About Alom

Alom ShahaI’m a Physics teacher at a comprehensive school. When I’m not teaching, I work as a writer, film-maker, and science communicator.

I’m the author of several books, including The Young Atheist’s Handbook, Mr Shaha’s Recipes for Wonder, and Mr Shaha’s Marvellous MachinesMy next book, Why Don’t Things Fall Up?, is for adults who didn’t like or didn’t understand science at school and will be published on August 17th 2023. My first storybook for children will be published in February 2024.. I have also co-authored GCSE and A-level revision guides for OUP.

In recent years, I’ve worked with a variety of organisations including The Royal Institution, University College London, The Institute of Physics, and BBC Bitesize, and have focussed on making films to encourage and help parents carry out science activities at home with their children, and films for teachers, about teaching.

I have done some TV presenting, performed live science shows, and regularly speak at public events.

I have written, produced and directed a number of TV programmes about science, ranging in subject matter from particle physics to mathematics. I’ve also worked in various other roles on TV series ranging from Horizon to What the Victorians Did for Us to Science Shack.

My creative approach to science communication and teaching have been recognised with fellowships from the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) and The Nuffield Foundation. I have a passionate interest in science education and want to improve my own teaching as well as help develop better ways to teach science. I sometimes blog about that over at sciencedemo.org

I’ve been a local councillor in the ward where I grew up, chaired the governing body of the primary school I attended, and have volunteered at a number of other organisations.

I was born in Bangladesh, but mostly grew up in the Elephant & Castle in London. I can just about carry on a conversation in Spanish and can speak Sylheti, a Bangladeshi dialect, almost fluently. I make really good dal.