Merritt Moore

Dr Merritt Moore is a quantum physicist and professional ballet dancer who unites scientific rigour with artistic expression to help audiences reimagine the relationship between human creativity and emerging technology. A Harvard physics graduate with a PhD in Atomic and Laser Physics from Oxford, she has danced professionally with English National Ballet, Boston Ballet, Zurich Ballet, and Norwegian National Ballet whilst conducting cutting-edge research. Her pioneering robot dance collaborations, developed during her Harvard ArtLab residency, have generated over 20 million views and been featured in TIME, Financial Times, and Vogue, whilst performances at the World Economic Forum and Forbes Women's Summit have positioned her as a leading voice on human-machine collaboration. Through visceral performances and dynamic keynotes, she equips leaders and innovators with practical frameworks for fostering interdisciplinary thinking, proving that the most transformative breakthroughs emerge when we refuse to choose between analytical precision and creative boldness.

During the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, Dr Merritt Moore choreographed a duet with an industrial robot, creating a performance that would generate over 20 million views and fundamentally challenge how audiences think about the future of human creativity. A quantum physicist who graduated magna cum laude in Physics from Harvard and earned her PhD in Atomic and Laser Physics from Oxford whilst dancing professionally with Zurich Ballet, Boston Ballet, English National Ballet, and Norwegian National Ballet, she has built a career proving that the most transformative innovations emerge at the intersection of disciplines. Her robot dance collaborations have been featured in TIME, Financial Times, BBC, and Vogue, including a partnership with Louis Vuitton, whilst her performances at the World Economic Forum in Davos and Forbes Women's Summit have established her as a pioneering voice on human-machine collaboration.

Merritt's expertise spans the highest levels of both scientific research and artistic performance. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and selected as one of 12 candidates for rigorous astronaut training on BBC Two's "Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?" under Commander Chris Hadfield, she has demonstrated exceptional ability to excel in fields that demand both analytical precision and creative courage. Her residency at Harvard's ArtLab focused on exploring how artificial intelligence can inspire and broaden human creativity through dance, working with collaborator Alice Williamson to develop choreography between humans and robots using a UR10e robotic arm. As Adjunct Professor at NYU Abu Dhabi from 2022 to 2024, she taught Creative Robotics & Tech, developing a curriculum designed to give students the confidence to master whatever technology emerges next. She is also founder of SASters (Science Art Sisters), an initiative connecting young women passionate about both science and creative fields, which attracted 250 sign-ups within a single day of launch. Her story features in "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" alongside Ada Lovelace and Oprah, and she has been recognised by Glamour Magazine as one of their Top Ten College Women.

Merritt equips audiences with practical frameworks for thriving in an era of rapid technological change by demonstrating that creativity and scientific rigour are not opposing forces but complementary strengths. Her performances, particularly her visceral duets with industrial robots, create unforgettable experiences that shift how leaders and innovators perceive the relationship between humans and machines. Drawing on her teaching philosophy that rejects factory-style education in favour of creative confidence, she shows organisations how to build teams capable of mastering emerging technologies with curiosity rather than fear. Audiences leave her sessions with renewed perspective on collaboration, resilience through failure, and the courage to pursue seemingly incompatible passions. Whether speaking at corporate events, educational conferences, or innovation summits, Merritt inspires teams to approach the future with both analytical precision and artistic boldness, proving that the most transformative solutions emerge when we refuse to choose between science and art.