Hello! I'm Laurie

I am a physicist who loves talking about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths). My greatest passion is for telling stories; translating complex topics into English, without losing the important details. I have a background in applied research, metrology, and materials science, so I’m interested in how what we do in the lab shapes the world around us.

I wear many hats: I’m a science journalist and best-selling author, a broadcaster, communications consultant and trainer, a lecturer and keynote speaker, and a creative physicist-for-hire. I live in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, but work with clients all over the world.

In my spare time, I am a charity volunteer, a public transport advocate, an avid reader, and a needle felter, sewist, and all-round DIYer.

What I Do

I translate science and engineering into English, and can help you and your organisation to do the same. My services include:

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-Science writing
-Communications strategy
-Consulting
-Keynote speaking
-Writing, media and comms training for scientists and engineers
-Developing educational resources for all levels

-Hosting & MCing
-Research and fact-checking
-Audio and video production
-Mentoring
-Producing content for museums and exhibitions
-Copyediting and content marketing

Get in Touch

If you’re interested in us working together, please drop me a line
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Laurie Winkless
laurie.winkless@gmail.com
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Currently based in Wellington, New Zealand

Linkedin
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Writing portfolio
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Books

Science and the City: The Mechanics Behind the Metropolis

2016

Sticky: The Secret Science of the Surfaces

2021

Laurie proved to be one of the most entertaining speakers we have ever had. She is funny and articulate with a warmth so exuberant it is like she is giving her audience a great big hug. She takes science and makes it not just accessible but also interesting and even fun for us non-sciencey people! She made us feel that anything was achievable. I would recommend Laurie to anyone needing a fabulous speaker at their event

— Nyree Lewis

Chair of the Department of Corrections Women’s Network

If you're looking for a professional partner to help you find new, inspiring, and thought-provoking scientific or social ideas beyond your own technology domain, Laurie Winkless is a perfect fit. In her own independent way and with her dedicated talent she is a trustworthy voice - equally so live on stage or in the world of sophisticated writing.

— Achim Kühn

Former Head of Group Marketing and Corporate Communications, Herrenknecht AG

I have had the privilege of knowing Laurie for the past six years as she has supported and spoken to the students at Innovative Young Minds since it’s inception in 2017. Last year, Laurie was the opening speaker for our residential programme. Laurie quickly captivated and engaged her audience through simplifying technical, scientific material without dumbing it down and she made complex stuff sound like the most fun in the world! She is funny, heartfelt and passionate in her delivery style. Our students loved her honesty and warmed to her instantly. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

— Sue Avison

IYM Residential Programme facilitator and former trustee of Innovative Young Minds

Laurie was one of our guests for our in-studio speaker series, and spoke about her book, "Sticky". Laurie gave an insightful, skillful talk with plenty of humor that was easy to digest for an audience from varied disciplines. Despite none of us having a background in science, we all enjoyed her talk immensely, and found ourselves relating parts of our own lives to the intimate study of gecko toes. After the talk, she hosted a Q&A and met with members of our studio who still had questions. She was generous with her time and attention, and we can't thank her enough! We'd love to have her back.

— Xan Wetherall

Operations Coordinator, Dinosaur Polo Club

It's always great to work with Laurie, she manages to maintain as much enthusiasm and efficiency for organising the nuts and bolts of a project as she does for explaining the finer details of whatever science is on our plates on that particular day! She's great with clients of all varieties and a reassuring hand at the tiller when working on complex projects with teams spread across the globe.

— Nick Kennedy

Video Producer / Director, Nobel Media (Nobel Foundation)

Laurie's capabilities and enthusiasm for broadcasting her science is nothing short of awesome. She feels equally at home with professors and schoolchildren and is a lively contributor to the development of best practice in educational outreach at NPL. She has actively striven to find appropriate platforms to talk about her work, and is a great networker, pulling together contacts from a variety of fields to enable her to share her passion for science with the next generation

— Dr Andrew Hanson MBE

Outreach Manager, The National Physical Laboratory

Laurie’s exceptional interpersonal skills and high standards quickly build trust in her dealings with others. Her enthusiasm for new challenges is infectious and assists in getting the best from those around her, ensuring that project teams work effectively together. These excellent interpersonal skills are supported by strong technical and business acumen.

— Gareth McGrath

Group leader, National Physical Laboratory

Laurie worked with the Royal Society to develop a strategy to better promote the Society’s medals and awards and provide sample copy demonstrating her suggestions. The resulting documents were exactly what we were looking for, and has allowed us to start implementing changes immediately. Laurie was an absolute pleasure to work with.

— Catriona Ross

Senior Scientific Programmes Officer, The Royal Society

Laurie is one of those rare finds - a natural communicator with an exceptional talent for writing who comes with a strong knowledge of science. Our researchers, leading New Zealand neuroscientists and clinicians, thoroughly enjoyed working with Laurie and her love of science spilled over into every piece she penned. BRNZ’s only hesitation in recommending Laurie to others, would be the need to share her.

— Alexandra Sweetman

Business Manager, Brain Research New Zealand