Presenter & Keynote speaker

Ayo Sokale – Civil engineer, BBC Presenter, Former Deputy Mayor of Reading, Sustainability Speaker, Motivational Speaker, STEM Speaker, Neurodiversity Speaker

BBC Presenter, Civil Engineer and a leading keynote speaker in her field – Ayo Sokale  possesses an array of talents and expertise, working at the cutting edge of the scientific, environmental and media landscape. 

A generation of young people have grown up following Ayo at the BBC – most prominently as the co-presenter on CBeebies of Get Set Galactic – an entertaining, science-based immersive gameshow, exploring themes from gravity and the Solar System to pollination, energy and much more and showcasing her love of working with children and sharing the joys of scientific learning, exploration and experimentation. Ayo has presented for BBC Reel and BBC Bitesize, where she’s covered the first principles on an array of scientific subjects from the Physics to Design. She also works as TV expert on STEM issues – including documentaries for the likes of the Smithsonian, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Yesterday TV and Channel 5 – and counts Shell, Heineken, Blue Yonder, the NHS and Thames Water among the leading clients she has worked with as a keynote speaker.

Ayo is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Project Team Manager for the Environment Agency in Eastern England and is a popular Keynote Speaker on the environment and sustainability. She was previously a project manager and BIM lead, pushing for innovative, efficient and sustainable delivery of flood and coastal risk management schemes. Ayo was a Graduate Civil Engineer on the Environment Agency’s training scheme where she undertook internal and external placements which enabled her to sign off her ICE training agreement in 2.5 years and achieve CEng in 3 years. A former Deputy Mayor of Reading, she campaigned tirelessly on sustainability issues in the area.

Ayo was selected as one of Professor Lord Robert Mair’s Future Leaders for his year as President of the ICE. She is one of the ICE’s Water Superheroes aptly named Eco Warrior (previously Angel) and is an excellent Motivational Speaker and Inspirational Speaker, particularly when it comes to inspiring young people to pursue STEM subjects. Ayo is a STEM ambassador and mentor, encouraging others to take up careers in Civil Engineering. She was also nominated for the Top 50 Women in Engineering under 35 initiative run by The Telegraph in partnership with The Women’s Engineering Society and is a popular Diversity and Inclusion Speaker, particularly during black History Month.

In recent years, Ayo has felt more able to talk about being on the autism spectrum. She has a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome and is an empathetic and inspirational keynote speaker on neurodiversity, mental health challenges and how to overcome them. She is writing her first book in the field of self development to support these endeavours. 

Ayo loves the performing arts, fitness, has a passion for  supporting great causes and has raised funds for a number of charities, using her platform as a beauty queen and finalist for Miss Galaxy England, Miss Earth and Miss Great Britain.


Please see Ayo’s latest Showreel

To Book Ayo for commissions as a Presenter/ Speaker/Moderator/Event Host,
Contact her agent Harry Gibson at Riva Media
Contact Email: contact@rivamedia.co.uk
Phone: 0208 5411996


Ayo’s Past Presenting Work

Documentaries

Series Company EpisodesStatus
Get Set GalacticCbeebiesSeason 1 – 26 EpisodesAired from 13th May 2023(Saturday &Sunday 10:35am) & BBC iplayer
The Great Stink of 1858Channel 5Episode 1 of 2Available on Channel 5 from Feb 2023
Ancient Engineering Off the fence productionWeapons, Navigation & The Colosseum & Tools & GoldIn production
To air on the Discovery channel& Channel 5
The Great Library – Episode 01Trimble ConstructionModern Tech, Ancient Site – On Location in TurkeyAvailable on YouTube
BBC BitesizeITN productionsPhysics & Chemistry
Chem U1: Elements, Compounds and Mixture
Chem U6: Writing Symbol equations
Chem U8: Catalyst
Chem U11: Metal oxides & Non-Metal Oxides
Chem U12: Predicting & Interpreting displacement reactions
Chem U13: Resources from the Earth
Chem U14 – Composition of the atmosphere
Chem U15: Atmospheric pollution
Phys U1: Weight & Mass
Phys U3: Conductors & Insulators
Phys U4: Introduction to circuits
Phys U5: Resistance
Phys U6: Series Circuits
Phys 7: Parallel Circuits
Phys U8: Static Electricity
Available on BBC Bitesize

Element, Compounds, Mixture

Writing Symbol Equations

Introduction to Circuits


Electricity and Current

Parallel Circuits

Series Circuits

Static Electricity

Conductors & Insulators

Resistance
Abandoned
Engineering
Smoke and Steel

Like A Shot
Entertainment
Ltd
Tunnels, Bridge, Flooding, Paper & Printing, SewersAvailable on Yesterday TV from Feb 2022
Searching for
Secrets
Bigger BangEpisode 1 – London
Available on Smithsonian Channel from June 2021
The Truth about Food
BBC Reel Does coffee really sober you up when
drunk?
Watch here
The Truth about FoodBBC Reel The Delicious Flavour with a toxic secretWatch here
Great
Inventions

ZDF -Off the fence
Concrete and Elevators 
(Episode 28,29)
Watch here
Available on the National Geographic Channel
Great
Inventions
ZDF – World Media RightsSubway, Suspension bridge, Sewers, Industrial robots and fridges
(Episode 1,2,4,26,30)
Watch here
Available on the National Geographic Channel
ICE 200 Celebration

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
Bazalgette: Saviour of the Great Stink Watch here
ICE 200 Celebration

