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Adam Rutherford
Science
Diversity and Inclusion
Social Impact
Dismantle pseudoscientific racism with Adam Rutherford, geneticist and science communicator specialising in genetics, race and eugenics. Adam helps audiences understand how genetics undermines racist arguments while revealing the shared biological story of humanity. Royal Society David Attenborough Award recipient and BBC broadcaster who lectures at University College London.
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BBC
Adam Rutherford is a geneticist, broadcaster and author who specialises in the intersection of genetics, race and eugenics. His research has spanned evolutionary genetics, developmental biology and the history of scientific racism.
Adam serves as President of Humanists UK and lectures in Biology and Society at University College London, where he teaches the history of eugenics and race science. He presents BBC Radio 4's Start the Week and co-hosts The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry, now in its 20th series. His books include the Sunday Times bestseller How to Argue with a Racist and Control: The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics. He received the Royal Society David Attenborough Award for public engagement with science in 2021.
Drawing on research in genetics, history, and science communication, Adam examines how biological science has been misused to justify racism and inequality. His talks connect cutting-edge genetics with the social and historical forces that shape scientific ideas, helping audiences understand both the power and the limits of biological explanations. He has consulted on films including the Oscar-winning Ex Machina and contributed over a hundred articles to publications including The Guardian and The Telegraph.
His presentations combine rigorous research with accessible explanations that equip people to navigate discussions about identity, ancestry and human difference. Book Adam to bring rigorous science, historical insight, and engaging storytelling to conversations about genetics, society, and human identity.
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Email adam.rutherford@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Adam's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Adam Rutherford structures his presentations by connecting peer-reviewed genetics research with the historical and social contexts in which that science developed, drawing on his academic work at University College London and his authored books to trace how biological science has been misused to justify racism and inequality.
Adam Rutherford speaks on the genetics of race and ancestry, the history of eugenics and scientific racism, and the misuse of biological science to justify inequality. He received the Royal Society David Attenborough Award for public engagement with science in 2021 and lectures in Biology and Society at University College London, where he teaches the history of eugenics and race science.
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