Jonathan Drori

Brainstormer, Consultant, Educator/Teacher, Environmentalist, Explorer, Foodie, Idea generator, Investor, Life mentor, Philanthropist, Photographer, Producer, Public servant, World traveler, Writer/Editor

Jon is author of the international bestsellers, Around the World in 80 Trees and Around the World in 80 Plants. These books entwine plant science with history, culture and folklore. He is a Board director of The Eden Project, Cambridge Science Centre, Cambridge University Botanic Garden and the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and he Chairs the Wingate Foundation. Previously, Jon spent 9 years on the board of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, a global leader in plant research, biodiversity and seed-banking. He also Chaired Kew's commercial arm. He was Chairman of UK Parliament's Advisory Council on Public Engagement and a Trustee of The Internet Watch Foundation, that works to ensure the removal of child sexual abuse content from the internet and a Trustee of The Woodland Trust, which plants and protects trees. (Jon has also been curator and MC of TEDxHousesofParliament) Jon is Honorary Professor of Public Understanding of Science at Birmingham University's Institute of Forest Research, within the Physics and Astrophysics faculty. Previously Jon spent 15 years as a Visiting Industrial Professor at Bristol University, specializing in misconceptions in science and in the uses of technology for learning. He is known widely as a speaker (see ted.com!) on subjects as diverse as trees, seed-banking, humankind's relationships with plants, the design of compelling experiences and why it's hotter in summer than in winter. He was made CBE by the Her Majesty the Queen in the UK's December 2006 New Year Honours. Previously, Jon was founder and Director of Culture Online at the UK Government's Department for Culture Media and Sport - a program of projects designed to extend the reach of science and the arts to new audiences using new techniques, and to develop scalable formats and models for public bodies. He recruited and led a creative team of commissioning executives, producers and technologists who won twenty-six major international awards (including 3 BAFTAs, a Webby and the UN World Summit Award) and citation from the UK National Audit Office for management of risk and innovation. Jon was Managing Director with the US e-business firm Scient and before that spent eighteen years with the BBC. He was Head of Commissioning and Editorial Director for BBC Online, which became under his leadership Europe's most popular content website. In that post he had overall responsibility for services, content and navigation and his team won wide acclaim and a special BAFTA award for the quality of its work. Jon was Head of Digital Media and Learning Channels for BBC Education, where he led the development of many new services to engage the public. As a BBC Director and Executive Producer, he was responsible for national educational campaigns and many science and business programs - more than fifty prime-time series and documentaries which won many international awards. Jonathan Drori twitter: @jondrori instagram: @jondroriuk

Plant biodiversity, trees, ancient woodland, seeing or experiencing inspirational teaching, sourdough, philanthropy for sustainable difference, children's film-making, science docs, empathic people, tolerance, kindness, generosity, making the wolrd a better place, human diversity, human loopiness, dappled things.

Using GDP as a proxy measure for human fulfilment is a horrible way to promote a successful society. Above a certain threshold, money doesn't make people happier, and suchmeasures lead Governments and individuals to crazy behaviours that aren't aligned to making societies, (let alone the World) better places. Instead, we need measures of, for example, human fulfilment, gross national happiness, environmental stability, as well as individual freedom, standard of living etc. How can we devise a way of getting from where we are now to a way of measuring and rewarding human success that doesn't use money and financial growth as a proxy for health, happiness and meaning?

Business strategy, Corporate Governance, Flowers, Plant health, Plants, pollination ecology, Public and social action campaigns, Public understanding of science, Science documentary-making, Science Misconceptions, seed-banking, Start-up investment, Trees, Writing

I was so nervous first time I spoke at TED that my tongue kept sticking to the roof of my mouth. Listen for that odd clicking noise... I also remember the surprising number of life-affirmingly saucy emails after the Tricks of Flowers talk. Mainly though, I revel in the glorious characters I've met, those people keen as mustard, (to the point of obsession) and the lifelong friends I've made with fellow insatiably curious travellers who want to make the world a better place. Group-hug anyone?

Baking bread.