Young Editorial & Artist Team
We had a team of over 45 young people (16-25 years) involved from South Africa, India and
UK. We contributed by sharing our ideas to inform the comic, interviewing experts, writing
articles and creating art.
Arushi Batra (India)
A graduate student at CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi, India. An interest in communicating science led me to Planet Divoc-91 and it has overall helped me brew some Positivi- TEA and build up a collective sense of community as youth amidst all the uncertainties. Having a safe space to research, ideate, share, interview, write and make films about the pandemic was the most fulfilling part for me! Also grateful for the wonderful friends that I have gained through this project! Otherwise dancing, chai and doodling keeps me sane!
Conor Giblin (UK)
I’m a 22-year-old writer from Manchester, currently working as an Events Programmer for Get It Loud in Libraries. During the Planet Divoc-91 project, I’ve had the opportunity to improve my interview technique by speaking to a number of medical professionals including Sir Patrick Vallance, Prof. Sir Robert Lechler and Dr. Lisa Pierre and have gained the skills to communicate scientific principles to a wider audience. In the future, I’d like to do more work as a freelance journalist and apply the skills I’ve learnt to a career in the music industry.
Alma Jbeili (UK)
I have always been interested in medicine and research so being part of this project and learning more about research has been a very rewarding experience for me. The fact that the project gave us a platform to give our opinions on things that matter to us that could’ve been overlooked in the past, and be able to provide a different perspective for those undertaking the research has helped me a lot in terms of piquing my interest to undertake research in the future and motivates me to use such platforms to help get young adults voices heard.
Sonal Katyal (India)
Hello! I am a science communicator by heart, education, and profession. I have worked for/volunteered at science centers, science shows, developed science workshops, organised events for science festivals (India & Scotland). I want to work on making science communication more accessible and inclusive. I’m interested in learning new things in science, art and craft, theatre, dance, and the amalgamation of the mentioned for Public Engagement. Storytelling is close to my heart and comics form a special part of my childhood! Planet DIVOC-91 has been a platform for me to engage in immersive dialogues and grow as a better person.
Hood Kazibwe (UK)
As someone who is new to speaking up and bringing opinions to a big platform, being a part of this group has made it a lot more easier and given me experience to go on to do things I didn’t think I’d be able to do! I love media so it was definitely something I wanted to take part in and do the best I can because I knew I’d connect with new people. To meet new people and connect with so many other voices around the world is incredible and the journey has been absolutely amazing so far. The job Planet Divoc-91 has done so far is outstanding and I’ll be forever grateful with the platform I’ve been given!
Production Team
Yukti Arora
Communications Officer, India Alliance
Paolo Arru
Social Media Lead, Vocal (Manchester NHS)
Charlotte Bailey
Sensitivity Consultant, Freelance
Antonio Benitez
Social Media Lead, Vocal (Manchester NHS)
Claire Bithell
Head of Communications, Academy of Medical Sciences
Naomi Clarke
Senior Communications Officer, Academy of Medical Sciences
Kat Cresswell
Project Manager, Vocal (Manchester NHS)
Kauthar Dramat
Film Editor, Freelance
James Devlin
Design/ Production, Freelance
VV Glass
Sensitivity Consultant, Freelance
Meghna Gupta
Exec Producer for India Films, Freelance
Georgia Harrison
Graphic Designer, Freelance
Nick Hillier
Director of Communications, Academy of Medical Sciences
David Hyde
PR, Superfan Promotions
Sarah Iqbal
India Project Lead, India Alliance/ Freelance
Banya Kar
PR and Communications Lead, India Alliance
Annie Keane
Public Programmes Manager, Vocal (Manchester NHS)
Sara Kenney
Project Co-Lead, Wowbagger Productions
Rudy Loewe
Sensitivity Consultant, Freelance
Joe Muggs
Article mentor/ Music Consultant, Freelance
Kirsten Murray
Editor/ Project Manager, Freelance
Hina Lateef Nizami
Communications Consultant, India Alliance
Adilah Petersen
South Africa Project Coordinator, Interfer
Nabeel Petersen
South Africa Producer, Interfer
Thy Quach
Trailer Editor, Freelance
Gaby Richter
Communications Officer, Academy of Medical Sciences
Holly Rogers
Acting Head of Communications, Academy of Medical Sciences
Kiki Shervington-White
Film Editor, Freelance
Anita Shervington
Lead – Power, Influence & Change, BlastFest Ltd
Bella Starling
Project Co-Lead, Vocal (Manchester NHS)
Laura Thomas
Evaluation, Ondata
Comic Creative Teams
Chapter 1: Transparency is for Windows
Art: Charlie Adlard
Words: Sara Kenney
Colours: James Devlin
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Elsa Charretier
Chapter 2: The Real Question
Art: Nick Brokenshire
Words: Charlotte Bailey
Colours: James Devlin
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Matt Kindt
