Liz Bonnin – Natural world Expert, Sustainability Advocate
Topical keynote Speakers & Experts - Sustainability, Climate and Energy Policy
Notable Research and TV work
- Arctic From Above, Sky Nature
- Secrets of the Jurassic Dinosaurs, BBC Two
- Our Changing Planet, BBC One
- Museum of Life, BBC Two
- Drowning in Plastic, BBC One
- The Island: 1.8 billion years in the making, RTE & BBC NI
- Blue Planet Live, BBC
- Horizon, BBC Two
- Tomorrow’s World, BBC One
- Galapagos, BBC One
- Meat: A Threat to our Planet?, BBC On
About Liz
Liz Bonnin is a science and natural world expert and broadcaster, celebrated for her award-winning blue chip projects including Drowning in Plastic and Blue Planet Live.
Liz Bonnin has presented over 40 primetime programmes, ranging from wildlife documentaries, such as Super Smart Animals and Animals in Love, to hard hitting environmental reports such as Drowning in Plastic, which investigated the ocean plastic crisis and successfully raised the level of public debate on the important topic.
Liz has a Masters degree in wild animal biology from the Royal Veterinary College and Zoological Society of London, but her route into science and wildlife presenting was certainly not premeditated.
After university, Liz travelled to sing with a band, and was soon hosting music award shows in Ireland, before presenting cult-classic Top of the Pops.
She soon returned to her first love though beginning work on BBC One’s popular science magazine show, Bang Goes the Theory – which continued for eight series.
Since then, Liz has worked on BBC Two’s Museum of Life, Horizon, Tomorrow’s World, and BBC One’s Meat: A Threat to our Planet? Liz presented the award-winning Galapagos – a three part series which saw her join a team of scientists to carry out ground-breaking research and undertake her first submersible dive to 1km beneath the waves, the deepest anyone had gone on the Archipelago.
Liz’s most recent series, Our Changing Planet began airing on BBC One during spring 2022. The series is a definitive seven-year diary, documenting the fight to save our planet’s most threatened ecosystems. The Island: 1.8 billion years in the making will also be airing on RTE and BBC NI in early autumn 2022.
In addition to her television work, Liz presented What Planet Are We On? for BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live.
The podcast series looked at the impact we are having on our planet and the practical solutions we can adopt.
Guests included Sir David Attenborough, Idris Elba and Christiana Figueres.
Liz also regularly speaks at and hosts science and natural history events across the country, including the National Science and Engineering Competition, the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of Year Awards, New Scientist Live and Blue Dot Festival.
She was also recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the British Science Association and was elected the first female president of The Wildlife Trusts.
Liz was born in France to a French father and Trinidadian mother of Indian and Portuguese descent, and moved to Ireland when she was nine years old.
She loves to challenge herself and continue to push the boundaries of how stories are told.
President of The Wildlife Trusts
Liz Bonnin says:“It’s a very exciting time to be joining The Wildlife Trusts, and I am incredibly honoured to have been invited to take on this role, following in the footsteps of highly esteemed past presidents who I have looked up to throughout my career.
I have long admired The Wildlife Trusts’ work and I am looking forward to championing their expertise and vision to restore nature in the UK.
It is a critical time for the natural world, and I hope that through lending my voice and support, and by working together, we can help to enforce the changes that must take place in order to secure a brighter future for our wild places.
“I have been extremely fortunate to work on projects that have explored our planet’s wildlife wonders and the many conservation challenges they face – from Nepal and the Galapagos, to the Arctic Circle.
Now I want to apply what I have learned to help nature closer to home.
The Wildlife Trusts inspire local action to create a national impact, all with a global perspective – I am keen to be a part of that, and passionate about finding novel ways to make a difference, where it matters most.”
The British Science Association (BSA) recently announced that the biochemist, wild animal biologist and presenter, Liz Bonnin, has been awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Association for her outstanding contribution to engaging a broad range of audiences with science, conservation and the environment.
Honorary Fellowships of the Association are bestowed on individuals who embody the BSA’s vision, and who have made an outstanding contribution to work that supports its mission. This could be in a variety of ways, such as:
Supporting hands-on STEM education and empowering young people from disadvantaged backgrounds;
Challenging stereotypes of what a scientist looks like, what scientists do, and showcasing science as part of culture; and/or Leading public dialogue about science’s place in society.
Recent Interviews
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/we-need-to-get-drastic-about-our-plastic-use-dqlnmqh5m
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/liz-bonnin-new-david-attenborough/
https://thebiologist.rsb.org.uk/biologist-interviews/interview-liz-bonnin-2