded project constructing new measures of regional inequality. His book on innovation and inclusive growth is published by University of California Press.

More about this event

This event is part of the LSE Festival: Visions for the Future running from Monday 16 to Saturday 21 June 2025, with a series of events exploring the threats and opportunities of the near and distant future, and what a better world could look like. Booking for all Festival events will open on Monday 19 May.  

At LSE our researchers are using technology’s revolutionary power to understand our world better, looking at AI and technology’s potential to do good, and limiting its potential to do harm. Browse other upcoming events, short films, articles and blogs on AI, technology and society on our dedicated hub.

Hashtag for this event: #LSEFestival