Sumit trained as a physicist at Imperial College, but worked for decades in financial and scientific journalism. During Sumit’s tenure as editor-in-chief of New Scientist, the world’s most popular science weekly, the magazine successfully expanded into social media, video, books and events ranging from evening lectures to global expeditions. Sumit also served as editor-in-chief of Arc, an acclaimed digital publication dedicated to the future; and as founding creative director for New Scientist Live, the world’s most exciting festival of ideas and discovery.

Upon leaving New Scientist, Sumit undertook the Sloan Fellowship at London Business School and has pursued a portfolio career as a writer, editor, speaker, consultant and entrepreneur, working through his creative studio, Alternity. His first book, The Bright Side, an investigation of the psychology, philosophy and practice of optimism, will be published in twelve languages in January 2025.

Sumit is a Visiting Research Fellow in the Computing department at Goldsmiths and sits on the Editorial Board of the RSA, and the boards of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, and London’s arebyte digital art gallery. He has served as a judge for many awards, including the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, the Wellcome Book Prize, the Royal Television Society Programme Awards and the Costa Book Awards.