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
Kwun Tong extension Watch here
WICE

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
What is Civil Engineering?Watch here

Live and Virtual Events

Year Company EventsPlatform
2023RS ComponentsPanel Event – Earth Day CelebrationCotswalts
2023Boston DynamicBuild a Life Based on Your StrengthsGoogle Meet
2023L SectAnnual Apprenticeship Conference – NeurodiversityICC Birmingham
2023Betts Neurodiverse Minds: The key to the future and the UN SDGsExcel London
2023Keele University Sustainability and Neurodiversity KeynoteLive
2023NHSInternational Women Day KeynoteMS TEAM
2023Diverse Heat NetworkLaunch event – Keynote Live
2022Simmons SimmonsNeurodiversity MS TEAM
2022Leo AcademySustainability & The Future Live
2022ClearbankBlack History MonthMS TEAM
2022MTCBlack History MonthMS TEAM
2022WatesMy Career & Black History MonthMS TEAM
2022CMRBlack History MonthMS TEAM
2022PA ConsultingDiversity and InclusionMS TEAM
2022BMSInvisible Disabilities MS TEAM
2022Raytheon Black History MonthLive Webinar
2022BinnesBlack History MonthMS TEAM
2022Raise the BarApprentice Webinar Zoom
2022Heineken Energy SummitLive
2022St Theresa EffinghamPrize Giving Day – Speech Live
2022Lyrical CommunicationThe Installer Show 22 – Installing the Future Now Live
2022JP Morgan ChaseInnovation WeekLive
2022Thames WaterRaising Potential Programme – Session on self awareness for successMS TEAMS
2022Foreign OfficeINWEDMS TEAMS
2022Wireless LogicINWEDMS TEAMS
2022Northern TrustINWEDMS TEAMS
2022Ardonagh AdvisoryINWEDMS TEAMS
2022ArcadisGlobal Access and NeurodiversityMS TEAMS
2021IEMAThe role of the built environmental professional in tackling the climate change emergency Zoom
2021EssenceEnvironmental Injustice & Social Justice Google Meet
2021ArupThe Mindset of a Champion with Derek Redmond and Precious AdamMS TEAMS
2021ShellBlack History MonthGoogle Meet
2021Blue Yonder
Panasonic
Black History MonthZoom
2021XPS PensionsEDIZoom
2021NHSBlack History MonthMS TEAMS
2021HCGInclusion WeekZoom
2021BBC JerseyExtreme events & Climate Change AdaptionRadio
2021Futerra Inclusion Heroes PanelZoom
2021Level 3/5 Leadership and management apprenticeshipWomen in Leadership Programme – Self awarenessWebinar
2021West Lancashire College &
Well North Enterprises
Skelmersdale Science Summer School Live
2021ICEEco Warrior Angel – Diversity & Inclusion in the WorkplacEWebinar, available here
2021The College of Richard CollyerFestival of Science 2021Live
2021Welsh WaterInternational Women in Engineering Day 2021MS TEAMS
2021Thames WaterThames Water Vision 2050MS TEAMS
2021AXON & MadanoEarth Day – Climate and Social JusticeMS TEAMS
2021National Trust Marlow AssociationLondon’s Sewerage Problem: From London’s great stink, Bazalgette’s Sewers to Modern Day TidewayZoom
2021EA & Learn LiveBritish Science Week 2021
reading the book  ‘Clean Up to
Primary Schools
Live Broadcast
2021FlagstoneInternational Women’s Day 2021MS Teams
2021CatalentInternational Women’s Day 2021MS Teams
2021Marketing StoreInternational Women’s Day 2021Zoom
2021WeRiseInitiativeInternational Women in Science day
‘How do “feminine” traits fit into STEM roles?
Clubhouse
2020Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)What is it like being a civil engineering university student? Webinar
2020Piggotts School, TwyfordScience week – Career in Civil EngineeringLive
2020Langtree School GCSE Certificate Ceremony Key Note speechLive
2019St Paul’s Way TrustScience Summer School hosted by Brian Cox – Presentation and Q&ALive
2019EA & Learn LiveLive Read of ‘Alba the 100 year old fish’ to 32,160 Key stage 1 & 2 and Q&A on reducing single use plasticLive & Streamed
2019The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)INWED debate ‘Fast Forward 100 years, which engineering industry will have the biggest impact on society and how?’ representing the Environment and water sectorLive &
Streamed
2018EA & Learn LiveWomen’s In Field Operations – Career DevelopmentLive
2018EAINWED: Careers in Flood and Coastal Risk ManagementLive & Streamed

Podcast and Radio

Ayo features on the Podcast series, Moisturise your Elbows in the following episodes:

Season 2 – Episode 13 -‘Authenticity vs Disclosure’

Season 1 – Episode 8 – ‘Our school selves’ 

Season 1 – Episode 5 – ‘Growing old disgraceful’

YouTube

Ayo joins Dr. Shini Somara on her podcast and Youtube series eSTEAMd on women in STEAM industries. Listen to Ayo on Dr. Shini Somara podcast – Innervation in season 2 episode 15:

Ayo features on Engineer Success Podcast – Profile Editions:

Ayo Joins Karen from Unbiased UK on The Unbiased Podcast:

Listen here

Ayo features on the Podcast series, Engineering Success:

Episode 027

Ayo features on the You Unleashed with Femi Akinyemi:

Living Life on purpose with Ayo Sokale