Alice Roberts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Roberts
FRSB
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Roberts in January 2016
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| Born |
Alice May Roberts
19 May 1973 Bristol, England
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| Education | The Red Maids' School |
| Alma mater | University of Wales (BSc, MB BCh) University of Bristol (PhD) |
| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) | David Stevens (m. 2009) |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
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| Institutions | University of Birmingham National Health Service British Broadcasting Corporation University of Wales University of Bristol |
| Thesis | Rotator cuff disease in humans and apes : a palaeopathological and evolutionary perspective on shoulder pathology (2008) |
Alice Roberts (born 19 May 1973) is a well-known English scientist, TV presenter, and author. She teaches about science at the University of Birmingham. She helps people understand science better. Alice was the president of Humanists UK, a charity, and is now a vice-president.
Contents
Alice Roberts' Early Life and Education
Alice Roberts was born in Bristol, England, in 1973. Her father was an aeronautical engineer, and her mother was an English and arts teacher. She grew up in a part of Bristol called Westbury-on-Trym.
Alice went to a private school called Red Maids' School. When she was 15, in December 1988, she won a competition. It was the BBC1 Blue Peter Young Artists competition. Her winning picture was even on the front cover of Radio Times magazine!
Studying Medicine and Anatomy
Alice studied medicine at the University of Wales College of Medicine. This is now part of Cardiff University. She graduated in 1997 with a degree in medicine and surgery.
She also earned a degree in anatomy. Anatomy is the study of the body's structure.
Alice Roberts' Career in Science
After finishing her studies, Alice worked as a junior doctor for 18 months. She worked for the National Health Service in South Wales.
In 1998, she decided to focus on teaching and research. She became an anatomy teacher at the University of Bristol. She became a lecturer there in 1999.
Research and Teaching
Alice spent seven years working on her PhD degree. Her research was in paleopathology. This is the study of diseases in ancient human and animal remains. She earned her PhD in 2008.
At the University of Bristol, she taught about human anatomy. She also taught about how humans developed over time. She researched ancient bones and diseases.
In 2012, Alice became the first Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. This means she helps the public understand science.
She is also part of the advisory board for the Cheltenham Science Festival. She has been on the board for 10 years.
Understanding Human Evolution
Alice has written about human evolution. She has talked about how our bodies have changed over millions of years. She believes that science should be based on evidence.
In 2018, Alice gave the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. These lectures are a fun way to teach science to young people. She also led the British Science Association for a year.
In 2021, she presented a radio series called Bodies. It was a 10-part story about the human body.
Alice Roberts' Television Shows
Alice Roberts is very well known for her TV shows. She presents many science and history documentaries. She was a regular presenter on the BBC series Coast. This show explores the geography and environment of coastlines.
Early TV Appearances
Alice first appeared on TV in 2001 on Time Team Live. She worked as a bone specialist on the show. She helped investigate ancient burials.
She was also a presenter on many other Time Team episodes. This included the spin-off series Extreme Archaeology.
Presenting Documentaries
In 2007, Alice presented Dr Alice Roberts: Don't Die Young. This BBC Two series was about anatomy and health.
She then presented The Incredible Human Journey in 2009. This five-part series explored how humans evolved and moved around the world.
In 2010, she presented Digging for Britain on BBC Two. This show looks at new archaeological discoveries in Britain. The series has returned many times since then.
Alice has presented many other popular science shows:
- Horizon (2011) – She explored if humans are still evolving.
- How to Build a Dinosaur (2011) – This show looked at how dinosaurs might have been built.
- Origins of Us (2011) – This series explored how the human body adapted over millions of years.
- Woolly Mammoth: Secrets from the Ice (2012) – About the secrets of woolly mammoths.
- Prehistoric Autopsy (2012) – She discussed the remains of early humans like Neanderthals.
- Ice Age Giants (2013) – This series focused on giant animals from the Ice Age.
- Britain's Most Historic Towns (2018) – This Channel 4 series explores the history of British towns.
- King Arthur's Britain: The Truth Unearthed (2018) – She looked at new discoveries about King Arthur's time.
- Stonehenge: The Lost Circle Revealed (2021) – This documentary explored the history of Stonehenge's bluestones.
- Curse Of The Ancients with Alice Roberts (2022) – A series about ancient curses.
- Royal Autopsy (2022) – She examined the deaths of famous British monarchs.
- Fortress Britain with Alice Roberts (2023) – A series about historic forts in Britain.
- Ancient Egypt by Train with Alice Roberts (2023) – She explored ancient Egypt by train.
Awards and Recognitions
Alice Roberts has received many awards for her work.
- In 2011, she became an honorary fellow of the British Science Association.
- She also became a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.
- In 2014, she was named one of the UK's leading scientists by the Science Council.
- She has received honorary doctorates from several universities. These include Royal Holloway, University of London and the Open University.
- In 2015, she was named British Humanist of the Year. This was for her work promoting the teaching of evolution in schools.
- Her book, The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being, was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize in 2015.
- In 2020, she won the Royal Society David Attenborough Award.
In May 2022, Alice helped unveil a Statue of Mary Anning in Lyme Regis. Mary Anning was a famous paleontologist.
Alice Roberts' Personal Life
Alice Roberts lives with her husband, David Stevens. They have two children, a daughter born in 2010 and a son born in 2013. She met David in 1995 when she was a medical student. He was studying archaeology. They got married in 2009.
Alice is a pescatarian, meaning she eats fish but no other meat. She is also an atheist, which means she does not believe in a god. She used to be the president of Humanists UK.
She enjoys many hobbies, including:
- Watercolour painting
- Surfing
- Wild swimming
- Cycling
- Gardening
- Pub quizzes
Alice is also involved in organizing the Cheltenham Science Festival. She helps with school outreach programs at the University of Bristol.
In 2010, when filming Digging for Britain, Alice took her baby daughter with her on tour.
See also
In Spanish: Alice Roberts para niños
