Sumit Paul-Choudhury

Sumit Paul-Choudhury writes and thinks about science, technology and the future. A veteran financial and science journalist, latterly as editor-in-chief of New Scientist, he is in much demand for his insights into how discovery and invention shape our lives and societies, which he develops through a unique combination of writing, research and creative production. The Bright Side, his acclaimed book on the psychology, philosophy and practice of optimism, was published inJanuary 2025.

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Having graduated with first class honours in Physics from Imperial College and subsequently a Masters in Mathematics from Queen Mary, Sumit chose to become a journalist. Initially he worked arts criticism but spent most of the next fifteen years writing about business and technology in London and New York, with an emphasis on financial engineering and risk management – subjects that would prove critical during the2007-2008 financial crisis.

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In 2008 he returned to the world of science, joining New Scientist, one of the world’s biggest and most respected science media companies, serving as editor-in-chief from 2011-2017. Under his leadership the magazine successfully expanded into social media, video, books and events. In addition, Sumit served as editor-in-chief of Arc, a cult “magazine about the future”, and as the founding creative director of the hugely successful festival New Scientist Live.

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After leaving New Scientist, Sumit undertook the Sloan Fellowship in Strategy and Leadership at London Business School. His creative studio, Alternity, specialises in alternative histories, social experiments and applied speculations, he is a partner in the communications consultancy Scientification LLP and a founder of the Exploded View collective. He is also a Fellow and Editorial Board Member of the RSA, a Trustee of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and of the London-based are byte digital art gallery, and sits on various other boards and advisory groups.  

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Sumit has served as a judge for many prizes and awards, including the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, the Wellcome Book Prize, the Royal Television Society Programme Awards and the Costa Book Awards. He is a guest lecturer on educational programmes at universities including Imperial, Durham and Goldsmiths.