Hannah Ritchie

Dr Hannah Ritchie is a leading data scientist, researcher and author who specialises in using technology, data and evidence-based analysis to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. As Deputy Editor and Lead Researcher at Our World in Data and a Senior Researcher in the Programme for Global Development at the University of Oxford, Hannah has become a trusted voice on the intersection of sustainability, innovation and technological progress. Through her work, she helps organisations, policymakers and business leaders understand how data can drive smarter decisions, challenge conventional thinking and accelerate solutions to global issues. Her expertise spans climate technology, environmental innovation, public health, resource management and the future role of technology in sustainable development.

Hannah’s career has been shaped by a commitment to combining scientific research with practical applications. After studying Environmental Geoscience at the University of Edinburgh, she worked as a Research Scientist with the UK Biochar Research Centre and the University of Strathclyde. She later completed a Master’s degree in Carbon Management while researching behavioural approaches to climate action for the Scotland 2020 Climate Group. Alongside sustainability consultancy and environmental communications roles, Hannah developed a reputation for translating complex scientific information into accessible insights. Her subsequent work with the University of Edinburgh, the Institute for Environmental IT Hamburg and the Newton-Bhabha Virtual Centre on Nitrogen Efficiency further strengthened her expertise in the relationship between technology, sustainability and global development. Since joining Our World in Data, she has helped shape one of the world’s most influential platforms for data-driven research and analysis.

Alongside her academic and research achievements, Hannah is the author of the bestselling books Not the End of the World and Clearing the Air, both of which explore how innovation and evidence can help solve environmental challenges. Her analysis has been featured by the BBC, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Vox, WIRED and New Scientist. She also publishes the widely followed Sustainability by Numbers newsletter and co-hosts the Solving for Climate podcast. In recognition of her contribution to public understanding of data and statistics, she was named an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society.

As a technology speaker, Hannah offers audiences a rare combination of scientific expertise, data literacy and future-focused thinking. She demonstrates how breakthroughs in technology, energy, agriculture and environmental science are reshaping the world and creating opportunities for sustainable growth. Drawing on extensive research and real-world case studies, she equips audiences with a clearer understanding of the trends that will define the coming decades. Whether addressing corporate leaders, technology innovators, investors or policymakers, Hannah delivers informed, engaging and actionable insights on how data and innovation can be harnessed to build a better future.