Education alumni in Christmas University Challenge

Posted on 14 December 2022

Alumni of the Department of Education make up half of the University of York University Challenge team for the forthcoming Christmas special series.

MA Education alumnus Tom Scott will captain the team. This will not be his first experience as a captain, as he famously followed his degree in Education with a stint as President of the York University Students Union, where as "Cap'n Tom Scott" he ran on a ticket of spending the year dressed as a pirate! Now one of the UK's leading YouTubers, he broadcasts on a range of entertainingly educational topics to more than five million subscribers. Joining Tom will be PhD alumna Professor Vanessa Kind. Vanessa is an expert in science education where her research has explored how pupils' understanding of chemistry develops, the impact of teachers' science knowledge and beliefs on their teaching and studies of practical work in school science. Following posts at the University of London, in Trondheim, Norway and at Durham University, she is currently Head of the School of Education at the University of Leeds. The team is completed by sociologist Professor Sophie Woodward (University of Manchester) and journalist David Conn.

York's match against Durham University will be broadcast on BBC2 on Wednesday 21 December at 7.30pm.