Chapter 3: Eedyats in Every Galaxy
Art & Words: Hannah Berry
Colours: James Devlin
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: VV Glass
Chapter 4: It’s Just a Phase
Art & Words: Rachael Smith
Colours: James Devlin
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Leslie Hung
Chapter 5: Maturing
Art & Words: Karrie Fransman
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Marco Finnegan
Chapter 6: Same but Different
Art: Anand RK
Words: Nabeel Petersen
Colours: James Devlin
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: FØK
Chapter 7: Crisis of Existential Selves
Art: Zara Slattery
Words: Bobby Joseph
Colours: James Devlin
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: David Rubin
Chapter 8: Remembering to Return
Art: Rudy Loewe
Words: Phelisa Sikwata
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
Chapter 9: The Place Where We Stop the Story…
Art: James Devlin
Words: Sara Kenney
Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Alitha Martinez
Musicians
Mixes found here: https://www.mixcloud.com/PlanetDivoc91/
Angel-Ho
Grandmixxer
Juice Aleem
Joe Muggs
LCY
NV Funk
Toya Delazy
Yewande
Arjun Vagale
Trailer Music: ‘Midi Sans Frontières’, Performed by Squarepusher, Courtesy of Warp Records
Workshops / Interviews / Masterclasses and Mentoring
Dr Saleyha Ahsan
Emergency Medicine Doctor & Broadcaster
Dr Giridhar R Babu
Epidemiologist, Public Health Foundation of India
Dr Anant Bhan
Medical Doctor and Global Health Researcher
Dr Sylvie Briand
Director of Global Infectious Hazards Preparedness Department, WHO Health Emergencies Programme
Rameez Cassiem
Radio Presenter and Motivational Speaker, Radio 786 (Cape Town)
Olly Colegrave
Strategist, VCCP
Duncan Copp
TV Exec/ Series Producer
James Cox
Head of Education, Policy and Advocacy, Save the Children
Professor Dawn Edge
Medical Sociologist, University of Manchester
Jeremy Deller
Artist
Professor Alan Fitzsimmons
Astrophysicist, Queens University, Belfast
Kieron Gillen
Comic book writer
Professor Ian Goodyer FMedSci
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Liesl Hermanus
Psychologist, Hanover Park Maternity Ward
Alok Jha
Journalist and Science Correspondent, The Economist
Professor Gagandeep Kang
Public Health Expert & Vaccinologist, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
Dr Tasha Koch
Biomedical Research and a Founding Managing Director of Eh!woza, University of Cape Town
Stefan Lacandler
Photographer
Professor Sir Robert Lechler FMedSci
Former President of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Michelle Martin
Executive Producer, Audible
Professor Nathan Mayne
Astrophysics and Planetary Climates, University of Exeter
Dr Winston Morgan
Toxicologist, University of East London
Cheleka Mpande
Biomedical Scientist and Immunologist, SATVI – University of Cape Town
Dr Harriet Palfreyman
Medical Historian, University of Manchester
Dr John Parker
Psychiatrist at Western Cape Government and Lecturer at University of Cape Town
Dr Soumitra Pathare
Mental Health Expert, CMHLP – Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Pune, India
Dr Lisa Pierre
Senior Clinical Pharmacologist and Development Team Leader, Johnson & Johnson’s Lung Cancer Initiative
Ms Subhra Priyadarsini
Science Journalist & Chief Editor, Nature India, Nature Springer Group, New Delhi, India
Professor Vijay Raghavan
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Government of India
Dr Lindsey Reynolds
Anthropologist and Public Health Specialist, Stellenbosch University
Fiona Scott
Executive Producer, Off the Fence
Sharad Sharma
Founder, World Comics Network
Dr Zania Stamataki
Viral Immunologist, University of Birmingham
Dana Stevens
Head of Planning, VCCP
Dr Emma Sutton
Historian of Emotions, Queen Mary University
Dr Michele Tameris
Senior Clinician, Researcher and Vaccinologist, SATVI – University of Cape Town
Ms Amrita Tripathi
Freelance journalist, author & mental health advocate, The Health Collective
Professor Sir Patrick Vallance FMedSci
Chief Scientific Advisor, UK Government
Professor Arpana Verma
Head of Division of Population Health; Health Services Research and Primary Care; WHO Expert; Director of Manchester Urban Collaboration on Health
Kate Vines
TV Development Producer
Dr Martyn Winn
Computational Biology Group, Rutherton Appleton
Professor Maria Zambon FMedSci
Director of Virology, Public Health England
Steering Committee
The steering committee consisted of young people (several committees hosted and run by the young adults), science experts and project producers (Wowbagger, Vocal, AMS, Interfer, India Alliance, BlastFest). The ambition for the steering committee was for the young people to find opportunities to build bridges and share their ideas with the science research and policy community.
Daneille Barnetche
Product Manager, Wellcome Trust
Jennifer Cook
Research Manager, NIHR
Nan Davies
Education and Learning Lead, Wellcome Trust
Mark Ellis
Policy Advisor, Education and Skills, Wellcome Trust
Sarah Hess
Covid-19 Engagement & Partnerships, WHO
Divya Shah
Science Portfolio Manager, Wellcome Trust
Katherine Sheridan
Technical Officer, WHO
Doreen Tembo
Senior Research Manager, NIHR
