Dr Laura Nelson

Dr Laura Nelson is a writer, speaker and social entrepreneur, and has a doctorate in neuroscience. Passionate about gender equality and achieving change, Laura led the Christmas 2011 Hamleys campaign which resulted in the world famous toyshop's gender signs being replaced by toy category signs. It caused a media storm, covered in newspapers, radio, TV and media across the world and triggered international debate for weeks.

Laura has pioneered a schools initiative called Breakthrough: The Gender Stereotypes Project, and is regularly invited to speak about gender issues at high-profile events, for example the University of Cambridge Festival of Ideas, Café Scientifique and panel debates at the House of Commons. Laura is a member of the Professional Public Speakers Academy and has run an award-winning public speaking club for three years.

She is also a fiction writer, has published in literary magazines and runs her own blog on political and equality issues.