We design high impact creative stimuli supporting learning in the construction, engineering and STEM sectors.
Our work supports learning at Key Stage 3 right through to adult education and CPD, with a particular emphasis on low-carbon skills and social exclusion. Our focus is on education through transformative learning. Whether through workshops, events, web tools or lectures, Think Up gives direct access to some of the most challenging educational and design thinking around.
Think Up works with clients as diverse as ConstructionSkills and the British Council to develop bespoke training events and materials. We are particularly proud of our training delivery platforms The Big Rig and Student Studio around which a large portion of our work is based. We also offer strategic consultancy services to help organizations shape and deliver their educational brief.
Think Up is the educational arm of the Useful Simple Trust, an employee benefit trust. By working closely with our sister trust companies thomas.matthews, Expedition Engineering and MustRD, we give our clients access to a diverse set of creative thinkers, which we believe gives us the edge in developing materials products that are truly high impact and innovative.
Oliver Broadbent
Director
Oli is a bright young thing and a bit of a Polymath with degrees in Chemistry from Oxford and Civil Engineering from Imperial College. Having been an engineer at Expedition, he now runs Think Up, heading up their educational program development. Oli has a keen interest in media and communications and is both an enthusiastic blogger and amateur filmmaker.
Dan Epstein
Associate
Formally the Head of Sustainability on the 2012 Olympics, the biggest sustainability job in the country, Dan is the Director of Sustainability for the Useful Simple Trust. With over thirty years’ experience working on sustainability and environmental projects, Dan helps us develop green skills training that can make a big difference to industry.
Sophie Thomas
Associate
A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Sophie runs thomas.matthews an award winning and successful communication design business. She has taught graphic design at the University of Brighton and lectured on the ethics of design. She was a co-founder of Greengaged a highly successful program designed to educate designers about sustainability and is a Trustee of the UK Design Council. One of Design Week’s “Hot 50” in 2008.
Diana McCann
Associate
Diana is an independent Consultant and has worked for over 25 years in adult education and training. She has a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in Occupational Psychology. She is a highly regarded both for her course design and delivery skills and provides the Think Up team with the specialist educational knowledge and expertise that they need.
Euan Ferguson
Associate
Euan Ferguson is headteacher at Isleworth & Syon School for Boys in Hounslow, West London. It’s a boys’ secondary school (aged 11-18 ) with a mixed sixth form. Trained as a biologist, he later specialised in maths and Science Teaching and has been a headteacher since 2000. He was also the school coordinator for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, which means that he now has no knees left! Despite this he continues to coach rugby at London Scottish FC – Under 16s in his spare time.
Sheila Hoile
Associate
A former Director of both CITB-Construction Skills and the Construction Industry Council, Sheila specialises in developing and delivering skills strategies at national, regional and sectoral level. She is currently director of Hoile Associates and is a visiting professor to the School of the Built Environment and the University of Salford. Recognised throughout her career for ground-breaking achievements at national level, she is a natural at bringing people together to develop powerful relationships and long-term networks.
Ed McCann
Co-founder
Ed is best described as large, loud and, on occasion, insightful. Co-founder of Think Up with Chris and co-director of the Royal Designers Summer School. Ed is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. More recently, the story-telling blarney of his Irish roots has given him a feature role in television documentaries on everything engineering from the Industrial Revolution to the Pyramids.
Chris Wise RDI
Co-founder
Chris is an inveterate optimist, a terminally-dissatisfied idealist, and a multiple award-winning engineer of international standing. He was the first Professor of Creative Design at Imperial College, as well Master of the Royal Designers for Industry 2007-2009. He is co-director of the Royal Designers Summer School. With Ed McCann, he conceived the pioneering Constructionarium. He has made several TV programs rebuilding and testing ancient technological marvels, and is fast becoming one himself.
Timothy O’Brien RDI
Associate
A Theatre Designer with a particular interest in design education. Tim’s collaborations go back to Samuel Beckett and the Royal Court in the 60’s and beyond. As an educational philosopher and Master of the Royal Designers for Industry he started their Summer School and directed it for its first 3 years. Between trips to Lisbon working on Wagner’s Ring at Teatro Sao Carlos, he shares responsibility for the Expedition Think Up programme.
Tim Harris
Associate
Whilst spending his days working on, and leading, many award winning structural engineering projects, Tim has developed a keen interest in education and has facilitated workshops with primary school kids right through to those “old enough to be your father”. His knowledge base is in physical engineering, sustainability and he also dabbles in the dark art of poetry.
Sabine Pusch
Associate
Having worked in TV documentaries for over 15 years for all the major broadcasters: BBC, Channel 4, Five and ITV, Sabine has now adapted her skills to a new life enlivened by two young children. Teaching herself radio production skills she makes podcasts for the website ‘Operalovers.net’ and now uses her skills in the production of a wide range of exciting projects for Think Up.
Georgina Von Etzdorf RDI
Associate
Internationally known for her fabric and clothing design Georgina is also committed to helping people better understand and learn about design. To this end she has developed and delivers workshops for groups of children and adults directed at releasing their creative potential through making stuff from rather surprising bits and pieces. Hugely enthusiastic, a natural source of encouragement, and a great proponent of colour, texture, and the ukulele.
Julia Ratcliffe
Associate
As well as a highly successful career as a structural engineer Julia maintains an active involvement in educational activities. She has acted as a Studio Critic at the Architectural Association and visiting Tutor at the University of Leeds and at several universities in the US. She has a particular interest in international development and with Ed McCann is developing the Kenya Playground Project for Save the Children.