Tommy Hills

My name is Tommy and I am a passionate STEM communicator, performer and educator based in Milton Keynes. Currently, I am a dedicated MSc by Research student at the University of Kent, a Teacher of Computing through the Teach First Training Programme, and performer, bringing my love of absurdism and presentations to the stage.

My love of film, stand-up comedy and popular performance, combined with my work with artificial intelligence culminates in fun and engaging projects, designed to show the full extent of creativity and its connections with technology. The mission has always been to bring the excitement and creativity I've experienced to as many people interested in AI, Mathematics and Computer Science as possible.

About

Comedy & Performance

Anchorage Spoken Word — Anchorage Spoken-Word Poetry Night

I have carved a distinctive niche in the comedy circuit by blending technology with the performing arts. My style focuses on character comedy and the "PowerPoint Comedian" aesthetic.

Stand Up on the Stour — Stand-Up on the Stour - 1 Year Anniversary

My performances often combine the many aspects of my life, by challenging audiences to reconsider the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence. Whether through spoken-word poetry at events or live stand-up, my goal is always to educate through entertainment.

STEM Communication

Beyond the stage, I am a passionate educator and STEM communicator. Having achieved my PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in 2025, I am dedicated to making Computer Science and Mathematics accessible and exciting for secondary, sixth-form, higher education students and the general public.

My mission is to bridge the gap between abstract computing concepts and real-world application, while also exploring the creative potential of AI in education. Through workshops, talks, and interactive sessions, I aim to inspire the next generation of thinkers and innovators.

Academic Research

Currently, I am an MSc by Research student at the University of Kent. My research lies at the intersection of Computational Creativity and Humour, specifically investigating the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as Claude 3, Google Gemini, and GPT-4 to generate stand-up comedy material. I explore whether iterative prompt-chaining and computational theory can capture the nuances of writing structured stand-up comedy material.

MScRes Thesis: Exploring AI and Comedy

"Stand-Up and Deliver: Modelling stand-up comedy to assess the self-improvement abilities of large language models"

My thesis explores the theoretical and practical frameworks for computational humour. I investigate how iterative prompt-chaining can be leveraged to develop original stand-up comedy material, bridging the gap between human comedic theory and AI generation.

Read the Thesis via the Kent Academic Repository | Explore the data and results.

Teacher Training w/ Teach First

PGCE Research: Effective Computing Teaching

My M1 PGCE essay, "What makes an effective teacher of Computing?", explores syntax misconceptions in Python and the pedagogical power of modelling and pair programming.

Ambassador Project

This data-tracking and modelling project focused on optimising feedback loops and diagnostic assessment, ensuring that my Ambassador Project aligns with ECT Standards and whole-school strategic priorities.

Media & Press

My work in AI research has provided the opportunity to consult on public engagement forums. I have contributed insights regarding the future of generative AI to:

I am available for media consultations, guest lectures, and event speaking engagements that explore the intersection of AI, humor, and digital education.

Teach First Ambassador Project

"A Journey in Data Modelling"

This Ambassador Project focused on transforming departmental data practices to improve pupil outcomes while simultaneously reducing teacher workload. By implementing diagnostic assessment and automated feedback systems across Key Stages 3 and 4, the project successfully streamlined administrative processes, returning valuable planning time to educators, and provided teachers with precise, data-driven insights to help students bridge specific learning gaps.

Events

STEM Communication

I've carved out a unique niche in the world of STEM communication. Through my previous work at the University of Kent and the STEM Ambassadors scheme, I've aimed to make scientific concepts engaging, inspiring and entertaining for a variety of audiences.

In my catalogue of talks, expect to find a selection of lectures, talks, stand-up comedy shows and live events.

The Ridiculous Quirks of a Mathematically Imagined World

Mathematics is like poetry filled with ridiculous quirks and wild stories. Prepare to be bewildered or perhaps even learn something.

Can AI Stand-Up?

AI-generated content is taking over the creative world. But can large-language models replace stand-up comedians? Watch Tommy explore the process of generating stand-up comedy with AI.

2035 and the Future of AI

Everyone says that AI is going to destroy our future, but is that truly the case? Let me guide you through the current state of what AI can do and present a more hopeful future.

Let's Change How We Make Presentations

Making PowerPoint Presentations manually is so 2020. Let's explore how we can use AI to make our presentations for us. My code for combining LLM, Stable Diffusion and Reveal.js will change the way you work.

Stand-Up and Deliver

An in-depth look into stand-up comedy theory, measuring humour and creativity in computational systems and how to use iterative prompt-chaining to develop stand-up comedy material.

Gallery

A gallery of events, talks and other photography